Team USA - Track Cycling

[clemsonbeav 705]

Looking into the qualification specifications for this, I was intrigued to see 1) that we don't get any Host Nation quota, and 2) we barely qualified anyone in 2024.

 

Everything is by discipline, and everything is by ranking for the most part:

 

Men's

Team Sprint: No way we qualify (we're currently 36, and they only take 8)

Sprint/Keirin: No way we qualify (our highest dude is currently 72, and they only take 30)

Team Pursuit: We're currently 2nd in the world, and should qualify (4 men)

Madison: Since/If we qualify in Team Pursuit, we can enter two men into here (assuming they're entered in another discipline, so it'd need to be two of our TP guys).  (We could qualify directly, potentially.  They take Top 6, we're number 10 now.)

Omnium: Unless we qualify directly for Madison, it depends on rankings, and there's no current ranking I can look at (as it's a special Olympic ranking, like the rest...but there's no non-Olympic ranking I'm finding right now).  But, we did qualify someone in 2024 here (Grant Koontz)

 

So, looks like potentially 5 guys to send?  We didn't qualify for Team Pursuit in 2024, so assuming we do, this will be an increase for us.

 

Women's

Team Sprint: Potentially - We're ninth, and only have to make it to 8th.  (Pretty good gap, though, to 8th.)

Sprint/Keirin: Currently yes - We're 26th (Emily Hayes), and they take 30.  Opportunity for a second, but #2 for us is in 37th (Kayla Hankins, also McKenna McKee in 39th.)

Team Pursuit: We're 15th, they only take 8, so probably no. (This is a change from 2024, when we did have a team....and won gold.  Perhaps we just haven't been competing and therefore aren't high in the rankings? This includes Chloe Dygert, who is also a threat on the Road.)

Madison: We're 14th, and they only take 6, so probably no. (Likewise a change from 2024, when we did qualify.)

Omnium: We also won Gold here.  Curious to see if Jennifer Valente will repeat her performance.

 

So, IDK.  2 ladies?  5 if we earn a team for TP?

 

Olympic Qualification Period is 14 Oct 2026-10 April 2028, results published right after that.  (So maybe the non-Olympic rankings won't reflect accurately for the Olympic rankings.)

 

Edited March 5 by clemsonbeav

[clemsonbeav 705]

Hong Kong World Cup just ended...no luck for us.  USA Cycling's Instagram has a little more details.  But hopefully all of this will be good experience for the team.

[clemsonbeav 705]

Grant Koontz finished 6th in the M Elimination Race in the Nilai  World Cup today.  Emma Jimenez Palos finished 10th in hers!  Glad to see some success on the track.  Our M Team Pursuit and W Team Sprint made it into the first round, but not the medal rounds.

 

BTW, Emma is just a senior in high school (18 y.o.), I think.  Rising star!

Edited April 24 by clemsonbeav

[clemsonbeav 705]

Grant Koontz with the Silver in the Omnium today! 

[clemsonbeav 705]

Compiling posts from USA Cycling's Facebook from the three days:

 

Team USA kicked off racing at the UCI Track World Cup in Nilai, Malaysia!

The Men’s Team Pursuit got things rolling, qualifying 6th with a 3:55. They backed it up with another consistent ride in the First Round against Switzerland, matching their time but just missing out on the medal rounds to finish 8th overall.

In the Women’s Team Sprint, the squad also qualified 6th to move on to the First Round, where they faced Mexico. They came out fast, going green through the first three splits, but were edged out by 0.790.

In the Elimination races, Grant Koontz put together a strong ride to take 6th in the men’s race, while 18-year-old Emma Jimenez Palos finished 10th in the women’s event.

 

***

 

Day 2 at the UCI Track World Cup in Nilai, Malaysia

Grant Koontz took on the Omnium. He was 4th in both the Scratch and Tempo races. After a 10th-place finish in the Elimination, it all came down to the Points Race. Starting with 90 points in 5th, he went all in and added 37 more, finishing 2nd overall, just one point off the win.

Haley Yoslov and Kayla Hankins were on the track for the sprint tournament, both throwing down fast qualifying times (10.732 and 10.786). They ended up facing each other in the Round of 16, with Yoslov advancing. She ran into the reigning World Champion in the next round, ultimately finishing 15th.

Dalton Walters took on the Men’s Keirin, winning his First Round repechage to keep moving on. He went through to the Second Round repechage and wrapped up his day in 21st, marking one of his strongest Keirin results to date.

Bethany Ingram and Emma Jimenez Palos lined up for the Women’s Madison, improving on last weekend’s performance with a solid 12th place finish.

 

***

 

Closing out racing in Nilai, Malaysia at the UCI Track World Cup!

McKenna McKee and Kayla Hankins both came out flying in the Keirin, putting down fast rides in the First Round to automatically advance. McKee just missed moving on from the Second Round by 0.4, while Hankins’ day wrapped there as well, but both walking away with career-best results, finishing 15th and 17th.

In the Men’s Sprint, Dalton Walters qualified 23rd and lined up for the First Round, coming up just short of advancing (+0.516) to finish 24th overall.

Bethany Ingram had a steady ride across the Omnium. After the Scratch, Tempo, Elimination, and Points races, she ultimately finishing 17th overall.

In the Men’s Madison, Graeme Frislie and Peter Moore scored 37 points to take 8th.