USA Cycling names team for 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

USA Cycling announced today the final roster of athletes representing the United States in both cross country and downhill at the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships taking place August 28- September 1, 2019 in Mont-Saint-Anne, Canada.

Looking to defend her title is 2018 World Champion, Kate Courtney (San Francisco; Scott-SRAM) who is also currently ranked first in World Cup standings.  2018 Silver Medalists Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing) and Anna Newkirk (Riehen, Switzerland; Team Project) will also be looking to improve on last year’s performances in the U23 Cross-Country and Junior Downhill competitions respectively.

Among the other American competitors are several 2019 National Champions, crowned July 23-28 2019 at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships in Winter Park, Colo.:  Chloe Woodruff (Prescott, Ariz.; Stan’s NoTubes Pivot p/b Maxxis), Keegan Swenson (Park City, Utah; Stan’s NoTubes Pivot p/b Maxxis) Kelsey Urban (Kentfield, Calif.; Rouleur Devo p/b DNA Cycling), Jerry Dufour (Birmingham, Ala.; Bear Development Team), Riley Amos (Durango, Colo.; Bear Development Team),  Madeline Robbins (Durango, Colo.; Bear Development Team), Neko Mulallay (Pisgah Forest, N.C.; Intense Factory Racing), and Jill Kitner (Seattle, Wash.)

“We are excited for our National Team Athletes to showcase their talents this week at Mont-Sainte-Anne. These athletes represent the best U.S. riders across the board from Junior to Elite. I feel very good about the strength and depth of our Women’s Cross Country Teams as well as the progress of our Men’s Team throughout this season. In Downhill, I expect great things from Anna Newkirk as well as strong performances from Aaron (Gwin) and Neko (Mulally). I am also looking forward to seeing great performances from the rest of our deep and talented team and happy to give our younger athletes the opportunity and experience that the World Championships provides,” said Marc Gullickson, Performance Director of USA Cycling’s Mountain Bike Program.

The Team USA roster is as follows:

DOWNHILL

Junior Women:

Anna Newkirk* (Riehen, Switzerland; Team Project)
Jordan Scott* (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Autumn Parham (Edmunds, Wash.)

Junior Men: 

Matthew Sterling* (San Jose, Calif.)
Joey Foresta (South Jordan, Utah)
Cole Suetos (Temcula, Calif.)
Dante Silva (Chula Vista, Calif)
Zach Gareis (Mars, Penn.)
Austin Dooley (Yucaipa, Calif.)

Elite Women:

Caroline Washam (Mooresville, N.C.)
Samantha Soriano (Littleton, Colo.)

Mazie Hayden (Pittsfield, Vt.)

Elite Men:

Charlie Harrison* (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.; Trek Factory Racing)
Aaron Gwin* (Murietta, Calif.; Intense Factory Racing)
Luca Shaw* (Hendersonville, N.C.; Santa Cruz Syndicate)
Dakotah Norton* (Rotten Oaks, Tenn.; Unior Devinci Factory Racing)
Neko Mulally* (Pisgah Forest, N.C.; Intense Factory Racing)
Bruce Klein (Altadena, Calif.; Commencal/ 100% Racing Team)
Nikolas Nesteroff (San Diego, Calif.; KHS Factory Racing)

CROSS-COUNTRY

Junior Women:

Madeline Robbins* (Durango, Colo.; Bear Development Team)
Alexis Bobbitt* (Austin, Tex.; Bear Development Team)
Madigan Munro* (Boulder, Colo.; Boulder Junior Cycling)
Ada Urist (Boulder, Colo.; Boulder Junior Cycling)

Junior Men:

Riley Amos* (Durango, Colo.; Bear Development Team)
Bjorn Riley (Boulder, Colo.; Bear Development Team)
Robbie Day (Evergreen, Colo.; Racer X Cycling/ColoBikeLaw
Nolan Jenkins (Colorado Springs, Colo.; Rouler Devo p/b DNA Cycling)
Brennon Peterson (Sandy, Utah; Rouler Devo p/b DNA Cycling)

U23 Women:

Haley Batten* (Park City, Utah; Clif Pro Team)
Kelsey Urban* (Kentfield, Calif.; Rouler Devo p/b DNA Cycling)
Savilia Blunk (Inverness, Calif.; Sho-Air TWENTY-20)
Gwendalyn Gibson (Ramona, Calif.; Norco Bicycles)

U23 Men:

Christopher Blevins* (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing)
Jerry Dufour* (Birmingham, Ala.; Bear Professional Team)
Cole Paton (Cashmere, Wash.; Giant Factory Off-Road Team)
Henry Nadell (Carbondale, Colo.; CZ Racing)
Sandy Floren (Berkley, Calif.; Bear Professional Team)

Elite Women: 

Kate Courtney* (San Francisco, Calif.; Scott-SRAM)
Chloe Woodruff* (Prescott, Ariz.; Stans NoTubes Pivot p/b Maxxis)
Lea Davison* (Jericho, Vt.; Sho-Air TWENTY20)
Erin Huck* (Boulder, Colo.; CZ Racing p/b SCOTT)
Alexis Skarda (Grand Junction, Colo.; Spintertainment Video)
Hannah Finchamp (Salt Lake City, Utah; Clif Pro Team)
Rose Grant (Columbia Falls, Mont.; Stans NoTubes Pivot p/b Maxxis)

Elite Men:

Keegan Swenson* (Park City Utah; Stans NoTubes Pivot p/b Maxxis)
Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo.; Clif Pro Team)
Alex Wild (Los Gatos, Calif.; Specialized Factory Racing)
Luke Vrouwenvelder (Chapel Hill, N.C)
Stephan Davoust (Durango, Colo.; Giant Factory Off-Road Team)

Automatic qualifiers are noted with an asterisk (*).

Racing kicks off August 28 at 12pm with the Team Relay. To watch the 2019 World Championships, head to Redbull.tv or to cheer for Team USA and get up to date info regarding your favorite riders, follow @USACyclingLIVE on Twitter and @USACycling on all other platforms. For more about the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, please visit the event website at http://www.velirium.com/.