USA Biking has introduced its wildcard choices for the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium and whereas it’s no shock that nationwide champions Brennan Wertz and Lauren Stephens are among the many squad, there’s a notable absence.
Keegan Swenson – the rider to beat on the US gravel scene and high 5 finisher finally 12 months’s rainbow jersey race – was not on the record. There was no rationalization supplied within the launch.
As an alternative, becoming a member of new nationwide champion Wertz among the many record of seven wild card entries for the elite males’s squad is John Borstelmann, the skilled Ted King, Andrew Lydic, Justin McQuerry, Ethan Overson and Colby Simmons, with the Visma-Lease a Bike rider being the youngest wildcard member of the USA squad.
The wild card entries for the ladies’s-elite group spearheaded by Stephens – who got here sixth on the occasion final 12 months – went to Lauren De Crescenzo, Whitney Allison, Laura King, Shayna Powless, Safia Schugar, Hannah Shell, Kyleigh Spearing, Leah Van Der Linden and Caroline Wresszin.
Age group athletes chosen had been Mat Stephens and Todd Hageman, with that making 19 wildcard entries, accounting for 20 of these wild card spots the nationwide federation is entitled to.
There are additionally different pathways to entry to the UCI World Championships, with the Gravel World Collection races appearing as qualifiers plus nationwide gravel champions being allotted a spot. This implies the record of elite riders who’ve gained the proper to race extends past these given wild playing cards, with riders like Chad Haga and Heidi Franz amongst those that have certified by way of the Gravel World Collection.
Nonetheless, there are lots of examples of those who have the choice to go to the UCI World Championships occasion however selected to not, as qualification or choice to the elite groups does not equate to monetary assist to make it to the race in Belgium.
USA Biking mentioned in its choice doc this 12 months that :”Athletes who obtain automated invites from the UCI or are nominated by the USA Biking Athlete Discretionary Choice procedures are answerable for the total expense related to this occasion. USA Biking is not going to assume monetary duty for any athletes.”
The federation had earlier introduced its intention to put aside spots for the highest 5 finishers within the Elite Gravel Nationwide Championships, although it seems not all had been taken up. High 5 finishers Easter Griffin, Paige Onweller, Alexis Skarda and Cecily Decker ware among the many high 5 positioned riders however weren’t on the record of untamed card entries or elite riders that had certified by way of the Gravel World Collection.
USA Biking is not alone in lacking main gravel figures from its group, with AusCycling’s announcement earlier this week additionally noting that Australian nationwide gravel champion Brendan Johnston would not be taking over his automated qualification spot.
The UCI Gravel World Championships will happen in Belgium on October 5-6, with the elite ladies’s race going down on a 134km course, which is greater than half unpaved, on the Saturday whereas Sunday’s males’s elite race will unfold over 181km.
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