On Thursday, six athletes were announced to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Track Cycling Team. Over the past two years, USA Cycling has been working to qualify teams for both men's and women’s endurance and sprint events. For Paris 2024, the USA Cycling qualified riders in the Women’s Team Pursuit, Women’s Madison, Women’s Omnium, and Men's Omnium.
Historically, USA Cycling has been a team to watch in the endurance track events. USA Cycling is looking to continue the decade-long streak of medaling in the Women’s Team Pursuit at the Olympic Games. The 2024 U.S. Olympic Track Cycling Team roster includes three returning Olympians and Olympic medalists.
Eight-time World Champion and Olympic Champion Jennifer Valente (San Diego; Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24) will be taking to the boards once again for her third Olympic Games. The three-time Olympic medalist is set to compete in all three women’s track endurance events: Team Pursuit, Madison, and Omnium. Valente made history in Tokyo 2020, winning the country’s first Olympic Gold in the Women’s Omnium. A month later, she made history again by winning her first individual World Title in the Omnium.
The Women’s Madison was introduced to the Olympic programming in Tokyo 2020, and Valente will return to the event with partner Lily Williams (Tallahassee, Fla.; Human Powered Health). Williams was part of the World Championship-winning Team Pursuit in 2020, and the Olympic Team Pursuit bronze medal team in Tokyo. She will return to the Team Pursuit squad and compete in the Madison a few days later.
Chloé Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind.; CANYON//SRAM Racing) will return for her third Olympic Games. She has already qualified for the road events after winning the 2023 UCI Time Trial World Championships and has now been selected to represent the United States as a member of the Team Pursuit squad for her third consecutive Games.
A newcomer to the Olympic Team Pursuit squad but already a prominent figure in the cycling world, Kristen Faulkner (Homer, Alaska; EF Education-Cannondale) has quickly made her mark. The 2024 Pro Road Race National Champion has been one of the most dominant U.S. road racers in recent years, securing three Grand Tour stage wins over the past two years. USA Cycling invited her to the Colorado Springs Velodrome last year to evaluate her potential for the Team Pursuit program. She then raced at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Adelaide, gaining experience with the Team Pursuit squad. Faulkner only began bike racing in 2020, making her rapid rise in the sport truly exceptional.
Making her Olympic debut, rising star Olivia Cummins (Fort Collins, Colo.; DNA Pro Cycling) was selected for a spot on the esteemed Team Pursuit squad. While attending Colorado Mesa University full-time, Cummins trained for a spot on the Olympic Track Cycling Team, while also competing in Collegiate National Championships and ticking off a win in the Pan American Championships Team Pursuit.
With only one men's spot available, Grant Koontz (Nederland, Colo.; Star Track Cycling) was selected to compete in the Omnium. Koontz has had several standout performances on the track in 2024, including Pan American Championship titles in the Elimination, Madison, and Team Pursuit, a bronze in the Adelaide Nations Cup Elimination Race, and an eighth-place finish in the Milton Nations Cup Omnium.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games start July 26, 2024, with cycling competing every day of the Games. The track events begin Monday, August 5 and close out the Olympic Games on Sunday, August 11. For the full track programming, click here.
2024 U.S. Olympic Track Cycling Team:
Women:
Jennifer Valente (San Diego; Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24) - Team Pursuit, Madison, Omnium
Chloé Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind.; CANYON//SRAM Racing) - Team Pursuit
Lily Williams (Tallahassee, Fla.; Human Powered Health) - Team Pursuit, Madison
Kristen Faulkner (Homer, Alaska; EF Education-Cannondale) - Team Pursuit
Olivia Cummins (Fort Collins, Colo.; DNA Pro Cycling) - Team Pursuit
Men:
Grant Koontz (Nederland, Colo.; Star Track Cycling) - Omnium
Quotes:
Jennifer Valente (San Diego; Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24):
“I’m excited to officially be named to my third Olympic team. The Olympic Games have always been special to me, and this time around is just as captivating. The journey to Paris has been its own unique process with new challenges in this shortened quad. I’m thrilled to be lining up alongside longstanding teammates and some fresh faces.”
Chloé Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind.; CANYON//SRAM Racing):
“It’s truly a blessing. I am truly blessed to be selected for my third Olympic Games in USA colors. Thankful for those who go above and beyond behind the scenes to make sure I’m the best I can be on and off the bike. We will see you in Paris.”
Lily Williams (Tallahassee, Fla.; Human Powered Health):
“I'm thrilled to be selected for my second Olympics in Paris. Tokyo was an experience of mixed emotions for me, and I channeled all of that into a ton of work, devoting my career to the sport and seeing what I could do. I'm thankful for everyone in my corner, especially my partner Gavin, coaching staff, and my road team Human Powered Health, for supporting me and helping me always be honest with myself about my progression. It's thanks to all of this that I will now be racing two events in Paris: The Team pursuit, and new to me, the Madison, which I've studied and worked on relentlessly since Tokyo, and it feels so good to see that hard work pay off. I'm so excited to see what we can do in Paris.”
Kristen Faulkner (Homer, Alaska; EF Education-Cannondale):
“I dreamed of competing in the Olympics ever since I was 8 years old, and I saw it on TV. This is the biggest dream I’ve ever had, and it’s finally come true! I am beyond excited to represent the USA alongside such a strong group of athletes. I will do my best to bring home a medal for Team USA!”
Olivia Cummins (Fort Collins, Colo.; DNA Pro Cycling):
“I still don’t know how to put into words what making this Olympic team means to me. The Olympics were never something I ever thought I would be able to achieve, so, it was never a big dream of mine growing up. It was something the famous, professional athletes did, not me. That is, until about a year ago when I found myself in a position where making this team became a possibility. I made the Olympics my dream a year ago, I committed fully to it, made sacrifices, and I made it happen. I can’t wait to see this dream through this August in Paris!”
Grant Koontz (Nederland, Colo.; Star Track Cycling):
“The Olympics has been a lifelong obsession of mine, and I’m incredibly grateful to be named to the team. I still can’t quite believe I’ll be representing Team USA in Paris this summer. It’s truly a dream come true, and I have a million people to thank for helping me get there. But for now, it’s back to training and keeping to the grind that helped me get here in the first place. See y’all in Paris!”
Craig Griffin – USA Cycling’s Director of Track:
“This team of incredibly talented athletes has the potential to leave their mark on the track cycling world in Paris, bringing a wealth of experience and grit that many other competing nations don’t have. I’m confident the USA track cyclists will be ones to watch once again on the Olympic stage.”
Gary Sutton – USA Cycling’s Women’s Track Endurance Coach:
“We certainly have an incredible team this year heading to Paris. The team has shown a lot of progress since the 2023 World Championships. After recently returning from an exceptionally successful training camp in Zolder, the ladies have shown remarkable performance improvements and are poised to be highly competitive in Paris.”
Jono Hailstone – USA Cycling’s Men’s Track Endurance Coach:
“As with most top athletes, Grant has committed himself to this goal for the majority of his lifetime. He has made many sacrifices and overcome many challenges, resulting in a series of breakthrough performances in the 2024 Nations Cup Season and Pan American Championships. Given his performance trajectory, I’m excited to see what he can accomplish in Paris this summer.”
Photos:
For downloadable photos of athletes, click here.
USA Cycling Olympic Hub:
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