Hammer headlines USA team for UCI Track World Championships

USA Cycling announced this week its ten-rider team for the 2011 UCI Track World Championships, which take place March 23-27 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Defending pursuit champion Sarah Hammer will head the team, and is set to seek title number three in the event.

Hammer will also lead the women's pursuit team with discretionary picks Lauren Tamayo and Dotsie Bausch, who helped set the world record in 2010. Winner of the Cali and Manchester World Cup omniums, Hammer is also favourite in that event.

Joining the women's team will be Jennie Reed, a former keirin world champion who made the switch to the endurance events in her comeback last year. Reed will compete in the scratch race, earning her nod with a second place in the event at the Manchester World Cup. Cari Higgins was chosen as a discretionary pick to compete in the points race.

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Three of the women will form the pursuit team, with the exact composition being made in Apeldoorn.

Last year's men's pursuit champion Taylor Phinney will not compete at the world championships, leaving the endurance team consisting solely of Bobby Lea, who will take part in the omnium and scratch race.

The sprint team will consist of Giddeon Massie and Dean Tracy, who earned automatic nominations at the Manchester World Cup, and discretionary picks Michael Blatchford and Kevin Mansker. Three riders will be chosen from the four to compete in the team sprint, while Massie take on the individual sprint.

Sarah Hammer: omnium, individual pursuit, team pursuit
Lauren Tamayo: team pursuit
Dotsie Bausch: team pursuit
Jennie Reed: scratch race, team pursuit
Cari Higgins: points race, team pursuit

USA Men for UCI Track Worlds

Bobby Lea: omnium, scratch race
Giddeon Massie: sprint, team sprint
Michael Blatchford: team sprint
Kevin Mansker: team sprint
Dean Tracy: team sprint