MTB News and Notes: Olympic spots announced; U.S. championships in Mammoth
The UCI released the start spot list for next summer’s Olympic cross-country races on Tuesday, making it official that the U.S. will be sending just two men and one woman (see "Dunlap a long shot for Athens?"). Canada will have five riders total, three women and two men. All told 32 countries were on the list that included nations from six continents, North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.On the men’s side 48 of the 50 starting places have been allocated. The women’s field is full, with all 30 of the spots accounted for. According to UCI rules, those final two places
Don't miss a moment from Paris-Roubaix and Unbound Gravel, to the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a España, and everything in between when you join Outside+.
By VeloNews Interactive
The UCI released the start spot list for next summer’s Olympic cross-country races on Tuesday, making it official that the U.S. will be sending just two men and one woman (see “Dunlap a long shot for Athens?“).
Canada will have five riders total, three women and two men. All told 32 countries were on the list that included nations from six continents, North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.On the men’s side 48 of the 50 starting places have been allocated. The women’s field is full, with all 30 of the spots accounted for.
According to UCI rules, those final two places in the men’s race will be “allocated, by agreement with the UCI, in the form of invitations from the tripartite commission.”
Here’s the complete list of nations and number of athletes qualified.
| Country | Men | Women |
| Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Costa Rica Czech Republic Denmark France Germany Great Britain Hungary Ireland Italy Japan Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Romania Russia Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Ukraine USA |
1 2 2 3 0 2 1 1 2 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 1 1 3 1 0 2 1 0 1 1 1 2 0 3 1 2 |
0 1 1 0 1 3 1 1 0 1 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 3 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 2 0 1 |
Lots on the line come the U.S. MTB championships
Want to be a national champion? Well now you’ve got more chances than ever before.
On Tuesday USA Cycling announced the event line-up for September’s national mountain bike championships, and besides the tradition four (cross-country, short track, downhill and mountain cross), the federation will be awarding stars-and-stripes jerseys in marathon, single speed, dual slalom and super D races.
Observed trials will also return in both the modified and stock bike classes, and in honor of mountain bike pioneers and heroes, a legends category in cross-country and downhill will make its national championship debut.
USA Cycling also announced the qualification procedures and guidelines for the newly created championship event slated for September 23-26 in Mammoth, California.
According to a USAC press release, there are six possible ways for riders to qualify and compete in the 2004 championships, including NORBA state or regional championship series or events, AMBC events, NORBA National Series events, Alison Dunlap Junior Olympic Mountain Bike events, and USA Cycling Junior Development Regional Mountain Bike Camps.
Defending national champions are automatically qualified to compete at the 2004 championships.
