WHOS GOING TO THE WORLDS?JULY 29
WHOS GOING TO THE WORLD?S?JULY 29
USA Cycling today announced automatic qualifiers to the 2005 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, Livigno (Italy), August 31-September 4. 25 riders from different categories and disciplines were selected to represent the United States at this annual world-class championship event. Additional discretionary selections will take place on August 5.
Adam Craig (Bend), and Jeremy Horgan Kobelski (Boulder), were both automatically selected for the elite men’s cross-country event. Craig was nominated for his top-ten finish in UCI World Cup events, including two fourth-place finishes at stops in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Quebec) and Balneario Camboriu (Brazil) earlier in the summer. Horgan-Kobelski is the U.S. National Champion and was recognized as the best American in the Shimano NORBA National mountain bike Series standings. Horgan-Kobelski is currently second to Canadian Geoff Kabush.
Mary McConneloug (Chilmark), Mass., was also nominated as one of six elite cross-country women riders. Willow Koerber, Horseshoe, N.C., Shonny Vanlandingham, Alison Dunlap, Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs), Colo.), Kelli Emett (Colorado Springs), Colo.) all met the criteria for automatic selection.
McConneloug’s consistent performance at world cup events, where she finished in the top five for three consecutive years, solidified her place on the team. McConneloug currently ranks fifth in the overall World Cup rankings and has the most international experience of all the nominees, with fifth-place finishes in Houffalize (Belgium), Willengen, Germany, and Mont-Sainte-Anne.
Vanlandingham and Dunalp share the top five World Cup finishes. Koerber and Vanlandingham also earned fourth place finishes respectively in the Mont-Sainte-Anne, Angel Fire, N.M. World Cups. Dunlap’s fifth place finish in Angel Fire is proof that the two-time Olympian, 2001 World Champion, still has the potential to be a successful professional cyclist. Emmett ranks 10th in overall UCI World Cup standings. Haywood is the current leader for the Shimano National Mountain Bike Series.
Brothers Sam and Andy Schultz (Missoula Mont.) are the U23 rank winners. Nick Waite (Davis W. Va.), and Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont.) were officially selected for the U23 ranks. They were chosen based on their top 30 finishes at World Cup events. Sam Schultz was 17th at the World Cup Angel Fire, while Waite and Andy Schultz were 26th and 28th, respectively.
Colin Cares (Boulder) was the only automatic nominee in the junior men’s cross-country category. He is the points leader of the NORBA national series and has three wins this year.
As each rider is automatically qualified, Danae York (Indio (Calif.)) and Chloe Forsman(Boulder (Colo.)) will represent junior women’s cross-country. York’s success in the NORBA series earned her the nomination, while Forsman won the three last world championship selection events held in Deer Valley (Utah), Sandpoint, Idaho, and Aspen, Colo.
A talented group of 11 gravity riders qualified for the world championships, including many medal hopefuls. The elite men’s 4-Cross category saw Brian Lopes (Trabuco Canyon), Calif.), Kyle Strait, Redlands, Calif.), Robin Baloochi, San Diego, Calif.), Cody Warren, Alpine, Calif., Rich Houseman (Temecula), Calif.) all receive automatic nominations. Lopes has had an impressive season so far, with World Cup wins in Angel Fire, Schladming and Austria, and fourth place at the World Cup opener, Vigo, Spain. Lopes is currently leading the World Cup standings, with only two rounds remaining.
Strait, who has a World Championship medal and a third-place effort in the junior men’s downhill last season in Les Gets (France), earned Strait a nomination for the World Cup rankings as one of the top three Americans along with Baloochi.
Warren and Houseman are the two top Americans in the overall NORBA National Series Standings. They have therefore been awarded bids to the worlds.
Eric Carter (Temecula), Calif., is the defending 4-Cross World Champion and has endured a difficult season.
Jill Kintner (Seattle), Tara Llanes(Los Alamitos), Calif., and Melissa Buhl, (Chandler), Ariz. are all potential medalists in the elite women’s 4-Cross pool. Both Kintners and Llanes were both awarded silver and bronze medals at the World Championships last year and both are enjoying very successful seasons in 2005. Llanes was fourth in Angel Fire and Kintner won the World Cup in Vigo, Mont-Sainte Annee.
Buhl leads the overall NORBA series standings with two second-place performances this season on the NORBA circuit in Deer Valley, and Sandpoint. Cody Warren, the fifth-place American in the NORBA series standings, automatically qualifies to ride the elite men’s downhill event. Warren is also the only gravity rider who has been nominated for both the 4-Cross as well as the downhill events. Kathy Pruitt, Lake Almanor, Calif., will be the elite women’s downhill. Pruitt qualified automatically with two top five performances in the world cup, placing third in Vigo, and fifth in Angel Fire.
Travis Bond (Chattanooga Tenn.), completes the automatic qualifiers for the junior men’s downhill category. Bond is currently the leader in the NORBA series standings.
On August 5, the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships 2005 final U.S. team will be announced.
2005 UCI MOUNTAIN Bike WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
August 31-September 5,
Livigno, Italy
CROSS-COUNTRY
Adam Craig
Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski
WOMEN
Mary McConneloug
Willow Koerber
Shonny Vanlandingham
Alison Dunlap
Kelli Emmett
Susan Haywood
UNDER 23
Sam Schultz
Nick Waite
Andy Schultz
JUNIOR
Colin Cares
WOMEN
Danae York
Chloe Forsman
DOWNHILL
Cody Warren
WOMEN
Kathy Pruitt
JUNIOR
Travis Bond
4-CROSS
Brian Lopes
Kyle Strait
Robin Baloochi
Cody Warren
Rich Houseman
WOMEN
Jill Kintner
Tara Llanes
Melissa Buhl
