Magnus Sheffield and Matteo Jorgenson are set to join Brandon McNulty on the U.S. Olympic Cycling Team for the Paris Olympics, giving the U.S. team its best chance of winning a road race medal in 40 years.
McNulty had already qualified for the team by winning the national time-trial championship earlier this year. The big question was who would ride with him. USA Cycling had to look at the athletes who could potentially take to the starting line of the Tour de France on June 29 and then choose the team that would best suit the Olympic course that begins and ends in Paris.
The announcement was made on Friday, five weeks before the opening ceremony.
“Competing in the Olympics has been one of my biggest goals since I was a kid,” Sheffield said. “I’m so proud to be representing the United States in Paris and all the people who’ve supported me along the way. I don’t think it really sinks in until you’re there.”
Chloe Dygert and Taylor Knibb already had the two women’s spots secured on the team: Dygert was an automatic nominee after winning the time trial world title, while Knibb earned her spot after a surprising win at the U.S. time trial championships.
Both athletes will be busy in Paris. Dygert is the favorite to win gold in the road race and time trial, but will compete in the velodrome later in the Olympics as part of the U.S. pursuit team. Knibb had already qualified for Paris in the triathlon before joining the cycling team, finishing 16th in the triathlon at the Tokyo Games.
“I am honored, grateful and excited to have the opportunity to represent Team USA on the USA Cycling team,” Knibb said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my amazing family, friends, coaches, managers, sponsors and USA Triathlon.”
“Cycling is a quick learning curve,” she added. “I’m both excited and nervous about what’s to come.”
The United States has struggled in road races since the 1984 Los Angeles Games, when Alexi Grewal won the men’s race and Connie Carpenter and Rebecca Twigg took first and second places in the women’s race. Meanwhile, European nations have dominated the medal count, but in Tokyo, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz made a stunning charge to win gold.
But the UCI, which governs international cycling, has changed the Olympic quota system to ensure gender parity in all events, meaning the number of entrants in the men’s races will be significantly reduced from 130 in Tokyo to 90, giving teams such as the United States a better chance of making their presence felt at the finish line.
McNulty nearly won in Tokyo when he and Carapaz attacked with about 15 miles (25 km) left in the race, but couldn’t keep up. With about three miles to go, Carapaz pulled away from McNulty, and McNulty finished in sixth place.
“My best result yet, sixth place in a road race, makes me even more motivated,” said McNulty. “The race was very aggressive and I’ll always remember that. I’m already 100% focused and training for Paris in Arizona and Girona, Italy.”
McNulty has had a strong season, winning the overall title at the Race of Spain, time trial stages at the UAE Tour and the Tour de Romandie, and coming third overall in the famous Paris-Nice race that Jorgenson won.
At 22, Sheffield is the least experienced rider on the U.S. team but has already achieved a lot: Two years ago he won the Brabantse Pil, one of Flanders’ major one-day races, the first American to do so in more than a decade.
Jorgenson made a name for himself at last year’s Tour de France, where he was in the breakaway on several occasions and nearly won at the summit of the Puy de Dome. The 24-year-old has been even better this year, winning the Dwaes door Flanders and coming second in the Critérium du Dauphiné in a field that included some of the sport’s biggest names.
“The Olympics have always been a part of my childhood,” he said. “I remember spending entire summer holidays watching sports I’d never heard of and admiring the athletes. The Olympics certainly had a big impact on me and was one of the reasons why I decided to pursue a career as a professional athlete. Racing in Paris, especially after having the best year of my career, is a dream come true.”
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
