USA Cycling announced on Monday the athletes who will represent the United States at the 2022 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, hosted by Zwift. This event will take place on February 26th, 2022 where both the men and women will race on identical courses, over equal distances, and for equal prize money. The race will be held over 2.5 laps of Zwift’s New York Knickerbocker route that is 54.9km long with 944m of climbing.
USA Cycling hosted a World Championship qualifier in collaboration with the Echelon Racing Promotions Community League on Saturday December 11th, 2021. The winners of that event automatically qualified for the World Championship team which includes 2020 Worlds Team member Jadon Jaeger (Wauwatosa, Wis.; Adapt Cycling) and Maeghan Easler (Des Moines, Iowa; Saris/ NoPinz). Other riders to watch include Continental Champions Shayna Powless (Roseville, Calif.; TWENTY24) and Zach Nehr (Milwaukee, Wis.; NeXT p/b Enshored). In the 2020 World Championships, Jacqueline Godbe (Chicago, Ill.; Saris/ NoPinz) and Kristen Kulchinsky (Dix Hills, N.Y.; TWENTY24) both placed in the Top-10 of the Women’s race. As far as the Zwift Power Rankings, Liz Van Houweling (Des Moines, Iowa; Saris/ NoPinz) is the top-ranked American sitting third in the world with Brian Duffy Jr. (King of Prussia, Penn.; NeXT p/b Enshored) currently sitting at the top of the Men’s Power Rankings for the Americans in fourth. The race will also see former professional BMX racer Arielle Martin-Verhaaren (Williamsburg, Va.; AEO). Team USA is sure to make its mark at the second edition of the Esports World Championships.
The Team USA roster is as follows:
Elite Men
Kevin Bouchard-Hall (Wadhams, N.Y.; Velocio)
J Bruhn (Baton Rouge, La., NeXT p/b Enshored)
Brian Duffy Jr (King of Prussia, Penn.; NeXT p/b Enshored)
Brian Hodges (Shoreline, Wash.; Wahoo Le Col)
Jadon Jaeger (Wauwatosa, Wis.; Adapt Cycling)
Ryan Larson (Galloway, N.J.; Saris/ NoPinz)
Zach Nehr (Milwaukee, Wis.; NeXT p/b Enshored)
Spencer Seggebruch (Saint Louis, Mo., CANYON)
Patrick Walle (Nashville, Tenn.; NeXT p/b Enshored)
Elite Women
Katheryn Curi (Los Altos, Calif.; IRACELIKEAGIRL)
Maeghan Easler (Des Moines, Iowa; Saris/ NoPinz)
Jacqueline Godbe (Chicago, Ill.; Saris/ NoPinz)
Rebecca Larson (Norman, Okla.; Dutch Diesel Cycling)
Liz Van Houweling (Des Moines, Iowa; Saris/ NoPinz)
Kristen Kulchinsky (Dix Hills, N.Y.; Twenty 24)
Arielle Martin-Verhaaren (Williamsburg, Va.; AEO)
Courtney Nelson (San Jose, Calif.; Saris/ NoPinz)
Shayna Powless (Roseville, Calif.; Twenty 24)
Stefanie Sydlik (Pittsburgh, Penn.; Canyon Wmn)
