National champion denies his place; top domestic riders joined by Belgium-based Page for St-Wendel race
After the announcement of the women’s, and junior and under-23 men’s teams for the cyclocross World Championships last week, USA cycling has named the five riders that will compete in the elite men’s race. As with the line ups for the other categories, the elite men have been selected based on their performances in the season so far.
National champion Todd Wells (Specialized) (right) has declined his automatic qualification for the race, leaving just two riders who qualified for the team as of right. Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com duo Jeremy Powers (pictured, left) and Tim Johnson have earned their places by virtue of being the top two US riders in the International Cycling Union (UCI) rankings (12th and 15th respectively); they also occupy the first two places in the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross and the USAC National Calendar Standings.
The other three riders to make the team are discretionary picks. They are national championship silver medallist Ryan Trebon (Kona Factory Team), Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com), who has had a solid season and finished fourth in the nationals, and 2007 World silver medallist, Belgium-based Jonathan Page (Planet Bike), who spends the whole season racing against the best riders in the world.
The elite men’s race will take place on January 30th in St-Wendel, in western Germany.
USA Cycling elite men’s team for cyclocross World Championships
Jeremy Powers (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com)
Tim Johnson (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com)
Ryan Trebon (Kona Factory Team)
Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com)
Jonathan Page (Planet Bike)