News

USA Cycling Names 53 Riders to U.S. Squad for Mountain Bike World Championships

August 16, 2010

Colorado Springs, Colo. — USA Cycling announced today the 53 athletes nominated to represent the United States at the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec, September 1-5.

Seven men and seven women will wear the red, white and blue while competing for world titles in the elite cross country races.

As the reigning national champion, and winner of the 2010 USA Cycling Pro XCT, Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized) earned the only automatic nomination to the elite men's cross country squad. He'll be joined on the course by discretionary nominees Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek), Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant), Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont./Subaru-Trek), Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven-NoTubes), Carl Decker (Bend, Ore./Giant), and Spencer Paxson (Seattle, Wash./Team S&M Young Guns).

Three women received automatic nominations to compete in the elite women's contest in Mont Saint Anne. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna) earned her nomination by way of winning the national championship cross country race as well as the overall USA Cycling Pro XCT. In addition, the Colorado rider earned a silver medal in the third stop on the World Cup and is currently ranked fifth in the overall World Cup standings. As the highest ranked American woman in the UCI rankings, in sixth-place, Willow Koerber (Durango, Colo./Subaru-Trek) also picked up an automatic nomination to the team. In addition to her UCI ranking, Ms. Koerber met several other qualifications to receive an automatic nomination, including winning the first World Cup of the season, placing second in the second World Cup, and currently sitting in third in the overall World Cup standings. With a fourth-place effort in the fifth stop on the World Cup circuit, Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Planet Bike) also earned an automatic nomination to the team. Gould, Koerber, and Compton will join forces with four discretionary nominees:

Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven-NoTubes), Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek), Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo./Giant), and Allison Mann (Murietta, Calif./Rock N Road).

Eight U23 athletes and eight junior athletes were also nominated to represent the U.S. in the U23 and junior cross country competitions in Quebec. See below for a complete roster.

As the reigning national champ in the elite men's downhill discipline, Aaron Gwin (Morongo Valley, Calif./Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team) received the lone automatic nomination to the men's downhill contingent. In addition to winning the national title, Gwin also met the selection criteria by virtue of his fourth-place effort in the second World Cup and his third-place effort in the third World Cup this season. Gwin will be joined in the elite men's downhill time test by discretionary nominees Luke Strobel (Issaquah, Wash./Evil Bikes), Kyle Strait (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Logan Binggeli (Saint George, Utah/KHS Bicycles), Tyler Immer (Rancho Murieta, Calif.), Brad Benedict (Auburn/Specialized), and Duncan Riffle (Santa Barbara, Calif./Giant).

Four women will wear the Team USA jersey in the elite women's downhill contest. The squad will be led by the only automatic nomination, reigning national champion Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./Transition Racing). Discretionary nominees include Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz./KHS Bicycles), Jacqueline Harmony (Sedona, Ariz./KHS Bicycles), and Leigh Donovan (Murietta, Calif./Intense Cycles).

Eight junior riders were nominated to compete in the junior men's and women's downhill contests in Mont Saint Anne. Please see below for a complete roster.

In addition to the downhill competitions, the World Championships will also feature elite four-cross competitions for gravity racers. The U.S. squad will be led by automatic nominees and reigning national champions Ross Milan (Arvada, Colo./Yeti-Cycles) and Neven Steinmetz (Boulder, Colo./Ellsworth Bikes). In the men's contest, Milan will be joined by Barry Nobles (Wetumpka, Ala.), Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah), and Blake Carney (Camarillo, Calif.).

The complete U.S. Team roster is listed below.

For more information about the 2010 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, please visit the event's official website, here: www.montsainteanne2010.com.

Elite Men Cross Country

Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized)**

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek)

Adam Craig (Bend, Ore.)

Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont./Subaru-Trek)

Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven-NoTubes)

Carl Decker (Bend, Ore./Giant)

Spencer Paxson (Seattle, Wash./Team S&M Young Guns),

Elite Women Cross Country

Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna)**

Willow Koerber (Durango, Colo./Subaru-Trek) **

Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Planet Bike) **

Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven-NoTubes)

Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Trek)

Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo./Giant)

Allison Mann (Murietta, Calif./Rock N Road)

U23 Men Cross Country

Tad Elliott (Durango, Colo./Sho-Air-Specialized) **

Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah/Garmin-Felt-Holowesko)

Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Subaru-Trek)

Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./Arlberg Sports)

Jack Hinkens (Edenprairie, Minn./Trek-Co-op)

Mitch Hoke (Colorado Springs, Colo./Tokyo Joe's)

U23 Women Cross Country

Sage Wilderman (Fraser, Colo./Team Totally Wired)**

Lydia Tanner (San Clemente, Calif./Montana State University)

Junior Men Cross Country

Skyler Truijillo (Fort Collins, Colo.)**

Zach Valdez (Hemet, Calif.)

Seth Kemp (Campobella, S.C.)

Tony Smith (San Rafael, Calif./Whole Athlete)

Will Curtis (San Rafael, Calif./Whole Athlete)

Junior Women Cross Country

Alicia Rose Pastore (Curango, Colo./Rocky Mountain Chocolate)**

Sofia Hamilton (San Anselmo, Calif./Whole Athlete)

Essence Barton (Thousand Oak, Calif.)

Elite Men Downhill

Aaron Gwin (Morongo Valley, Calif./Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team)**

Luke Strobel (Issaquah, Wash./Evil Bikes)

Kyle Strait (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Logan Binggeli (Saint George, Utah/KHS Bicycles)

Tyler Immer (Rancho Murieta, Calif.)

Brad Benedict (Auburn/Specialized)

Duncan Riffle (Santa Barbara, Calif./Giant)

Elite Women Downhill

Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./Transition Racing) **

Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz./KHS Bicycles)

Jacqueline Harmony (Sedona, Ariz./KHS Bicycles)

Leigh Donovan (Murietta, Calif./Intense Cycles)

Junior Men Downhill

Sam Powers (Lyons, Colo./Redstone Cyclery)**

Bryson Martin (Stevenson Ranch, Oakley)**

Neko Mulally (Reading, Pa./Trek World Racing)

Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah)

Nate Furbee (Los Osos, Calif.)

Evan Powell (Boulder, Colo./Yeti Fox)

Trevor Trinkino (Evergreen, Colo./Yeti RPM)

Junior Women Downhill

Kelsey Anderson (Novato, Calif.)

Men Four-Cross

Ross Milan (Arvada, Colo./Yeti-Cycles)**

Barry Nobles (Wetumpka, Ala.)

Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah)

Blake Carney (Camarillo, Calif.)

Women Four-Cross

Neven Steinmetz (Boulder, Colo./Ellsworth Bikes)**

** denotes automatic nomination

About USA Cycling

Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 66,500+ licensees; 2,200 clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,650 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.

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