Team USA
Mountain Bike
Technical courses, knobby tires, and fierce competition. Check out the riders competing in Cross-Country XCO, Downhill, Marathon, 4X, and e-bike disciplines, and the programs that help Team USA dominate international events.
About Mountain Bike
Modern off-road cycling began in the late 1970’s in Northern California and today it serves as a popular form of both recreation and competition. Mountain biking encompasses many different formats including Cross Country Olympic, Cross Country Short Track, Downhill, Cross Country Eliminator, Marathon, 4-Cross, and E-Bike on the national and international stage. Mountain biking is one of the most fun and liberating forms of bike riding, and is engaging for riders of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
Join The Team
The National Team is a representation of the top MTB athletes in the USA. These athletes have risen to the top of the field by progressing through the development pathway provided by USA Cycling. The objective of the mountain bike pathway is to provide talented young athletes with the education and opportunities to compete on the world stage. We accomplish this by supporting top development athletes at skills camps, training camps and international competition. These opportunities allow motivated athletes to develop the necessary skill sets and physiological adaptations required to excel at an international level. Once a rider has achieved a spot on the National Team, they have access to world class education, support, guidance and opportunities to succeed on the professional and Olympic stage.
Here's a look at how you can enter the Olympic Development pathway and work your way on to Team USA:
Join The Olympic Development Camps
USA Cycling's Olympic Development Camps (ODC), formerly known as Regional Talent ID Camps, is to provide USA Cycling with junior talent evaluations while offering athletes a pathway to develop their cycling ability. Our Olympic Development Camps are the first step for young athletes to enter into the USA Cycling development pipeline, providing them guidance and development towards their cycling future. Camps are for athletes racing ages 13 to 18 years old and attendees should have some racing experience.
The primary goal of the Olympic Development Camps is to recognize athletes who, at an early age, show signs of potential future success in cycling. Receiving instruction from some of USA Cycling’s finest coaches. The camps also provide the necessary framework to improve the athletes' skillset, thus progressing their cycling development.
2022 MTB Schedule
| Date | Event | Location | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 19-23 | Northwest MTB Olympic Development Camp | Whitworth University, Spokane, W.A. | Register Here |
*We're still working on more dates and locations!
Camps & Cost
Northwest MTB Olympic Development Camp
Details:
Top-tier coaching and skills instruction on Spokane’s finest MTB trails.
Presentations on strength training, nutrition, and more!
Basic bike maintenance instruction.
Fitness testing to gage strengths compared with USA Cycling National team athletes.
A chance to test new skills in a local Wednesday Night Race.
A full report card assessment of skills with suggested areas of improvement.
Olympic Development Camp jersey
6:1 athlete:coach minimum ratio.
Pricing:
Registration Opens: February 22
Registration Closes: May 27
Cost: $900
Join The Olympic Development Academy
USA Cycling’s Olympic Development Academy (ODA) for mountain bike is the best comprehensive mountain bike development program in North America for junior and U23 athletes. The ODA will provide inclusive access to world-class athlete development that will allow athletes to progress technically, tactically, physically and mentally while developing character and leadership skills. The team will include a full-time coach and professional support staff at all ODA competitions and camps. Academy athletes will receive Olympic-level coaching and support that will provide the opportunity for each athlete to reach their full potential and to be champions on and off the bike.
2022 XCO MTB Schedule
| Date | Event | Location |
| April 8-14 | Arkansas Training Camp | Fayetteville, AR |
| April 14-19 | Arkansas Skills Camp | Fayetteville, AR |
| April 20-24 | Oz Trails U.S. Pro Cup p/b Experience Fayetteville | Fayetteville, AR |
| May 19-23 | Englewood Open C1 | Englewood, WI |
| June 9-13 | Missoula HC | Missoula, MT |
| July 15-20 | Nationals Prep Camp | Winter Park, CO |
| July 21-25 | USA Cycling National Championships | Winter Park, CO |
| August 3-22 | Europe Racing Block | Sittard, Netherlands |
Downhill MTB Schedule
Launching in 2023
Programs & Cost
There are three different options for the Mountain Bike Program:
MTB Academy Team* - $10,000
3 domestic training camps + 4 domestic racing events + 3-week European race camp
+ access to cycling and strength & conditioning coaching, nutritionists, and sports psychologists
MTB Hybrid Program* - $6,000
One domestic training camp + 3-week European race camp
MTB European Race Camp* - $5,000
3-week European race camp
*Additional Fees
- Olympic Development Academy Clothing - $750
- Transportation to and from events. All on-site logistics will be covered.
APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP
Want to join the Olympic Development Academy?
APPLICATION CLOSED
What is the National Team?
USA Cycling is proud to support our National Team athletes who champion the sport of cycling and are the ultimate ambassadors for Cross-Country and Downhill Mountain Biking. USA Cycling will support National Team elite athletes with logistical and team support upon request. Each athlete on the national team will receive unique support to best address each athlete’s needs in terms of timing and type of resources. USA Cycling will work with our elite athletes’ trade teams to help maximize the combined resources. Our goal is to ensure that our top riders have everything they need to perform at the highest level.
For criteria on how to qualify for the national team, click here for Cross-Country, and click here for Downhill.
For information on the levels of support, click here.
MEET THE TEAM
World Championships
August 24-28, 2022: Les Gets, France - XCO, XC Short Track, XC Relay, Downhill, e-MTB
2022 Cross-Country MTB World Championship Selection Document - Discretionary Petition Form
2022 Downhill MTB World Championship Selection Document - Discretionary Petition Form
2022 E-MTB World Championship Selection Document - Discretionary Petition Form
For more information, please visit: UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
September 17, 2022: Haderslev, Denmark - Marathon
2022 Marathon MTB World Championship Selection Document - Discretionary Petition Form
For more information, please visit: UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships
October 2, 2022: Barcelona, Spain - Eliminator
2021 Eliminator MTB World Championship Selection Document - Discretionary Petition Form
For more information, please visit: UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Championships
World Cups
March 26-27, 2022: Lourdes, France (DH)
April 8-10, 2022: Petropolis, Brazil (XCO/XCC)
May 6-8, 2022: Albstadt, Germany (XCO/XCC)
May 13-15, 2022: Nové Město, Czech Republic (XCO/XCC)
May 21-22, 2022: Fort William, UK (DH)
June 10-12, 2022: Leogang, Austria (DH/XCO/XCC)
July 8-10, 2022: TBC (DH/XCO/XCC)
July 15-17, 2022: Vallnord, Andorra (DH/XCO/XCC)
July 29-31, 2022: Snowshoe, USA (DH/XCO/XCC)
August 5-7, 2022: Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada (DH/XCO/XCC)
September 2-4, 2022: Val di Sole, Italy (DH/XCO/XCC)
For the most up-to-date schedule, please visit: https://www.uci.org/competitio...
For more information on UCI World Cup Athlete Eligibility, Event Registration Process, and Athlete Petition Process: Click here
Continental Championships
February 19-20, 2022: Catago, Costa Rica - Downhill
2022 DH Pan Am Championship Selection Document - Petition Form - Tech Guide
May 25-28, 2022: Argentina - Cross-Country
2022 XCO Pan Am Championship Open Registration - Tech Guide
UCI Junior Series XCO
UCI Athlete Entry System and Criteria
According to new UCI requirements, all athletes competing in a 2022 UCI Junior Series XCO race outside of their country of residence must have at least 20 UCI points (in Europe) and 1 UCI point (outside of Europe) in the latest UCI XCO individual junior ranking, or belong to a UCI Elite MTB Team or UCI MTB Team. Riders who meet either of these criteria should register for the event independently via the event registration site.
For athletes who do not meet the above criteria:
- When a UCI Junior Series event is taking place outside the N. American continent, USA Cycling may approve a maximum of 5 supplementary athletes for each junior category (17-18 men & women).
- When a UCI Junior Series event is taking place within N. America continent, USA Cycling may approve a maximum of 10 supplementary athletes for each junior category (17-18 men & women).
- When a Junior Series event is taking place within the United States, it is the discretion of the event organizer with USA Cycling to determine the number of supplementary American athletes that will be allowed to register.
To apply to be a supplementary athlete: UCI MTB Junior Series Entry Petition
Please note: All supplementary athletes must still enter the competition independently of USA Cycling via the event registration site before the entry deadline.
UCI Junior Series Supplemental Athlete Guiding Principles
When considering supplemental athlete starting positions, USA Cycling will use the following guiding principles when approving starting positions: Prior results in UCI international competitions, UCI Junior Series events, USA Cycling’s National Championships and top level domestic events.
UCI Junior Series Event Deadlines
- UCI Junior Series event supplementary athlete applications will close 4 weeks prior to the UCI Junior Series event you are petitioning for.
- Please include in your petition the event in which you are applying for.
- USA Cycling will notify all supplementary athletes of their selection 4 weeks prior to the UCI Junior Series event.
For the UCI Junior Series events, click here.
For UCI Special Provisions, click here.
Selection Committees
USA Cycling is responsible for selecting the athletes who represent the United States in the highest level of international competition. For more information on the general selection process, click here.
Podium Bonus
Did you just have a top result in the World Championships or Olympic Games? You may be eligible for a bonus from the USOPC and USA Cycling. Click here to learn more.
Jesse
Anthony
Mountain Bike and Cyclocross Director
Background
Jesse joined USA Cycling as the first full-time Cyclocross Manager in December of 2018 after a professional racing career that spanned from 2006-2018. He brings over 20 years of competitive and development experience to the USA Cycling National Team, and is a passionate advocate of holistic athlete development. His experience and knowledge of the development and elite competitive environment help to set USA Cycling’s National Team athletes up for sustainable success in the future. Jesse grew up in Beverly, MA, and is now based at USA Cycling’s headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO.
Anders
Johnson
Olympic Development Academy Mountain Bike Coach
Background
Anders Johnson is an avid cyclist from the mountains of Northern Utah. He currently races many disciplines from MTB XC to Xterra off-road triathlons. Anders studied Physics and Mathematics at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California.
One of his main passions is the area of optimizing human performance, something that he is constantly researching and testing. He has been part of several top level development teams, such as Whole Athlete, where he learned what it takes to make it to the highest level in the sport. Anders was also a part of USA Cycling’s Talent ID Camps and World Championship teams as a junior racer.
Anders plans to bring all of his knowledge from his many years of racing, research, to help young athletes achieve their full potential.
Andi
Zolton
Olympic Development Academy Mountain Bike Coach
Background
Over the last 20 years, Andi has worked in many facets of the cycling world: as mechanic, racer of many disciplines (enduro, cyclocross, XC, road, downhill), event organizer, brand ambassador, mountain bike guide, and more. She has spent the last five years as the co-owner of Roam Events, putting on world-renowned bike parties all over the country. She loves the bicycle; not just the machine itself, but the way in which it brings people together and teaches us about ourselves.
Andi started working with USA Cycling as a mechanic for the ODA Cyclocross program, and is honored to continue with the MTB program in a coaching capacity. She is excited to pass on her knowledge and experience to help athletes become the best humans and cyclists they can be, in that order.
Having cut her teeth on the loamy mountain bike trails of Western Washington, Andi now resides in Grand Junction, Colorado where she cuts her knees and elbows on the rocky terrain of the Western Slope. She studied Microbiology and Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso, where she played NCAA Division I Softball.