A young, decorated group of mountain bikers have a chance to win the U.S.’ first Olympic medals in the discipline in 12 years and its first gold medal ever.
The U.S. qualified the maximum two women’s and two men’s quota spots for the Paris Olympics through international results over the last two years.
The full team will be named later this month, but three Americans already met objective criteria to fill Olympic spots.
Haley Batten was ninth in her Olympic debut in Tokyo, then took bronze at the 2022 World Championships.
TEAM USA: List of athletes qualified for Paris Olympics
The 25-year-old from Utah placed in the top three in each of the three World Cups held so far in 2024, including her first career victory on that level.
She is coached by three-time Olympic road time trial champion Kristin Armstrong.
Savilia Blunk, a 24-year-old who lives in Colorado, notched the first senior elite World Cup podiums of her career in the first two races this year.
Riley Amos, 22, won the under-23 race at all three World Cups so far this year.
The last men’s spot could go to Christopher Blevins, a 25-year-old who was 10th in Tokyo. In 2021, he became the first American man to win a senior elite World Cup since 1994. He also won this season’s first World Cup on April 14.
Blunk and Batten are ranked Nos. 7 and 12 in the world, respectively. Amos and Blevins are ranked Nos. 6 and 9 on the men’s side.
