
Athlete Event Selections
Learn about the athlete selection process and review selection documents
Learn about the athlete selection process and review selection documents
USA Cycling is responsible for selecting athletes to participate in
all Protected Competitions. A Protected Competition is defined in the
USOPC Bylaws.
Examples of Protected Competitions include Olympic Games, World
Championships, Pan Am Games, and Continental Championships.
Athletes can qualify for Protected Competitions by either automatic selection or discretionary selection. Automatic selection is how an athlete qualifies for Protected Competitions based on results specified in the Athlete Selection Procedures (ASP) for a particular Protected Competition.
The automatic selection criteria are prioritized in the ASP for a Protected Competition. More athletes may meet automatic selection criteria than available quota spots for a Protected Competition. In that case, USA Cycling will follow the relevant ASP to select the athlete(s).
If available quota spots remain after applying the automatic selection criteria, USA Cycling may use discretionary selection to nominate athletes. There are two means of being considered for discretionary selection. An athlete may submit a discretionary petition, or USA Cycling’s Sport Performance staff may nominate an athlete.
USA Cycling’s Sport Performance staff compiles the athlete petitions and nominations and following the Discretionary Selection Procedures (DSP), nominates a final team for approval by the USA Cycling Selection Committee.
USA Cycling's Selection Committee is the body responsible for reviewing and approving the ASP for Protected Competitions. The Selection Committee also provides oversight of the nomination process by reviewing and approving USA Cycling Sport Performance staff athlete nominations for Protected Competitions.
For automatic selections, the Selection Committee confirms that an athlete meets an automatic selection criterion, that the relevant ASP has been adhered to, and approves their nomination.
For discretionary selections, the Selection Committees reviews the nominations to ensure the proper application of the DSP and either approves or remands the nominations back to the Sport Performance staff for further consideration.
The Selection Committee is composed of six to eight volunteers, including at least one-third Athlete Representatives as required by the USOPC Bylaws. Selection Committee members are recommended by USA Cycling’s Chief of Sport Performance and CEO. Athlete Representatives on the Selection Committee are approved by USA Cycling’s Athletes’ Advisory Council.
All Selection Committee members must meet the following requirements:
The current USA Cycling Athlete Selection Committee is:
Timothy Duggan | 2012 Olympic Games Team member; 2012 US Pro Road Race Champion; past professional athlete, athlete rep |
Eric Rupe | Nine time BMX World Champion; 17 time BMX National Champion |
Donny Robinson | 2008 Olympic Games Team Member and Bronze Medal Winner in BMX; 2001 UCI Jr. Men & Jr. Cruiser World Champion |
Christine Thorburn | 2004 & 2008 Olympic Games Team Member; 2006 UCI World Time Trial Championship Bronze Medalist |
Adam Duvendeck | 2004 & 2008 Olympic Games Team Member; 2x U.S. National Champion (2004 Team Sprint & 2006 Keirin) |
Jan Bolland Tanner | 1991 TTT Pan Am Games Gold Medalist; 1992 TTT World Champion; 1995 U.S. National Cyclocross Champion |
Stephen Ettinger | Mountain Bike National Champion and Pan American Games athlete |
All members of the Selection Committee and USA Cycling Sport Performance staff participating in a selection must comply with USA Cycling’s Principles of Ethical Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy. The Conflict of Interest Policy requires completing a disclosure form submitted for review by USA Cycling's independent Ethics Committee before convening the committee. USA Cycling’s Ethics Committee shall review disclosed conflicts and determine the conflicted individual’s appropriate level of involvement (e.g., whether that individual must recuse themself from participating in discussions and/or voting). For example, if it is determined that an individual must recuse themself from voting, the Ethics Committee may still determine that an individual who has relevant and necessary information concerning athlete performance, for example, a USA Cycling Sport Performance staff member, may, if requested by the Selection Committee, provide such information to the Committee so long as such information is provided in a fair and unbiased manner and so long as the conflicted individual does not vote toward the final decision. The conflicted individual must not otherwise influence other Selection Committee members in the selection process.
Additionally, any person (including any potentially impacted athlete or coach of a potentially impacted athlete) with a good faith belief that a Selection Committee Member or USA Cycling staff member has a conflict of interest may report the alleged conflict of interest to USA Cycling’s Ethics Committee by emailing compliance@usacycling.org. USA Cycling does not tolerate retaliation in any way against a person who, in good faith, reports an alleged conflict of interest.
USA Cycling is responsible for selecting athletes to participate in all Protected Competitions. Athletes can qualify for Protected Competition by meeting automatic criteria or, where quota spots remain after application of automatic criteria, through discretionary selection criteria.
The following criteria are considered in priority order A through D when making discretionary selections for Protected Competitions. Criterion B is only considered for team-based events. Time periods listed below look back from the deadline date for athlete discretionary petitions.
* A Top Level Competition is one that includes participation by many of the best riders in the world (e.g., as indicated by recent World Championship results, World Cup results and/or current UCI rankings).
USA Cycling considers data useful when making discretionary selections. An athlete’s discretionary selection petition must be accompanied by credible data relevant to the Protected Competition to which the athlete is seeking nomination. Below are examples of relevant data. This list is neither exclusive nor mandatory.
Want to know more about your specific program? Click on each photo to learn more about each discipline's events and the corresponding selection documents.
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