The 2024 Olympics kick off on Friday in Paris and the cycling events will again be a big part of the games. USA Cycling will be sending 23 athletes to compete across five disciplines.
Qualifying has been underway for two years, and we will be sending four World Champions to the games.
Road Cycling
The 2024 USA Cycling Time Trial National Championships in Charleston, W.V. was the final chance for riders to qualify for the Olympics. Taylor Knibb and Brandon McNulty won the Women’s and Men’s events, respectively. They joined Chloé Dygert on the team who qualified after winning the 2023 UCI Time Trial World Championships.
Matteo Jorgenson, fresh off a strong performance in the 2024 Tour de France, and Magnus Sheffield were also selected to race for Team USA.
The 2023 UCI Road World Championships was one of the major opportunities for athletes to punch their tickets to Paris. Chloé Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind.; CANYON//SRAM Racing) earned her spot for the Games after winning the 2023 UCI Time Trial World Championships, qualifying her for both the Time Trial and Road Race. Last week, USA Cycling officially announced her selection for the Track Cycling team, as well. Dygert will compete in the Time Trial (July 27), the Road Race (Aug. 4), and the Team Pursuit (Aug 6-7).
The 2024 USA Cycling Time Trial National Championships was the final chance for riders to qualify for the Olympics. The flat course in Charleston, W.V. was designed to closely emulate the Paris course, ensuring that the winner at U.S. Pro would be well-suited for the Olympic Games.
Women:
Chloé Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind.; CANYON//SRAM Racing) – Time Trial & Road Race
Taylor Knibb (Washington, D.C.; Trek Factory Racing) – Time Trial
Kristen Faulkner (Homer, Alaska; EF-Oatly-Cannondale) – Road Race
Men:
Brandon McNulty (Phoenix; UAE Team Emirates) – Time Trial & Road Race
Magnus Sheffield (Pittsford, N.Y.; Ineos Grenadiers) – Time Trial & Road Race
Matteo Jorgenson (Boise, Idaho; Team Visma – Lease a Bike) – Road Race
Mountain Biking
Team USA has dominated the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup this year showing their strength ahead of the Olympic Games. Haley Batten, Savilia Blunk, Christopher Blevins, and Riley Amos will go for gold in Paris.
Since 2022, the USA Cycling National Team has been vying for international ranking points through the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) with the goal of placing in the top eight as a Nation in the MTB Olympic Qualification Rankings. Top performances in UCI events over the past two years brought the U.S. men into the top five of the MTB Olympic Qualification Rankings, and the U.S. women into the top three, qualifying both genders for maximum available quota spots at the Olympic Games – two men and two women.
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Mountain Bike Team roster includes two Tokyo 2020 returning Olympians, and two first-timers. In the first three UCI Mountain Bike World Cups of the season, this group collectively rode to six Elite Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) podiums, five Elite Short Track (XCC) podiums, and a perfect season in the U23 Men’s races. The team is reaching peak performance just in time for the world’s biggest stage this summer in Paris.
Women:
Haley Batten (Park City, Utah; Specialized Factory Racing)
Savilia Blunk (Inverness, Calif.; Decathlon-Ford Racing Team)
Men:
Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing)
Riley Amos (Durango, Colo.; Trek Factory Racing)
Track Cycling
Six athletes have been selected to represent the United States in the Women’s Team Pursuit, Madison, Omnium, and Men’s Omnium: Jennifer Valente, Lily Williams, Chloe Dygert, Kristen Faulkner, Olivia Cummins, and Grant Koontz.
For Paris 2024, the USA Cycling qualified riders in the Women’s Team Pursuit, Women’s Madison, Women’s Omnium, and Men’s Omnium.
Historically, USA Cycling has been a team to watch in the endurance track events. USA Cycling is looking to continue the decade-long streak of medaling in the Women’s Team Pursuit at the Olympic Games. The 2024 U.S. Olympic Track Cycling Team roster includes three returning Olympians and Olympic medalists.
Women:
Jennifer Valente (San Diego; Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24) – Team Pursuit, Madison, Omnium
Chloé Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind.; CANYON//SRAM Racing) – Team Pursuit
Lily Williams (Tallahassee, Fla.; Human Powered Health) – Team Pursuit, Madison
Kristen Faulkner (Homer, Alaska; EF Education-Cannondale) – Team Pursuit
Olivia Cummins (Fort Collins, Colo.; DNA Pro Cycling) – Team Pursuit
Men:
Grant Koontz (Nederland, Colo.; Star Track Cycling) – Omnium
BMX Racing
The 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Rock Hill, S.C., USA was one of the final events for athletes to put their best foot forward in the Olympic qualification process. Alice Willoughby, Delaney Vaughn, Felicia Stancil, Cameron Wood, and Karen Larsen will represent the United States in the BMX Racing event in Paris.
After two years of qualifying competition, it came down to the final few races in May of 2024 to determine the points for individual nominations and team quotas.
The 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Rock Hill, S.C., USA was one of the final events for athletes to put their best foot forward in the Olympic qualification process.
Women:
Alise Willoughby (Saint Cloud, Minn.; Team Toyota/ Daylight Cycle Co.)
Daleny Vaughn (Tucson, Ariz.; Biolab Sciences/ DK Bicycles)
Felicia Stancil (Lake Villa, Ill.; Factory SSquared/Answer)
Men:
Cameron Wood (Bozeman, Mont.; Mongoose/USA BMX Foundation)
Kamren Larsen (Bakersfield, Calif.; Factory SSquared/Answer)
BMX Freestyle
Team USA qualified the maximum allotted spots, two men, Marcus Christopher and Justin Dowell and two women, Hannah Roberts and Perris Benegas to compete in Paris. The inaugural Olympic Qualifier Series was held in Shanghai, China in May and concluded Sunday in Budapest, Hungary.
For the BMX Freestyle riders, this year’s Olympic selection was predominately focused on the Olympic Qualifier Series. The goal for riders across the globe was to finish in the top six of the final rankings to earn their spot to compete in Paris. Team USA qualified the maximum allotted spots. At the end of the Olympic Qualifier Series, no other country qualified more than two riders.
“Being head coach of a powerhouse team is not for the faint of heart,” said Ryan Nyquist – USA Cycling’s BMX Freestyle Coach. “I am so proud of the athletes and the staff that made this week work! We maxed out our Olympic spots for both the men and the women, which was the best case scenario for any and all countries involved. While I’m happy with this result, the job isn’t done. Off to Paris we go!”
Women:
Hannah Roberts (Buchanan, Mich.; Hyper BMX)
Perris Benegas (Reno, Nev.; Haro BMX)
Men:
Marcus Christopher (Canton, Ohio; DK Bicycles)
Justin Dowell (Virginia Beach, Va.; Hyper BMX)
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