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USA Cycling Announces Launch of USA Cycling National Team

(December 14, 2017) – USA Cycling announced the launch of the USA Cycling National Team at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Fifty-one athletes across BMX, cyclocross, mountain bike, road, and track cycling were initially named to the 2018 USA Cycling National Team and identified as the top performing athletes in each discipline based on objective performance-based criteria. “USA Cycling has always developed America’s best cyclists and aided them in international success, but we have not had a formal National Team in nearly two decades,” stated CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall. “We are introducing the USA Cycling National Team now to help our Olympic and World Championship contenders achieve their absolute best, clarify for all elite athletes how to attain USA Cycling’s top level of support, and create a clear path and goals for developing athletes that aspire to Olympic and international success.”

The USA Cycling National Team will offer each athlete year-round support based on their level of accomplishment and be customized to their individual needs. While the performance standards are consistent across disciplines, there are unique criteria for each discipline and event that an athlete must achieve to be part of the team. Being a member of the National Team does not provide automatic access to World Championships teams or the Olympics, as those opportunities must be earned according to a clearly defined selection process open to all athletes. However, it does provide access to USA Cycling’s highest level of athlete support, which may include:

  • Direct funding and health insurance
  • Access to U.S. Olympic Training Centers
  • Access to sport performance services: physiology, nutrition, sport psychology, strength and conditioning, technology and sports medicine
  • Access to U.S. Olympic Committee national medical network
  • Support from a USA Cycling Performance Director in partnership with the athlete’s personal coach, professional team, and extended support network
  • Travel support to attend National Team projects, qualifying events, and camps
  • High performance clothing and equipment provided by USA Cycling partners

Scott Schnitzspahn, Vice President of Elite Athletics for USA Cycling said, “First and foremost, the USA Cycling National Team program will help us ensure that those who have clearly and recently demonstrated the ability to succeed at the highest international level are receiving the full complement of resources and tools they need to win medals at the World Championships and Olympic Games. Thanks to the generous support of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the USA Cycling Foundation, and USA Cycling’s corporate partners, we can provide outstanding high performance resources to those fighting for major international success in the USA Cycling National Team jersey.”

Kristin Armstrong, three-time Olympic gold medalist and now Endurance Performance Director for USA Cycling, highlighted the importance of having access to a wide array of athlete support resources. “I did not achieve my success alone, and I know others can’t either. I was excited to join the USA Cycling coaching team, and collectively we look forward to sharing our expertise and providing an exceptional level of support for athletes through the new USA Cycling National Team program.”

“This is a truly stellar group of athletes that have earned this honor”, said Jim Miller, Vice President of High Performance for USA Cycling. “We designed the USA Cycling National Team program to have a very high bar – all these athletes have achieved remarkable international success. I look forward to more athletes meeting those standards, and we have structured the program so that as new athletes meet the criteria, they too can join the team.” Miller added, “This is a dynamic, performance based process, and additional athletes can earn their way onto the team with their performance. Conversely, those athletes named today will have to keep earning the privilege to remain a member of this elite team.”

In launching the program USA Cycling also outlined clear athlete development pathways for BMX, cyclocross, mountain bike, road and track cycling to help aspiring athletes of all abilities understand the process and expectations. All information is available on the usacycling.org/team.

Jim Miller explained, “The USA Cycling National Team is only part of the story. We are equally excited about our refined development pathways for each discipline. We wanted to clarify for athletes what the path is from grassroots to Olympic Champion. Elite athletes don’t start out elite – they need to develop, and we want to help athletes understand what that process looks like as much as possible.”


BMX FREESTYLE

CITY/STATE CRITERIA
Nick Bruce Cleveland OH 4th World Cup Overall
Pat Casey Riverside CA BMX Freestyle UCI Overall Ranking – 9th
Cory Coffey Detroit MI BMX Freestyle UCI Overall Ranking – 7th
Justin Dowell Virginia Beach VA 8th place Freestyle UCI World Championships
Angie Marino Tempe AZ 3rd World Championships
Hannah Roberts Buchanan MI 1st World Championships
Daniel Sandoval Mira Loma CA 4th World Championships
Colton Walker New Richmond WI 3rd World Championships

BMX SUPERCROSS

CITY/STATE CRITERIA
Connor Fields Henderson NV Top 3 World Cup Overall
Sean Gaian Santee CA 15th World Championships
Danielle George Palmdale CA 11th World Championships
Alise Post Chula Vista CA 1st World Championships
Corben Sharrah Tucson AZ 1st World Championships
Mika Shaw Bailey CO 16th World Championships

CYCLOCROSS

CITY/STATE CRITERIA
Katie Compton Colorado Springs CO Elite Pan American Champion
Gage Hecht Parker CO U23 Pan American Champion
Stephen Hyde Easthampton MA Elite Pan American Champion
Emma White* Delanson NY U23 Pan American Champion

MOUNTAIN BIKE

CITY/STATE CRITERIA
Haley Batten Park City UT 4th World Cup Overall U23
Christopher Blevins Durango CO U23 National Champion 2017
Kate Courtney Kentfield CA 2nd U23 World Championships, Elite National Champion 2017
Lea Davison Jericho VT 6th World Championships
Howard Grotts Durango CO Elite National Champion 2017
Erin Huck Boulder CO 15th World Championships
Chloe Woodruff Prescott AZ 14th UCI World Cup Val Di Sol

ROAD

CITY/STATE CRITERIA
Chloé Dygert-Owen* Port Orchard WA Top 5 World Championships, Time Trial
Ian Garrison Decatur GA 2nd Gent-Wevelgem
Megan Guarnier San Mateo CA Top-5 Euro WWT SR - Giro, Top-25 UCI Rankings
Brandon McNulty Phoenix AZ 2nd U23 World Championships, U23 National Champion 2017
Amber Neben Lake Forest CA Elite National Champion 2017
Neilson Powless Roseville CA 9th U23 World Championships, U23 National Champion 2017
Coryn Rivera Tustin CA 1st Euro WWT - Flanders, Top-25 UCI Rankings
Joey Rosskopf Decatur GA Elite National Champion 2017
Skyler Schneider West Allis WI Winner of 2.1 stage
Lauren Stephens Dallas TX Top-25 UCI Rankings, Top-10 World Championships TT
Tejay van Garderen Aspen CO Winner of GT stage
Larry Warbasse Traverse City MI Elite National Champion 2017
Emma White* Delanson NY U23 National Champion 2017
Tayler Wiles Fairfax CA Winner of 2.1 stage

TRACK ENDURANCE

CITY/STATE CRITERIA
Kelly Catlin Arden Hills MN 1st World Championships, Team Pursuit
Chloé Dygert-Owen* Port Orchard WA 1st World Championships, Team Pursuit
Kim Geist Emmaus PA 1st World Championships, Team Pursuit
Adrian Hegyvary Asheville NC 3rd Team Pursuit World Cup Santiago
Daniel Holloway Boulder CO 3rd Team Pursuit World Cup Santiago, 1st Omnium World Cup Santiago
Gavin Hoover Manhattan Beach CA 3rd Team Pursuit World Cup Santiago
Ashton Lambie Lawrence KS 3rd Team Pursuit World Cup Santiago
Colby Lange Edwards CO 3rd Team Pursuit World Cup Santiago
Daniel Summerhill Centennial CO 4th Team Pursuit World Cup Milton
Jennifer Valente San Diego CA 1st World Championships, Team Pursuit
Eric Young Boulder CO 3rd Team Pursuit World Cup Santiago
Kim Zubris Alburtis PA 5th Madison World Cup Santiago

TRACK SPRINT

CITY/STATE CRITERIA
Maddie Godby Louisville CO 1st Keirin World Cup Santiago
Mandy Marquardt Allentown PA 1st Pan American Championships
*Chloé Dygert-Owen and Emma White each qualified in two disciplines: track and road, and cyclocross and road, respectively.

Pictured at top: Twenty-three members of the 2018 USA Cycling National Team visited the US Olympic Training Center on Wednesday.

To learn more about the National Team and USA Cycling’s development pathways, please visit: usacycling.org/team.

For more information, please contact Kelly Feilke.