U.S. announces elite men’s roster for 2014 road world championships
Bookwalter, van Garderen, Howes, Reijnen, Marcotte, and Talansky will represent the U.S. in Ponferrada at world championships
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — USA Cycling has announced the roster for the elite men’s team that will represent the U.S. at the 2014 UCI road world championships, Sept. 21-28 in Ponferrada, Spain. The rosters for the elite women, U23, and juniors teams were announced on Wednesday.
The elite men’s road team is made up of three automatic nominations and three discretionary selections. The three automatic nominations are Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing), Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp), and Eric Marcotte (Team SmartStop).
Van Garderen and Talansky are both 26 years old and returning riders from last year’s world’s team. Van Garderen earned his automatic nomination by placing in the top-five of the 2014 Tour de France, while Talansky qualified with his victory at the 2014 Criterium du Dauphine.
Van Garderen also placed third at the 2014 Volta a Catalunya and is currently ranked 14th in the UCI WorldTour individual rankings. He is coming off a successful defense of his title at the 2014 USA Pro Challenge in August. Talansky is 33rd in the UCI WorldTour rankings.
Marcotte, 34, earned an automatic nomination to represent team USA after winning the 2014 U.S. national road championships.
Joining that trio are three discretionary selections — Alex Howes (Garmin-Sharp), Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing),and Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare).
Howes, 26, was one of two American riders to finish last year’s world championships raced in treacherous conditions. He is coming off a stage 7 win at the USA Pro Challenge and a second-place finish in stage 1. Howes also took third at national championships.
Bookwalter raced at the Tour Down Under, Giro d’Italia, Tour of Austria, Tour of Utah, and USA Pro Challenge in 2014.
Reijnen won the opening stage of the 2014 USA Pro Challenge and finished the week with a second place on stage 7, winning the overall sprint competition.
Van Garderen and Talansky will also contest the individual time trial in Ponferrada. Van Garderen placed fourth in the time trial at the 2012 world championships and was sixth at the Tour de France’s stage 20 time trial. Talansky rode to the fourth-fastest time in the time trial at the Criterium du Dauphine en route to his overall title.
Elite Men
Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing)
Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) — competing in road race and time trial
Alex Howes (Garmin-Sharp)
Eric Marcotte (Team SmartStop)
Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare)
Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) — competing in road race and time trial