MOUNTAIN BIKE
UCI MTB World Cup: Mairiporã, Brazil
(April 12-14) – Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing) kicked off the first of two weekends of World Cup MTB racing by winning gold medals in Brazil – with Team USA capturing a slew of podium and top-10 spots.
On Saturday, Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing) and Bjorn Riley (Trek Future Racing) placed 1st and 2nd in the U23 men’s XCO race, with Amos also winning U23 men’s XCC the day before.
On Sunday, Christopher Blevins, wearing his stars and stripes national champion jersey, won gold in elite men’s XCO.
Two Americans made the elite women’s XCO podium. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) placed 2nd – her best World Cup finish -- and Haley Batten (Specialized Factory Racing), who led most of the race until crashing, was 3rd. Kelsey Urban (Team 31 IBIS Cycles) had her best World Cup placing, taking 8th, while Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) finished 10th.
Madigan Munro (Trek Factory Racing) placed 4th in U23 women’s XCO and Sofia Waite (BH Coloma Team) took 10th.
In elite women’s XCC, Kate Courtney (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) placed 5th and Haley Batten(Specialized Factory Racing) was 7th. In U23 women’s XCC, Madigan Munro (Trek Factory Racing) captured 2nd and Sofia Waite (BH Coloma Team) was 3rd. Bjorn Riley (Trek Future Racing) placed 4thin U23 men’s XCC.
Riders will head north for the next stop on the World Cup MTB circuit, April 19-21, in Araxá, Brazil.
Complete results here
US Pro Cup: Fayetteville, Arkansas
(April 3-7) – Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing) scored crucial victories for Team USA at round three of the USA Cycling Cross Country MTB National Series, with Blevins winning the elite men’s C1 XCO race on Wednesday and Amos winning Saturday’s HC XCO.
The event brought together amateurs, juniors and elite racers to Centennial Park for a weekend of cross-country racing, along with chances for Team USA to score critical points for Olympic Qualifying spots. UCI races included C1 XCO, C3 XCC, and HC XCO.
In the junior men’s XCO race, Nicholas Konecny (Bear National Team), Henry Coote (Competitive Edge Racing), and Luke Mosteller (Bear National Team) made it a top-3 sweep for Team USA, while Bailey Cioppa (Bear National Team) won the U23 women’s HC XCO race. Nicholas Konecny (Bear National Team), Henry Coote (Competitive Edge Racing) and Ezra Caudell (Gravity Collective) swept the podium in junior men’s HC XCO; on the junior women’s side, Vida Lopez de San Roman (Bear National Team) and Ingrid McElroy (Bear National Team) placed 2nd and 3rd in HC XCO and C1 XCO.
Complete results here
Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series, Ride Rock Creek: Zirconia, NC
(April 3-7) – The USA Cycling National Downhill Series made its first stop of the season, with pros and amateurs racing at Ride Rock Creek bike park in Zirconia, NC. Dakotah Norton (Mondraker Factory Racing) took 1st in elite men’s Downhill, followed by Austin Dooley (Commencal Schwalbe/Monster Army) and Luca Shaw (Canyon) in 2nd and 3rd.
Aletha Ostgaard (SRAM, Fastrack Racing) and Frida Helena Rønning (Union) placed 1st and 2nd in the elite women’s race, with Abby Ronca (Evolve Racing) and Taylor Ostgaard (SRAM, Fastrack Racing) taking 4th and 5th.
There are three more events in the national downhill series, with pros vying for overall titles. Next race on the calendar takes place at Mountain Creek Bike Park, in Vernon, NJ, May 24-26.
Complete results here
32nd Piney Hills Classic and UCI XCO Junior Series: Ruston, Lousiana
(April 12-14) – The 32nd Piney Hills Classic MTB Festival, stop four of the USA Cycling Cross-Country Mountain Bike National Series, took place in northern Louisiana’s Lincoln Parrish Park.
Two days of elite and junior C2 XCO racing started Friday, with Jack Spranger (Bear National Team) and Lasse Konecny (Bear National Team) placing 2nd and 3rd in elite men’s racing, and Katherine Wood and Isabella Robles (HART Pro Cycling) taking 2nd and 3rd on the women’s side. In the XCO Junior Series, Maddex Thiel (Bear National Team), Ezra Caudell (Gravity Collective) and Miles Mattern (Bear National Team) went 1-3 for junior men, while Ingrid McElroy (Bear National Team), Alice Hoskins (Gravity Collective), and Madeline Fisher (WE Development) placed top-3 for junior women.
Saturday’s C2 XCO competition saw Jack Spranger (Bear National Team) place 1st and Lasse Konecny (Bear National Team) place 3rd on the elite men’s side, and Katherine Wood and Emma Calvert (Dirt Camp Racing) place 2nd and 3rd for elite women. Luke Mosteller (Bear National Team) and Ingrid McElroy (Bear National Team) won the junior men’s and women’s races. Caleb Smith(Baghouse) was 2nd and Ezra Caudell (Gravity Collective) 3rd in junior men’s; Alice Hoskins (Gravity Collective) and Landrie McClain (BMX/Walmart OZ Development) were 2nd and 3rd in junior women’s.
Complete results here
TRACK
2024 Pan American Track Cycling Championships: Carson, Calif.
(April 3-7) – Team USA earned 17 medals over five days of racing, putting them at the top of the medal count among the 18 nations that competed at this year’s Pan American Track Cycling Championships. Held at VELO Sports Center in Carson, California, this was the first time that the USA hosted a Pan American Track Cycling Championship.
Team USA earned 12 gold, the highest gold medal count of the championships, along with five bronze medals. Jennifer Valente (San Diego; TWENTY24 Pro Cycling) earned five of the golds, while Grant Koontz (Nederland, Colo.; Star Track Cycling) won two.
Highlights and roundups from each day of racing below.
Day one | Day two | Day three | Day four | Day five
Complete results here
Track Nations Cup: Milton, Canada
(April 12-14) – Fresh off five days of Pan Am competition in California, Team USA competed at the third and final round of the Track Nations Cup 2024. Held at the National Cycling Center Velodrome in Milton, it marked the last major race before the Paris Olympic Games and the last chance to earn points for Olympic qualification.
Jennifer Valente (San Diego; TWENTY24 Pro Cycling) added to her gold medal collection, winning the Women’s Elimination race for the second week in a row. She then teamed with Lily Williams (Asheville, NC; Human Powered Health) to earn bronze in Women’s Madison. Valente also earned bronze in Women’s Omnium.
Complete results here
ROAD
Itzulia Basque Country: Spain
(April 1-6) – Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) placed 5th overall at the six-stage Itzulia Basque Country. It was the 26-year-old’s seventh, top-10 overall finish this season, including victories at GP Miguel Indurain and Volta Comunitat Valenciana.
Complete results here
