Nebraska Cycling News

Event to Provide Preview of Olympic Contenders One Year out from Beijing Games

Colorado Springs, CO - USA Cycling announced today the 61 athletes that have been nominated to represent the United States at the upcoming 2007 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Fort William, Scotland, Sept. 3-9.

With only one year remaining until the Olympic Games in Beijing, American cross country athletes will square off against fellow 2008 hopefuls from across the globe in the only Olympic discipline of off-road cycling. Seven men and eight women have been nominated to the elite cross country squad. 

Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant) received the only automatic nomination to the men's team after winning the 2007 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships last month. He is joined by Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher), Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./GT-Hyundai) and Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va./Trek-VW), who were nominated via coaches' selection, as well as Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven), Barry Wicks (Corvallis, Ore./Kona) and Carl Decker (Bend, Ore./Giant), who received discretionary nominations.

On the women's side, Willow Koerber (Ashville, N.C./Subaru-Gary Fisher) and Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass./Kenda-Seven) were automatically nominated - Koerber by virtue of her two podium performances at UCI World Cup events this year in Switzerland and Canada and McConneloug as the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Champion. Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) and Georgia Gould (Ketchum, Idaho/Luna) were coaches' selections.  Sue Haywood (Davis, W. Va./Trek-VW), Lea Davison (Jericho, Vt./Trek-VW) and Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo./Luna) received discretionary nominations. Vanlandingham and Haywood both declined their nominations and will be replaced by Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo./Giant).

In the U23 men's division, five athletes - Sam Jurekovic (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA Cycling National Development Team), Sam Schultz (Missoula, Mont./Subaru-Gary Fisher), Colin Cares (Boulder, Colo./USA Cycling National Development Team), Tad Elliott (Durango, Colo./USA Cycling National Development Team) and Mitchell Peterson (Sandy, Utah/Devo) - received nominations.  As the U23 national champion, Jurekovic was the lone automatic nomination, while Schultz and Cares received coaches' nominations and Elliott and Peterson were discretionary picks.

U23 women's national champion Chloe Forsman (Boulder, Colo./Luna) was an automatic nomination to the U23 women's cross country squad and will be joined by discretionary selection Caitlyn Tuel (Boulder, Colo./Trek-VW) on the two-woman team.

In the junior cross country categories, Ethan Gilmour (Ludlow, Vt./Devo-Okemo), Gregory Carpenter (Canton, Conn./Giant-Devo), Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash./Arlberg), Chris Peterson (Sandy, Utah/Devo) and Tristan Cowie (Dawsonville, Ga./Cycle Youth) will represent the men's contingent, while Stephanie White (Bedford, N.H./Velo Bella) and Amy Cox (Scottsdale, Ariz./Strada) comprise the women's team.  Gilmour and White were automatic nominations as national champions while the balance of the junior cross country squad was nominated as discretionary picks.

In the gravity events, Cole Bangert (Twin Lakes, Colo./Morewood-Utopia), Duncan Riffle (Santa Barbara, Calif./Honda-Iron Horse), Luke Strobel (Renton, Wash./Maxxis), Gerritt Beytagh (Fletcher, N.C./Morewood), T.J. Sharp (Boulder, Colo./Yeti-Fox), Chris Van Dine (Salt Lake City, Utah/Cannondale The Cut) and Christopher Herndon (Etowah, N.C./Specialized-Cane Creek) received nominations to the elite men's downhill team. Kathy Pruitt (Lake Almanor, Calif./Jamis), Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz./KHS), Lisa Myklak (Boulder, Colo./Leelikesbikes.com), Amelia Colosurdo (Seattle, Wash./Bear Naked-Cannonadale) and Darian Harvey (Durango, Colo./Durango Roughriders) all received nominations to the elite women's downhill squad. Representing the United States in 4-cross competition will be Buhl, Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash./GT), Jessica Vogt (Boulder, Colo./Dianese-Gamut-Fox), Tara Llanes (Los Alamitos, Calif./Giant) and Neven Steinmetz (Durango, Colo./TM Totally Wired) for the women, while Brian Lopes (San Clemente, Calif./GT), Ross Milan (Golden, Colo./Yeti-Fox), Eric Carter (Winchester, Calif./Mongoose), Tommy Tokarczyk (Durango, Colo./Jamis) and Jeremiah Work (Austin, Texas/Bicycle Sport Shop) will represent the men's 4-cross contingent.  Rich Houseman (Temecula, Calif./Yeti-Fox) received a discretionary selection, but declined his nomination.

In the junior downhill categories, one woman - Chrissie Pinney (Concord, Calif./Ride SFO) - and five men - JD Swanguen (San Diego, Calif./Cove Bikes), Logan Binggeli (St. George, Utah), Brad Oien (Fountain Valley, Calif./ODI), Tim Price (Great Falls, Va./Specialized) and Tyler McCaul (Aptos, Calif./Trek-Fox) - made the cut.

Four athletes will also represent the U.S. in the observed trials competition - Cameron Kowall (Gates Mills, Ohio/Meta Bikes), Neil Wiley (Tucson, Ariz.), Brian Yezierski (Middleton, Conn./Maxxis-661) and Dave Campbell (Lilburn, Ga.).

2007 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

Fort William, Scotland

September 3-9

U.S. Team Nominations:

Elite Men's Cross Country

1. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo.)

2. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo.)

3. Jeremiah Bishop (Harrisonburg, Va.)

4. Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass.)

5. Barry Wicks (Corvallis, Ore.)

6. Adam Craig (Bend, Ore.)

7. Carl Decker (Bend, Ore.)

Elite Women's Cross Country

1. Willow Koerber (Ashville, N.C.)

2. Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo.)

3. Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass.)

4. Georgia Gould (Ketchum, Idaho)

5. Sue Haywood (Davis, W. Va.)

6. Lea Davison (Jericho, Vt.) trek

7. Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

8. Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo.)

U23 Men's Cross Country

1. Sam Schultz (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

2. Colin Cares (Boulder, Colo.)

3. Tad Elliott (Durango, Colo.)

4. Mitchell Peterson (Sandy, Utah)

5. Sam Jurekovic (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

U23 Women's Cross Country

1. Chloe Forsman (Boulder, Colo.)

2. Caitlyn Tuel (Boulder, Colo.)

Junior Men's Cross Country

1. Ethan Gilmour (Ludlow, Vt.)

2. Gregory Carpenter (Canton, Conn.)

3. Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, Wash.)

4. Chris Peterson (Sandy, Utah) devo

5. Tristan Cowie (Dawsonville, Ga.)

Junior Women's Cross Country

1. Stephanie White (Bedford, N.H.)

2. Amy Cox (Scottsdale, Ariz.)

Elite Men's Downhill

1. Cole Bangert (Twin Lakes, Colo.)

2. Duncan Riffle (Santa Barbara, Calif.)

3. Luke Strobel (Renton, Wash.)

4. Gerritt Beytagh (Fletcher, N.C.)

5. T.J. Sharp (Boulder, Colo.)

6. Chris Van Dine (Salt Lake City, Utah)

7. Christopher Herndon (Etowah, N.C.)

Elite Women's Downhill

1. Kathy Pruitt (Lake Almanor, Calif.)

2. Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz.)

3. Lisa Myklak (Boulder, Colo.)

4. Amelia Colosurdo (Seattle, Wash.)

5. Darian Harvey (Durango, Colo.)

Junior Men's Downhill

1. JD Swanguen (San Diego, Calif.)

2. Logan Binggeli (St. George, Utah)

3. Brad Oien (Fountain Valley, Calif.)

4. Tim Price (Great Falls, Va.)

5. Tyler McCaul (Aptos, Calif.)

Junior Women's Downhill

1. Chrissie Pinney (Concord, Calif.)

Elite Men's 4-Cross

1. Brian Lopes (San Clemente, Calif.)

2. Ross Milan (Golden, Colo.)

3. Eric Carter (Winchester, Calif./Mongoose)

4. Rich Houseman (Temecula, Calif.)*

5. Tommy Tokarczyk (Durango, Colo.)

6. Jeremiah Work (Austin, Texas)

Elite Women's 4-Cross

1. Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.)

2. Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz.)

3. Jessica Vogt (Boulder, Colo.)

4. Tara Llanes (Los Alamitos, Calif.)

5. Neven Steinmetz (Boulder, Colo.)

Observed Trials

1. Cameron Kowall (Gates Mills, Ohio)

2. Neil Wiley (Tucson, Ariz.)

3. Brian Yezierski (Middleton, Conn.)

4. Dave Campbell (Lilburn, Ga.)

*declined nomination

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 60,000 members and 2,500 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association 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.