Just as its name implies, the discipline of road cycling takes place on paved roadways. Considered to be the most traditional, popular and purest form of bike racing, road cycling takes on many different forms. Events contested on the road include Time Trials, Road Races, Stage Races, Criteriums, Circuit Races, and Team Time Trials. At the World Championships and Olympic Games, men and women compete in the Time Trial and Road Race. The program primarily consists of a European-based training center that serves as a base for competition throughout Western Europe, i.e., Belgium, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, and Denmark.
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.
Here's a look at how you can enter the Olympic Development pathway and work your way on to Team USA:
Check back for more information coming soon.
For more information, please visit: Olympic Development Camps
USA Cycling's Olympic Development Academy (ODA) for road is the best comprehensive development program in North America for junior and U23 athletes. The comprehensive and fully immersive program was designed to provide an athlete with experience, knowledge, skills and guidance to build a solid foundation and be prepared to take the next step forward in their progression to a trade team, the National Team or a World Tour team.
The athlete will learn and experience what it takes to be a competitive cyclist at the highest levels. Athletes will have the opportunity to attend fully supported races in the US & Europe with an extensive support staff. The European blocks will be based out of our European Training Headquarters in Sittard, Netherlands.
The program will teach skills, including bike handling, pack riding, positioning, cobbles, crosswinds, climbing, sprinting and time trialing. Race preparation, race strategy and management from both an individual and team perspective will be taught. Team structure, roles, strategy, and execution will be key. In completing this extensive curriculum, each athlete will leave with incredibly valuable experience and knowledge that would be difficult to gain elsewhere.
UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 13, 2021:
We have put together a cohesive competition and camp schedule for the Spring and Fall semesters with the hopes we would be back racing at the beginning of 2021. Our goal is to provide the best development opportunity for athletes by creating a world-class cycling experience. With the current state of the world, we do not feel that we can create that environment at this time.
With that in mind, the Olympic Development Academy will be run as one Super Semester in 2021 and anyone who has applied for the 2021 Spring and/or Fall semesters will be in consideration. The associated costs per semester will stay the same for the single semester, which means an extension of benefits with no additional cost. We are extending the application period to March 15, 2021. We will share another update on Wednesday, February 17th with more specific information on important dates & deadlines, schedules, etc.
| Date | Event | Location |
| March 30 - April 11 | Training Camp & Joe Martin Stage Race | Fayetteville, AR |
| April 15-28 | European Training Camp & Karmesse Races | Sittard, Netherlands |
| April 29 - May 2 | Gracia UCI 2.2 | Czech Republic/ Poland |
| May 3-18 | European Training Camp & Karmesse Races | Sittard, Netherlands |
| May 19-23 | Bretagne Ladies Tour Ceratizit UCI 2.1 | France |
*SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
| Date | Event | Location |
| February 4-14 | Training Camp & Valley of the Sun | Phoenix, AZ |
| February 19-28 | Training Camp & Tour of Southern Highlands | Woodstock, GA |
| April 11 - May 7 | European Training Camp & Karmesse Races | Sittard, Netherlands |
| May 8-9 | Tour du Gevaudan Occitane femmes UCI 2.NC | France |
*SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
| Date | Event | Location |
| March 21 - May 8 | European Training Camp | Sittard, Netherlands |
| March 27-28 | Karmesse Races | Belgium/Netherlands |
| April 4 | Trofeo Piva UCI 1.2U | Italy |
| April 5 | Giro del Belvedere UCI 1.2U | Italy |
| April 14-18 | Tour du Loir et Cher UCI 2.2 | France |
| April 24-25 | Karmesse Races | Belgium/Netherlands |
| May 1 | Ronde van Overijssel UCI 1.3 | Netherlands |
| May 12 - 16 | Fleche du Sud UCI 2.3 | Luxembourg |
*SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
| Date | Event | Location |
| February 19-28 | Training Camp & Tour of Southern Highlands | Woodstock, GA |
| March 28 - May 8 | European Training Camp | Sittard, Netherlands |
| April 9-11 | Cottbuser Junioren-Etappenfahrt UCI 2.1 | Germany |
| April 17-18 | Karmesse Races | Belgium/Netherlands |
| April 30 - May 3 | La Coupe du President de la Ville de Grudziadz UCI 2.1 | Poland |
| May 9 | Grand Prix Bob Jungels UCI 1.1 | Luxembourg |
*SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
The Olympic Development Academy costs $10,000 per semester with the add-on of team clothing for $500 each year. Other additional cost may be incurred. For a cost breakdown and information on scholarships, click here.
| 2021 Super Semester | |
| Application deadline for Academy & Scholarship | March 15, 2021 |
| Academy applicants finalized & contacted | TBD |
| Registrations completed for accepted athletes | TBD |
| Olympic Development Academy athletes publicly announced | TBD |
USA Cycling is proud to support our National Team athletes who champion the sport of cycling and are the ultimate ambassadors for Road Cycling. 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 and information on the levels of support, visit the Men's Team or the Women's Team.
July 23 - August 8, 2021: Tokyo, Japan
USA Cycling Olympic Games Athlete Selection Criteria - Updated October 28, 2020
USA Cycling Olympic Games Staff Selection Criteria - Updated October 29, 2020
For more official documents, please visit: Olympic Games - Road
September 18-26, 2021: Flanders, Belgium
Athlete Discretionary Petition Form (coming soon)
Elite Men's & Women's Road World Championships Selection Criteria
U23 Men's & Women's Road World Championships Selection Criteria
2020 Junior Men's & Women's Road World Championships Selection Criteria
For the most up-to-date information, please visit: UCI Road World Championships
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.
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.
| Elite Events | Location | Junior Events | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worlds Course Recon | AUT | Worlds Course Preview Camp | NOR |
| Pan American Championships | ARG | Trofeo Binda NCup | ITA |
| Tour of California | USA | Gent Wevelgem NCup | BEL |
| Thuringen Ladies Tour | GER | Health Aging Tour NCup | HOL |
| Chrono Gatineau | CAN | Omloop V. Borsele NCup | HOL |
| Chrono Kristin Armstrong | USA | Pan American Championships | ARG |
| Post Tour Kermesses | NED | Watersley Ladies Challenge | NED |
| La Route de France | FRA | Chrono Champenois | FRA |
| Veenedaal Classic | BEL | World Championships | NOR |
| Trophee d'Or Feminin | FRA | Team Building Camp | USA |
| Boels Ladies Tour | NED | ||
| Lotto Belgium Tour | BEL | ||
| Chrono Champenois | FRA | ||
| World Championships | AUT | ||
| ITT Camp I | USA | ||
| ITT Camp II | USA | ||
| ITT Camp III | USA |
| U23 Events | Junior Events |
|---|---|
| Istrian Spring Trophy | Gent Wevelgem* |
| Classic Prep Camp | Ster van Zuid Limburg |
| Gent Wevelgem* | Paris Roubaix* |
| Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux | Course de la Paix* |
| Ronde van Vlaanderen U23 | Internationale Junioren Driedaagse |
| Liege - Bastogne - Liege* | Tour du Pays de Vaud* |
| ZLM Tour* | Omloop de Maasvallei |
| Pan American Championships | Trofeo Karlsberg* |
| Rhone Alpes Isere Tour | Tour de l'Abitibi* |
| Ronde van Overjissel | 15-16 EU Race Camp |
| Ronde de l'Isard | G.P. Ruebliland |
| Circuit de Wallonie | Road World Championships |
| GP Priessnitz* | |
| Altitude Training Camp | |
| USA Cycling U23 National Championships | |
| Tour de l'Avenir* | |
| GP Wallonie | |
| Raifessen | |
| U23 ITT World Championships | |
| U23 RR World Championships | |
| *Nations Cup event |
During his professional road racing career, Jeff became the third American to win a stage at the Tour de France with his victory in the final stage on the Champs-Élysées in 1987. Over his 22-years of racing, he competed in seven Grand Tours and collected numerous wins in road races around the United States. Jeff was a member of the U.S. National Team, and he was the No. 1-ranked rider in the country in 1985. In Jeff's role at USA Cycling, he oversees the road programs from the development level through the U.S. National Team. In 2020, he was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame.
