USA Cycling Announces World Championship Team, Athletes Should be Clear to Race in Leogang Next Month

Both the cross-country and downhill World Championship races will be held beginning October 7, 2020 in Leogang, Austria after behind postponed due to the pandemic.
photo: USA Cycling

Today USA Cycling announced selections for the 2020 mountain bike World Championships. Both the cross-country and downhill World Championship races will be held beginning October 7, 2020 in Leogang, Austria after being postponed due to the pandemic.

At least two athletes nominated to represent the USA — Lea Davidson and Chole Woodruff — have declined their positions.

The selections are listed below, and a full press release is available here.

Cross-Country

  • Elite Men: Keegan Swenson
  • Elite Women: Kate Courtney, Hannah Finchamp, and Erin Huck*
  • U23 Men: Christopher Blevins
  • U23 Women: Haley Batten
  • Junior Men: Riley Amos and Bjorn Riley
  • Junior Women: Ruth Holcomb, Madigan Munroe, and Haley Randel

Downhill

  • Elite Men: Aaron Gwin, Charlie Harrison, Neko Mulally, Dakotah Norton, and Luca Shaw
  • Elite Women: Mazie Hayden and Anna Newkirk
  • Junior Men: Austin Dooley, Christopher Grice, Dante Silva, and Matthew Sterling
  • Junior Women: Ella Erickson

While Austria currently bars most visitors from the US due to the pandemic, it appears professional athletes get a pass. According to this website, sports professionals “must present a medical certificate (to the immigration officer) confirming a negative molecular-biological SARS-CoV-2 test; the test must not be older older than 72 hours at the time of entry.”