Seven U.S. Olympians likely for Track Worlds
Mirabella will ride for a rainbow jersey to complement her Olympic bronze (photo: Casey B. Gibson) |
Athens points race bronze medalist Erin Mirabella (La Habra, Calif.), and fellow 2004 U.S. Olympians Giddeon Massie (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Marty Nothstein (Orefield, Pa.), Colby Pearce (Boulder, Colo.), Christian Stahl (Bethany, Conn.), and Jennie Reed (Kirkland, Wash.) are expected to compete when the United States hosts the world’s most prestigious annual track cycling event later this month.
A seventh American with Olympic experience, Jame Carney (Boulder Colo.) who rode in the 1992 and 2000 Olympic Games, also plans to compete in Los Angeles.
“As the host country, we’re excited about the probability of showcasing many of our most recent Olympic athletes in a world-class competition on American soil,” said Gerard Bisceglia, USA Cycling chief executive officer.
Mirabella, whose achievements this season include a win in the points race at last December’s UCI World Cup in Los Angeles, will enter the event as one of the favorites to claim a world title.
Pearce nabbed a silver medal in the points race at the Los Angeles World Cup and verified his label as one of the top endurance riders in the world with a bronze medal in January’s World Cup in Great Britain. Second in the overall world cup standings at the end of the season, Pearce gives the U.S. National Team another promising shot at a world championship.
Plenty of world cup podiums to his credit, Pearce hopes for more of the same at Worlds (photo: Casey B. Gibson) |
Two-time Olympic medalist Nothstein will likely be competing in his final international-caliber track race. With retirement on the horizon, the 2000 Olympic sprint champion will give the cycling community one more look at the talent that made him an American icon on the velodrome.
Reed, the only U.S. world championship medalist from 2004, is also on pace for a podium performance thanks to the momentum of a keirin bronze medal in each of the last two world cup events, including last week’s third place effort in Sydney.
Carney launched his 2004/05 campaign with a promising win in the scratch race at the world cup opener last November in Moscow. Third overall in the final world cup standings, Carney will look to end his season with the same level of success at which he began.
The complete U.S. National Team will be announced by USA Cycling on March 14 following a Team USA selection camp March 2-12.
Members of the media are invited to take a ride on the ADT Event Center velodrome. To schedule a special "media ride," contact Lee Callans at 310-630-2095 or lcallans@lakings.com.
To request a media credential for the 2005 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, visit www.uci.ch/uci.
About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 50,000 members and 2,000 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track) and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization (professional men’s road). For more information, visit www.usacycling.org or contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867.
About the Home Depot Center
The Home Depot Center is southern California's new home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. The $150 million privately financed facility was developed and is operated by AEG on a 125 acre site on the campus of California State Dominguez Hills in Carson, California, The Home Depot Center features a 13,000 seat stadium for tennis, a 27,000 seat stadium for soccer, rugby, lacrosse & other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts, a 20,000 seat facility for track & field, the ADT Event Center, a 3500-seat indoor velodrome and other facilities for softball, baseball, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports.
Named an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, The Home Depot Center is also the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation. The "complex, " which is also the home of the nationally recognized Athletes Performance Training Center for elite and professional athletes has additionally be designated "official" training sites for USA Cycling, United States Track & Field, the USTA and the AVP. For more information on the Home Depot Center, contact Michael Roth at 213-742-7155.
This Article Published March 2, 2005 For more information contact: