USA Cycling names team for Continental Mountain Bike Championships

Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 12, 2010) – USA Cycling announced today the 21 riders named to the U.S. squad for the upcoming Pan American Continental Mountain Bike Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala, April 9-11.

Former USA Cycling Development Program athlete Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont./Subaru-Gary Fisher) earned the first automatic nomination to the men’s cross country squad as the number 33 rider in the UCI rankings, the top American next to Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant-Rabobank) who is ranked 25th internationally but is unable to compete due to injury. Also earning automatic nominations are Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized) and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) who are ranked 40th and 46th respectively. Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) will round out the elite men’s squad as a discretionary pick.

Willow Koerber (Durango, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher), Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass/Kenda-Seven-NoTubes), and Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) all earned automatic nominations to the women’s cross country squads based on their UCI rankings – 12th, 14th, and 26th, respectively.

As the highest-ranked American U23 athlete in the UCI rankings, USA Cycling Development Program athlete, Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah), earned the only automatic nomination to the men’s U23 cross country squad. Joining Squire on the cross country course in Guatemala will be discretionary picks Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash.) and Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher).

Gravity athletes representing the U.S. at the Continental Mountain Bike Championships were all discretionary picks. Chris Van Dine (Park City, Utah/Cannondale), Shawn Neer (Arvada, Colo.), and Brian Buell (Boulder, Colo.) will don the red, white, and blue in the elite men’s downhill and four-cross competitions. Joining the pair for the downhill contest will be Joey Schusler (Boulder, Colo./ Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team), Geoffrey Ulmer (Troy, NY), Luciano Worl (Woodinville, Wash./Corsair-Atomlab), Ethan Quehl (Grayson, Ga.), Graeme Pitts (Nevada City, Calif./Team Geronimo-Banshee Bikes) and Erik Gosselin (Bedford, N.H.).

One woman will represent the U.S. in the elite women’s gravity competitions in Guatemala. Katie Holden (Scotts Valley, Calif.) will contest both the downhill and four-cross competitions.

Check back to www.usacycling.org to learn how the U.S. team fares in Guatemala, or click here to visit the event’s official website.

2010 Pan American Continental Mountain Bike Championships
April 9-11, 2010
Guatemala City, Guatemala

 

Elite Men’s Cross Country
Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized)
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven-NoTubes)
 
Elite Women’s Cross Country
Willow Koerber (Durango, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven-NoTubes)
Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
 
U23 Men’s Cross Country
Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah)
Stephan Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./Arlberg Sports)
Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher)
 
Elite Men’s Downhill
Chris Van Dine (Park City, Utah/Cannondale)
Joey Schusler (Boulder, Colo./ Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team)
Shawn Neer (Arvada, Colo.)
Geoffrey Ulmer (Troy, NY)
Luciano Worl (Woodinville, Wash./Corsair-Atomlab)
Ethan Quehl (Grayson, Ga.) -Discretionary Pick
Graeme Pitts (Nevada City, Calif./Team Geronimo-Banshee Bikes)
Brian Buell (Boulder, Colo.)
Erik Gosselin (Bedford, N.H.)
 
Elite Women’s Downhill
Katie Holden (Scotts Valley, Calif.)
 
Elite Men’s Four-Cross
Chris Van Dine (Park City, Utah/Cannondale)
Shawn Neer (Arvada, Colo.)
Brian Buell (Boulder, Colo.)
 
Elite Women’s Four-Cross
Katie Holden (Scotts Valley, Calif.)


This Article Published March 12, 2010 For more information contact: