USA Cycling has announced a team of 43 riders for the upcoming UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Canberra, Australia, 1-6 September.
In the men's cross country stakes, national champ Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher) was an automatic nomiation. He will be joined by Adam Craig (Giant), Todd Wells (Specialized), Sam Schultz (Subaru-Gary Fisher), Michael Broderick (Kenda), Carl Decker (Giant) and Sam Jurekovic (Sho-air-Specialized).
The women's squad sees automatic selections Willow Koerber (Subaru-Gary Fisher), Mary McConneloug (Kenda) and Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Gary Fisher) joined Georgia Gould (Luna), Katie Compton and Judy Freeman.
In the gravity events, Aaron Gwin (Yeti) was automatically nominated for the men's downhill after finishing third in a world cup and winning hte US national championship. Kyle Strait, Duncan Riffle (Duncan Riffle Racing), Luke Strobel (Maxxis), Cody Warren (Decline), Brian Lopes (Oakley) and Joey Schusler (Yeti-Fox Shox) make up the rest of the men's DH team.
The women's team consists of just two riders: national champ Melissa Buhl (KHS) and Kathy Pruitt (Jamis).
In the four-cross, 17 year-old national champion Mitch Ropelato will head the men's squad, joined by Mike Haderer and Blake Carney. Melissa Buhl and Jill Kintner (Red Bull) comprise the women's tema.
Eleven junior and U23 cross country riders were also named to the team, along with five junior men's downhillers.
Full team roster
Elite Men's Cross Country: Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo.), Adam Craig (Bend, Ore.), Todd Wells (Durango, Colo.), Sam Schultz (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Michael Broderick (Chilmark, Mass.), Carl Decker (Bend, Ore.), Sam Jurekovic (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Elite Women's Cross Country: Willow Koerber (Asheville, N.C.), Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Mass.), Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo.), Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo.), Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Judy Freeman (Boulder, Colo.)
U23 Men's Cross Country: Colin Cares (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Rob Squire (Sandy, Utah), Tad Elliott (Durango, Colo.)
U23 Women's Cross Country: Amy Dombrowski (Boulder, Colo.), Chloe Forsman (Tucson, Ariz.)
Junior Men's Cross Country: Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Zach McDonald (Bainbridge Island, Wash.), Seth Kemp (Campobello, S.C.), Eric Emsky (Fall City, Wash.)
Junior Women's Cross Country: Jill Behlen (Boulder, Colo.), Essence Barton (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)
Elite Men's Downhill: Aaron Gwin (Morongo Valley, Calif./Yeti), Kyle Strait (Riverside, Calif.), Duncan Riffle (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Luke Strobel (Renton, Wash.), Cody Warren (El Cajon, Calif.), Brian Lopes (Laguna Beach, Calif.), Joey Schusler (Boulder, Colo.)
Elite Women's Downhill: Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz.), Kathy Pruitt (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Elite Men's 4-Cross: Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah), Mike Haderer (Concord, Calif.), Blake Carney (Camarillo, Calif.)
Elite Women's 4-Cross: Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz.), Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.)
Junior Men's Downhill: Mitch Ropelato (Ogden, Utah), Kevin Aiello (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Luciano Worl (Woodinville, Wash.), Tom Neer (Arvada, Colo.), Geoffrey Ulmer (Troy, N.Y.)
