Logan Owen (Redline) was again the quickest rider in the junior race(Image credit: Epic Rides)
A beaming Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) on the podium after winning the third round of the World Cup.(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Jonathan Page (ENVGT/ Planet Bike)(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Danny Summerhill (UnitedHealthcare) rounding one of the initial turns(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld) wins the Harbin Park International(Image credit: Jeffrey Jakucyk)
Defending champion Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) was all business at the start(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Jade Wilcoxson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) brought her A-Game today(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
USA Cycling today announced its 22-rider team for the 2013 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, which take place in Louisville, Kentucky on February 2-3.
The main contenders had already earned automatic nominations: World Cup overall winner Katie Compton (Trek), who secured her ninth straight national title on Sunday, will lead the women’s team. Compton’s young protégé Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld) also earned an automatic bid through a ninth place finish in the Tabor World Cup.
Earning discretionary bids were Meredith Miller (California Giant/Specialized), Amy Dombroski (Telenet-Fidea), and Jade Wilcoxson (Optum) who placed second in the national championships. Also included was Georgia Gould (Luna), who had the second most UCI points to Compton.
Not making the cut were Nicole Duke, whose heroic ride through crashes and mechanicals ended in a third place finish at nationals, Crystal Anthony and Maureen Bruno Roy, who were the next best UCI ranked riders in the USA.
In the elite men’s field, six Americans will try to nab a podium place against an imposing presence from Belgium. New US champion Jonathan Page (ENGVT) is the most familiar with the competition, making his home in Oudenaarde, Belgium during the season. He will head up the team with Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Foucs), Ryan Trebon (Cannondale-Clement) and Tim Johnson (Canndondale/Cyclocrossworld).
Getting the two discretionary spots were Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld) and Danny Summerhill (Unitedhealthcare), who were third and fourth at the national championships behind Page and Zach McDonald, who will lead the USA’s U23 team.
McDonald earned an automatic bid through his fourth place finish in the Tabor World Cup. He will be joined by four discretionary picks: Andrew Dillman (Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross), Tobin Ortenblad (California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized), Skyler Trujillo (Boo-Enve), and Joshua Johnson (Indianapolis Cycling Club).
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Owen going for gold in Louisville
Perhaps the USA’s best chance for a men’s medal is Logan Owen (Team Redline). Owen won his eighth consecutive national title this weekend after a stellar December spent in Belgium, where he won in Namur, and placed second to the undefeated Dutch phenomenon Mathieu van der Poel in the Zolder World Cup, Diegem Superprestige and in Loenhout.
“It's a great honor anytime you get to represent your country at the World Championships. I really do believe that I can challenge van der Poel for the win at Worlds if I continue with the great form I'm on now,” Owen said. “I will have to race a perfect race if I want to win in Louisville, but it’s definitely a possibility to get a podium and maybe the win. Plus I’ve got a whole country backing me at Worlds, which will only make me faster. Can't wait to get out there and give it all I got.”
Joining Owen as an automatic nomination will be Curtis White (Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team) plus three discretionary teammates: Maxx Chance (Clif Bar Development Cross Team), David Lombardo (Verdigris-Village CX Team/Village-Verdigris Cycling), and Stephen Bassett (Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross Team).
