Team USA

International Events

Years of hard work and dedication to the sport all culminate on race day, where dreams are made or broken. See what types of events Team USA attends, and gain a better understanding of what it takes to get there as an athlete.

Top-Level Athletes

Global Competition
Types of International Events

Olympics

2020 - Tokyo

USA Cycling aims to take home seven medals, and make the United States the best cycling nation by winning an Olympic medal in every discipline, including taking the Tokyo 2020 medal count for women. New this year, BMX Freestyle is a relatively unsanctioned, ungoverned sport, and the United States is at the forefront of the action.
Types of International Events

Olympics

2016 - Rio

Hosted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the United States won 5 medals (2 Gold & 3 Silver) with 3 agonizingly-close 4th place finishes, maintaining position as the second-highest medal producing country. Mara Abbott captured the world's attention and demonstrated the talent and grit of USA Cycling’s pool of athletes with a nail-biting performance.
Types of International Events

World Championships

World Championships, held annually in every discipline and following each discipline's calendar, are highly sought-after UCI-promoted events. Categories include men’s, women’s, U23 men and women, and masters. The location changes every year to push riders in a variety of conditions and courses. Winning riders or teams, are given a rainbow jersey.
Types of International Events

World Cup

World Cup events are world-wide events as part of each discipline's season calendar, in varying locations, promoted and regulated by the UCI. Just as grueling as a World Championship event, but ongoing throughout the year, World Cups allow riders to accrue points, which change their position in UCI rankings.
Types of International Events

Continental Championships

Continental Championships, also known as Pan American Championships, are championships for members of the Pan American Cycling Confederation (COPACI) – North and South American countries. Races are held annually in various locations.

dig deep

make the team

1. How Athletes Are Selected to Teams

USA Cycling is responsible for selecting the athletes who represent the United States in the highest level of international competition (e.g., Olympic Games, World Championships, or Pan-American Championships).  USA Cycling is committed to implementing a fair and transparent process which will place athletes who provide the United States with the greatest likelihood of success on the start line.  Athletes are selected according to clearly defined criteria and a clearly defined process.  There are two ways an athlete can make a team – by automatically qualifying or being selected according to discretionary criteria.

Automatic Selection

USA Cycling establishes specific automatic selection criteria for each event in each discipline.  By design, only proven contenders for medaling at the highest level of international competition will meet the automatic selection criteria.  Examples of automatic selection criteria include medaling at the most recent World Championships or ranking in the top 5 of the UCI World Cup rankings.  Automatic selection criteria are established by USA Cycling with input from its independent Selection Committee (explained further below) and a democratically elected representative of USA Cycling elite athletes known as the Athletes Advisory Council Representative (AAC Rep).  For qualification for the Olympic Games, the automatic selection criteria must also be approved by the US Olympic Committee (USOC).

Discretionary Selection

It is common that the United States will qualify for more available positions at an event than there are athletes who meet the automatic selection criteria.  In such cases, USA Cycling selects athletes on a discretionary basis using a clearly defined selection process.  Recommendations for who shall be selected are made by USA Cycling coaching staff, but final selection decisions are the responsibility of an independent, volunteer Selection Committee.  Decisions are made using criteria and decision-making guidelines defined in a document known as the Principles of Athlete Selection.  This document is created by USA Cycling with input from the Selection Committee, AAC Rep, and the USOC. 

2. Principles of Athlete Selection

The Principles of Athlete Selection is a document which details the criteria and decision-making guidelines to be used by USA Cycling coaches in making recommendations and by the Selection Committee in making the ultimate selection decisions. 

As outlined in the document, the Selection Committee selects athletes according to three priorities.  The first priority is the selection of athletes who have demonstrated that they are medal capable.  The second priority is the selection of those athletes who have demonstrated that their presence on the team will have a positive impact on the overall team performance and create a medal capable team environment.  The third priority is the selection of those athletes who have demonstrated the capacity to advance to the level of medal capability in the near future.

3. Selection Committee

The USA Cycling Selection Committee is the group of distinguished volunteers who make the difficult decisions when discretionary selections are needed in order to put the best athletes on the team.  The Selection Committee members serve eight year terms over two Olympic quadrennials.  During their terms they help create and approve all event selection procedures, monitor competitions, review data, and make selections for teams when needed. 

The committee members have all competed at the highest levels across all of USA Cycling’s five disciplines and have distinguished resumes on and off the bike.  Each committee member applied to serve on the committee and were chosen for their ability to be knowledgeable, objective, thorough, detail oriented, and unbiased.  

The current USA Cycling Selection Committee is:

Timothy Duggan2012 Olympic Games Team member; 2012 US Pro Road Race Champion; past professional athlete, athlete rep
Eric RupeNine time BMX World Champion; 17 time BMX National champion
Donny Robinson2008 Olympic Games Team Member and Bronze Medal Winner in BMX; 2001 UCI Jr. Men & Jr. Cruiser World Champion
Heather Irmiger2009 Single Speed World Champion; 2011 Pan Am Gold Medalist; 3x Mountain Bike National Champion
Christine Thorburn2004 & 2008 Olympic Games Team Member; 2006 UCI World Time Trial Championship Bronze Medalist
Adam Duvendeck2005 & 2008 Olympic Games Team Member; 2x U.S. National Champion (2004 Team Sprint & 2006 Keirin)
Jan Bolland Tanner1991 TTT Pan Am Games Gold Medalist; 1992 TTT World Champion; 1995 U. S. National Cyclocross Champion
Bunki Bankaitis-Davis1992 UCI Road World Champion (TTT); 1988 Olympic Games Team Member

4. Discipline-specific Selection Information

Looking for more on team selection, including automatic and discretionary selection forms? 

See discipline-specific information by clicking the panels below.

BMX

BMX Discretionary Athlete Nomination

Olympics

July 24—August 9, 2020: Tokyo, Japan

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

Pan American Games

July 26—August 11, 2019: Lima, Peru

Athlete Selection

Women's Selection Criteria

BMX Men's Selection Criteria

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

World Championships

June 5th-9th, 2018: Baku, Azerbaijan

2019: Zolder, Belgium

2020: Houston, Texas

BMX World Championships Automatic Qualification

Resources    

  • Qualification Events
    • February 16, 2018: USA BMX Winter Nationals, Phoenix AZ
    • February 23, 2018: USA BMX Gator Nationals, Oldsmar, FL

International BMX License Application

CHALLENGE CLASS ATHLETE INFORMATION

Challenge Selection Documents

USA BMX Challenge Class Page

UCI BMX International Rider License Form (PDF)

2018 Automatic Qualifiers

Frequently Asked Questions

USA BMX Registration Check List

Online Registration for BMX World Challenge

Challenge Jersey Design 

CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS ATHLETE INFORMATION

Championship Selection Documents

EVENT INFORMATION

UCI Event Page

Official BMX World Championship Website

Official Schedule 

Track Design

Challenge Practice Groups and Times

Rider Ticket Info

Tickets for Parents and Guests

Event Manual

UCI RULES

UCI World Championship Rule Book

UCI BMX Rule Book

World Cups

March 31-April 1, 2018: Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines, FRA

May 7-8, 2018: Papendal, NED

May 14-15, 2018: Zolder, BEL

September 29-30, 2017: Santiago Del Estero, ARG

Elite Supercross Race Program Automatic Qualification

Development

Development Camp Application

BMX Freestyle

Olympics

July 24—August 9, 2020: Tokyo, Japan

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

Pan American Games

July 26—August 11, 2019: Lima, Peru

Athlete Selection

BMX Freestyle Men's and Women's Selection Criteria

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

World Championships

November 7-11, 2018: Chengdu, China

UCI URBAN CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Selection Criteria – FREESTYLE PARK

EVENT INFORMATION

UCI Event Page

UCI Information for Freestyle riders

UCI RULES

UCI Rulebook

UCI Amendments as of 2.1.2018

World Cups

April 6-8, 2018: Hiroshima, Japan

May 9-13, 2018: Montpellier, France

July 14-15, 2018: Edmonton, Canada

September 7-9, 2018: Budapest, Hungary

November 2-4, 2018: Chengdu, China

EVENT INFORMATION

UCI Event Page

Cyclocross

World Championships

February 2-3, 2019: Bogense, Denmark

2019 UCI Cyclocross World Championships Selection Criteria

World Championship CX Discretionary Athlete Nomination Form

World Cups

September 23, 2018 - Waterloo, USA

September 29, 2018 - Iowa City, USA

October 21, 2018 - Bern, Switzerland

November 17, 2018 - Tabor, Czech Republic

November 25, 2018 - Koksijde, Belgium

December 23, 2018 - Namur, Belgium

December 26, 2018 - Heusden-Zolder, Belgium

January 20, 2019 - Pont-Chateau, France

January 27, 2019 - Hoogerheide, Netherland

UCI Cyclocross World Cup Selection Criteria

UCI Cyclocross World Cup Pre-Qualified Start Request

UCI Cyclocross World Cup Start Petition

UCI Cyclocross World Cup Housing/Staff Registration

Belgian Cyclocross Regulations

Continental Championships

The Pan American Championships is an open event for any rider with a UCI license. 

Pan American Cyclo-Cross Championships Registration

Development

2017-18 USAC Cyclocross Development Race Blocks/Camps


Mountain Bike

XCO, Downhill, 4-Cross, Marathon

Olympics

July 24—August 9, 2020: Tokyo, Japan

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

Pan American Games

July 26—August 11, 2019: Lima, Peru

Athlete Selection

Mountain Bike Women's Selection Criteria

Mountain Bike Men's Selection Criteria

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

World Championships

MTB Discretionary Athlete Nomination Form


XCO/DH: September 4-9, 2018 – Lenzerheide, Switzerland

XCO World Championships Selection Criteria

Downhill World Championships Selection Criteria

4-Cross: July 5-6, 2018 – Val di Sole, Italy

4-Cross World Championships Selection Criteria

Marathon: September 14-15, 2018 – Auronzo Di Cadore, Italy

Marathon World Championships Selection Criteria

World Cups

EVENTS2018 DATESLOCATIONUSA CYCLING PETITION DEADLINEENTRY DEADLINE
XCOMarch 10Stellenbosch, South AfricaFeb 5Feb 23
DHIApril 21-22Losinj, CroatiaMarch 19April 6
XCO/XCCMay 18-20Albstadt, GermanyApril 16May 4
XCO/XCCMay 25-27Nove Mesto, Czech RepublicApril 23May 11
DHIJune 2-3Fort William, United KingdomApril 30May 18
DHIJune 9-10Leogang, AustriaMay 7May 25
XCO/XCC/DHIJuly 6-8Val di Sole, ItalyJune 4June 22
XCO/XCC/DHIJuly 13-15Vallnord, AndorraJune 11June 29
XCO/XCC/DHIAugust 10-12Mont-Sainte Anne, Quebec, CanadaJuly 9July 27
XCO/XCC/DHIAugust 24-26La Bresse, FranceJuly 23August 10

XCO-Cross-Country, XCC-Cross-Country Short Track, DHI-Downhill

Resources

UCI MTB World Cup Registration Procedures

UCI MTB World Cup Petition Process

UCI MTB World Cup Pre-Qualified Entry Request

UCI MTB World Cup Start Petition

Continental Championships

April 4-8, 2018– Pereira, Colombia

XCO Pan American Continental Championships Automatic Qualification

Downhill Pan American Continental Championships Automatic Qualification

Road

Track

Olympics

July 24—August 9, 2020: Tokyo, Japan

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

Pan American Games

July 26—August 11, 2019: Lima, Peru

Athlete Selection

Road and Track Men's and Women's Selection Criteria

Staff Selection

USA Cycling Games Staff Selection Criteria

Elite Track World Championships

February 27- March 3, 2019 – Pruszkow, POL

World Championships Selection Criteria
World Championships Discretionary Petition - Coming Soon

Junior Track World Championships

August 15-19, 2018 - Aigle, Switzerland

2018/19 Junior Track World Championships Selection Criteria

2018 Junior Track World Championships Discretionary Athlete Petition

Resources 

World Cups

October 19-21, 2018 – Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France
October 26-28 – Milton, Ontario, Canada
November 30-December 2, 2018 – Berlin, Germany
December 14-16, 2018 – London, Great Britain
January 18-20, 2019 – Cambridge, New Zealand
January 25-27, 2019 – Hong Kong

2018/19 Track World Cup Selection Criteria

Elite Track World Cup Discretionary Athlete Nomination Form

Continental Championships

August 29-September 2, 2018 – Toluca, Mexico

Pan American Continental Championships Selection Criteria

Pam American Continental Championships Discretionary Athlete Nomination Form

Masters

World Championships

BMX:

TBD

Masters Road Discretionary Athlete Nomination Form

Road:

TBD

Track:

2017/2018: Velo Sports Center, Los Angeles, CA

2019/2020: Manchester Velodrome, Manchester, ENG

MTB:

2018: Vallnord, AND

Cyclocross:

2018: Mol, BEL

Continental Championships 

2018: Orlando, FL