US adds six to talent pool for Beijing

Six more athletes placed themselves in a position to be selected for the US Olympic team at the Elite Track National Championships this month. USA Cycling announced the list of riders who have made the 2008 'USA Cycling Track Talent Pool' on Thursday, naming 17 riders who have become eligible to represent the United States at major international competitions throughout the 2007-08 season, including the Olympic Games in Beijing next summer.

The youngest rider on the list is the men's individual pursuit champion, 17-year-old Taylor Phinney who made the time standard in his qualifying round before going on to win the event. The event was Phinney's first major track competition, however, he won the Junior World Championship in the time trial earlier this summer.

Another newcomer to the discipline of track cycling, Dotsie Bausch, qualified in her third ever competitive track race. Bausch won a national title in the women's individual pursuit, clocking a time of 3:44.35 in her qualifying round to eclipse the automatic time standard of 3:49.12.

Joining Phinney in the men's endurance category is Bobby Lea, who gained entry as part of the winning Madison team at the national championships. Lea won a national title while paired with Colby Pearce, who had already qualified.

Adam Duvendeck and Giddeon Massie made the cut as sprinters. Duvendeck clocked a time of 10.59 seconds to equal the 10.59-second automatic time standard, while Massie was named to the Talent Pool after capturing a national title in the men's keirin.

Liz Reap was the sole female addition to the sprinter's pool, her 35.947 in the 500-meter time trial surpassed the automatic time standard 35.98.

Men's Endurance: Michael Friedma, Brad Huff, Bobby Lea, Colby Pearce, Taylor Phinney
Men's Sprint: Ben Barczewski, Michael Blatchford, Adam Duvendeck, Giddeon Massie
Women's Endurance: Kristin Armstrong, Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch, Becky Quinn, Christen King, Lauren Franges
Women's Sprint: Jennie Reed, Liz Reap

Athletes will have their final opportunity to make the talent pool on December 11-12 in a USA Cycling Talent Pool Qualifier at the ADT Event Center in Carson, California..