About Road Cycling
The passion of the open road. The speed and unbridled power. Rolling hills, endless climbs, and winding descents. Maybe you’ve done some group rides or a century, and now you want to test yourself against others of your ability and age. Or you’ve seen the Tour de France and felt inspired to get moving. An Olympic sport since 1896, road cycling has the deepest roots of all disciplines. While road racing typically happens during spring and summer months, the occasional race pops up in fall and winter in warmer states. Regardless of your age or ability, there is a place for you to challenge yourself and compete!
Road Race
This is likely the longest of the single day race types, and begins with a staggered mass start – where everyone in a specific category starts together. These races are created based on distance instead of time, and typically range from 30-60 miles in length for amateur racers. Drafting is allowed and team tactics will definitely come into play!
Criterium
Criteriums (crits) are another mass start event, but are set up on a closed (not open to car traffic) course that is typically a mile or less and may include sharp corners. Racers do repeated laps of the course for a pre-determined amount of time - usually 30 to 90 minutes. The officials will time the first few laps to figure out how fast the field is racing, then hold up lap cards at the start/finish line indicating how many laps remain in the race. These races allow drafting and tend to be quite fast. Racing with a team allows for more strategy and blocking tactics over the course of the race.
Time Trial
Also known as a TT, this race can be done either individually or as a team (depending on the event) in a race against the clock. If you’re not comfortable riding with a large group of other cyclists, or you’re looking for a consistent power outlet this is a great option for you. This race does not allow for drafting and everyone starts on their own in 30-seconds to one-minute intervals. Some events come in standard lengths, whereas ultra-endurance events allow riders to ride as far as possible within the time limit.
Stage Races
A stage race is a combination of the previous events, held over several consecutive days, with one race type on each day. It may include road races, criteriums, a time trial, or a circuit race (which is basically somewhere between a road race and a criterium). Each day, the time it takes you to complete that stage is recorded, and the rider with the lowest total time over the duration of the race wins. Some race stages receive time credits for wins. This favors the rider with the best all-around ability, but you can always shine on the stages that suit your skills and talent!
Join The Team
The Road pathway identifies the next generation of road athletes with world-class potential and to develop the necessary skills to compete at the elite level. It develops their physiological abilities and skills, and provides them with world-class coaching, experience, resources, and the support required to excel at the highest levels of international competition.
Get Involved
Join A Club
Compete Locally
Prepare & Train
Compete Nationally
Compete Internationally
Development
USA Cycling has partnered with the USA Juniors Cup to create a premier national development race series. The goal of this series is to create a competitive format where USA Cycling can identify young talent. Building on the success of previous years, the 2025 series will feature eight events, three of which have been designated as National Team Selection Events. Similar to the 2024 season, the top performers at Valley of the Sun (Arizona), La Primavera (Texas), and Tour of America’s Dairyland (Wisconsin) will earn invitations to National Team trips and camps.
The overall general classification winners of each selection event for the Junior 17-18 Men’s and Women’s categories will receive automatic nominations for a 2025 National Team trip, partially funded by the USA Juniors Cup. Additionally, the top-placed 15-16 male and female riders at each selection race will be invited to attend a USA Cycling European race camp.
In addition to the selection races, the top three USA Juniors Cup 17-18 male and female, and the top 15-16 male and female overall finishers will earn invites to a USA Cycling National Talent Identification Camp. This camp will take place at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. from October 6-12, 2025.
What is the National Team Designation?
USA Cycling is responsible for supporting and guiding athletes capable of winning Olympic medals, while also identifying, recruiting and developing future Games athletes. Our vision is to be amongst the very best in the world at talent identification, athlete development, management and preparation in all cycling disciplines. The National Team Designation is considered a critical means for achieving this vision. The support provided through the program seeks to offset some of the expenses associated with preparing for and participating in international sport. The program aims to support and assist athletes with the greatest potential to win medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships.
To learn more about the National Team Designation Criteria and Support, click here.
MEET THE TEAM
Road World Championships
September 20-28, 2025
Kigali, Rwanda
For the most up-to-date information, please visit: UCI Road World Championships
Junior National Talent Identification Camp
October 6-12, 2025
Colorado Springs, CO
National Team & Development Road Programs
USA Cycling is committed to Junior and U23 Development Programs. We are constantly on the look out for talent and are recruiting for these programs. Review the documents below for more information on how athletes can be invited to camps and other opportunities.
Junior 15-16 European Race Camps
Sittard, Netherlands
Block 1: July 3-July 21 - Junior Men Only
Block 2: August 5-25 - Junior Men & Women
Selection Process
USA Cycling is responsible for selecting the athletes who represent the United States in Protected Competitions through an extensive selection process.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ATHLETE EVENT SELECTION PROCESS
Selection Committee
The discipline-specific selection committee provides oversight and accountability of the athlete nomination process. They ensure that the athlete selection procedures are followed and that criteria – both automatic and discretionary - are applied appropriately to nominate athletes. Once confirmed, they approve the athlete nominations.
Each discipline-specific selection committee is composed of three volunteers – a 10 Year Athlete, discipline expert unrelated to USA Cycling, and USA Cycling Discipline Director. Each selection committee includes at least one-third 10 Year Athlete Representatives as required by the USOPC Bylaws. Athlete Representatives on the selection committees are approved by USA Cycling’s Athletes’ Advisory Council.
The Road Selection Committee is as follows:
- Ben King - 10 Year Athlete
- Christine Thorburn - 2004 & 2008 Olympian; 2006 World Time Trial Medalist
- USA Cycling Discipline Director
All members of the Selection Committee and USA Cycling Sport Performance staff participating in a selection must comply with USA Cycling’s Statement of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy.
Tanner
Putt
Tanner Putt comes to USA Cycling after eight years as a professional road cyclist, five years on the USA Cycling National Team, and experience directing a domestic elite road team. In 2022, Tanner worked as the USA Cycling U23 National Team Director at Tour de l'Avenir and the Road World Championships. He became the full-time Director of Road in January 2023.
With his 15 years of combined competitive and coaching experience, passion for athlete development, and extensive knowledge of top-level racing, Tanner will support USA Cycling with growing opportunities for the next generation of riders and creating a deeper pool of talent in the U.S. Tanner grew up in Park City, UT, and is now based in Colorado with his wife and two dogs.
Gavin
Mannion
Coming up through U.S. junior cycling programs himself, Gavin Mannion has a unique perspective as he steps in as the USA Cycling Junior Men’s Road Director in 2023.
Gavin is a third-generation cyclist and national champion. Both his father and grandfather hold Irish National Cycling Championship titles. Following his father's cadence, Gavin has been engrossed in the competitive cycling scene he was a child growing up outside of Boston.
While competing as a junior, Gavin got his first taste of international cycling. He rode for professional teams from Trek-Livestrong to UCI pro team Human Powered Health. Gavin was the champion of the 2017 and 2018 USA Cycling Pro Road Tour (PRT) and 2018 Colorado Classic. His accomplishments also included European pro race wins and representing the United States at World Championships for cross and road. Gavin has taken his professional cycling experience and translated it into a coaching and directing career where he has developed young riders and national champions.
Jim
Miller
A successful professional cyclist in his own right, Jim coached several cyclists on the side and eventually retired from racing in 1999 to focus solely on his flourishing coaching career. After developing several notable cyclists, he originally came to USA Cycling to run the women’s road program in 2002. After earning Coach of the Year distinctions from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee in 2003 & 2004, Jim was promoted to director of endurance programs, overseeing the development of American junior, U23, and women endurance athletes in road and track cycling. After making significant strides toward the USA Cycling National Development Program’s goal of developing the next generation of American cyclists, he was named Vice President of Athletics in 2010. In 2017, Jim left USA Cycling to become the Vice President of Business Development for Training Peaks. Unable to resist the Olympic call, he returned to USA Cycling in 2020 as the Chief of Sport Performance. He has earned the International Olympic Committee’s highest honor for coaches, the Order of Ikkos, three times, all for coaching 3-time Olympic Champion Kristen Armstrong to victory.
