USA Cycling selects cross country and gravity racers
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American Champion Todd Wells (Specialized) having a top 20 ride(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) runs the first steep descent(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
A total of 53 Americans will compete at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, Canada on September 1-5. Of those, seven men and seven women will wear the red, white and blue while competing for world titles in the elite cross country races. All racers were selected by USA Cycling.
As the reigning national champion, and winner of the 2010 US Pro XCT, Todd Wells (Specialized) earned the only automatic nomination to the elite men's cross country squad. He'll be joined on the course by discretionary nominees Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek), Adam Craig (Giant), Sam Schultz (Subaru-Trek), Michael Broderick (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes), Carl Decker (Giant), and Spencer Paxson (Team S&M Young Guns).
Three women received automatic nominations to compete in the elite women's contest in Mont-Saint-Anne. Georgia Gould (Luna) earned her nomination by way of winning the national championship cross country race as well as the overall US Pro XCT. In addition, the Colorado rider earned a silver medal in the third stop on the World Cup and is currently ranked fifth in the overall World Cup standings. As the highest-ranked American woman in the UCI rankings, in sixth-place, Willow Koerber (Subaru-Trek) also picked up an automatic nomination to the team. In addition to her UCI ranking, Koerber met several other qualification criteria to receive an automatic nomination, including finishing second at the first World Cup of the season, placing second in the second World Cup, and currently sitting in third in the overall World Cup standings. With a fourth-place effort in the fifth stop on the World Cup circuit, Katie Compton (Planet Bike) also earned an automatic nomination to the team.
Gould, Koerber, and Compton will join forces with the four discretionary nominees Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes), Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Trek), Kelli Emmett (Giant), and Allison Mann (Rock N Road).
Eight Under 23 athletes and eight junior athletes were also nominated to represent the US in country competitions in Quebec.
As the reigning national champ in the elite men's downhill discipline, Aaron Gwin (Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team) received the lone automatic nomination to the men's downhill contingent. In addition to winning the national title, Gwin also met the selection criteria by virtue of his fourth-place effort in the second World Cup and his third-place effort in the third World Cup this season.
Gwin will be joined in the elite men's downhill time test by discretionary nominees Luke Strobel (Evil Bikes), Kyle Strait, Logan Binggeli (KHS Bicycles), Tyler Immer, Brad Benedict (Auburn/Specialized), and Duncan Riffle (Giant).
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Four women will wear the Team USA jersey in the elite women's downhill contest. The squad will be led by the only automatic nomination, reigning national champion Jill Kintner (Transition Racing). Discretionary nominees include Melissa Buhl (KHS Bicycles), Jacqueline Harmony (KHS Bicycles), and Leigh Donovan (Intense Cycles).
Eight junior riders were nominated to compete in the junior men's and women's downhill contests in Mont Saint Anne.
In addition to the downhill competitions, the World Championships will also feature elite four cross racing. The US squad will be led by automatic nominees and reigning national champions Ross Milan (Yeti-Cycles) and Neven Steinmetz (Ellsworth Bikes). In the men's contest, Milan will be joined by Barry Nobles, Mitch Ropelato, and Blake Carney.
Cross country
Elite men Todd Wells (Specialized) Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek) Adam Craig (Giant) Sam Schultz (Subaru-Trek) Michael Broderick (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) Carl Decker (Giant) Spencer Paxson (Team S&M Young Guns)
Elite women Georgia Gould (Luna) Willow Koerber (Durango, Colo./Subaru-Trek) Katie Compton (Planet Bike) Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Trek) Kelli Emmett (Giant) Allison Mann (Rock N Road)
Under 23 men Tad Elliott (Sho-Air/Specialized) Rob Squire (Garmin-Felt-Holowesko) Russell Finsterwald (Subaru-Trek) Stephen Ettinger (Arlberg Sports) Jack Hinkens (Trek-Co-op) Mitch Hoke (Tokyo Joe’s)
Under 23 women Sage Wilderman (Team Totally Wired) Lydia Tanner (Montana State University)
Junior men Skyler Truijillo Zach Valdez Seth Kemp Tony Smith (Whole Athlete) Will Curtis (Whole Athlete)
Junior women Alicia Rose Pastore (Rocky Mountain Chocolate) Sofia Hamilton (Whole Athlete) Essence Barton
Downhill
Elite men Aaron Gwin (Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team) Luke Strobel (Evil Bikes) Kyle Strait Logan Binggeli (KHS Bicycles) Tyler Immer Brad Benedict (Auburn/Specialized) Duncan Riffle (Giant)
