US riders Kelly Catlin, Chloe Dygert, Jennifer Valente and Sarah Hammer celebrate after winning the women's team pursuit final.
Sarah Hammer (L), Jennifer Valente (2nd L), Ruth Winder (C), Chloe Dygert (2nd R) and Kelly Catlin (R) of USA celebrate their gold medal after winning the Women's Team Pursuit Final
Matthew Baranoski (Custom Velo) takes on Aaron Kacala for the Gold Medal in the Sprint Competition. Baranoski wins in 2.(Image credit: Erika Fulk)
Two-time Olympian Bobby Lea breaks two track records while in pursuit of the International Omnium title at this years Elite Track Championship at the Giordana Velodrome in Rock Hill, SC(Image credit: Erika Fulk)
Sarah Hammer competing in the omnium
The first members of the 2016 Olympic Summer Games cycling team were named on Friday, as the USA Cycling Selection Committee filled six of the team’s seven track cycling slots.
“We have some of the world’s best track athletes, and I can’t wait to see them in action in Rio,” said USA Cycling CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall. “Our athletes represented themselves and their country with distinction at the recent World Championships, and we will carry that momentum into the Olympics.”
All the riders from the US women's team that won gold at the recent UCI Track World Championships in London will head to Rio, along with sprinter Matt Baranoski, who will represent Team USA in the keirin.
Women's team members include Sarah Hammer, Kelly Catlin, Chloe Dygert, Jennifer Valente and Ruth Winder. The team pursuit riders will be looking to finish what they started at the world championships by topping rivals Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain on the sport's biggest stage.
The men’s omnium slot will be filled no later than April 1, pending the result of Bobby Lea’s selection arbitration hearing. Lea, 32, was a bronze medalist in the 2015 world championships in the scratch race but tested positive on August 8 last year for noroxycodone - the result of an ill-timed dose of a painkiller the night before the USA Cycling track championships. He was originally sanctioned for 16 months, which would have ruled out an Olympics appearance, but a recent decision by the Court for Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lowered Lea's suspension to six months and opened the door for a possible ticket to Rio.
Track cycling at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games runs August 11-16 at the Rio Olympic Velodrome in Barra.
Women’s Team Kelly Catlin (Arden Hills, Minn./NorthStar Development): Team Pursuit; Chloe Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind./TWENTY16 p/b SHO-AIR): Team Pursuit Sarah Hammer (Colorado Springs, Colo.): Omnium*, Team Pursuit Jennifer Valente (San Diego, Calif./TWENTY16 p/b SHO-AIR): Team Pursuit Ruth Winder (Lafayette, Calif./UnitedHealthcare): Team Pursuit
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