May 6, 2004 – The UCI announced today the number of start positions allocated to qualified nations for the road events in the 2004 Olympic Games later this summer in Athens. As expected, the United States received the maximum number of start positions available for both men's and women's road cycling. The allocation was based on a country's ranking in the UCI nations rankings on April 30, 2004. In men's road cycling, countries ranked 1-15 were awarded with the maximum five start positions. The United States was ranked fifth, securing all five positions. In women's road cycling, a maximum of three start positions were available with countries ranked 1-16 receiving the maximum number of slots. The United States was ranked tenth, securing all three positions. The United States also secured two start positions each in the men's and women's time trial. For the men, countries ranked 1-25 on April 30, 2004 automatically received a spot and women's nations ranked 1-15 were awarded with a start position in the time trial. Under UCI guidelines a second time trial start position is awarded to nations based upon individual performances at the 2003 World Championships. For men, if a nation had a rider place in the top-15 then a second start position was awarded. The U.S. had two riders in the top-15 at last year's World Championships, Levi Leipheimer (Santa Rosa, Calif.) in 13th and Bobby Julich (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) in 14th. For women, an individual time trial performance in the top 10 meant a second start position in Athens. Dede Barry (Boulder, Colo.) was eighth in Hamilton last year. The United States, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Russia and Switzerland, were the only countries to receive the maximum total of 12 start positions in the discipline of road cycling. Now that the number of start positions has been confirmed, how will they be filled? As a supplement to the USA Cycling Olympic Selection Procedures, the following update sheds some light on where U.S. Olympic hopefuls are in their quest for a trip to Athens.
Under the first selection criteria, any athlete placing in the top three at the 2003 UCI World Road Cycling Championships in Hamilton, Canada, October 8-12, 2003 would have received a nomination. American athletes failed to meet this requirement. Under the second selection procedure, the winner of the Team USA Selection Race in Redlands, Calif. on June 19 will receive an automatic nomination to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team for the sport of women's road cycling. Under the third selection procedure, the winner of the USCF Elite National Time Trial Championships in Redlands, Calif. on June 17 will receive an automatic nomination to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team for the sport of women's road cycling. Since the first selection procedure was not met, the fourth criteria will likely apply in selection of the third team member. This nomination will go to the highest ranked rider in the UCI rankings as of July 5, 2004 not otherwise qualified above. Currently, Dede Barry holds the distinction as the highest-ranked American rider in the international rankings in 18th place. Should the highest-ranked American also win either the Team USA Selection Race of the USCF Elite National Time Trial Championships, then the third nomination will fall under a discretionary selection based upon a strong history of international performance. Currently, strong candidates to win the USCF Elite National Time Trial Championships include three-time defending USCF National Time Trial Champion, Kimberly Bruckner, (Boulder, Colo.), 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist, Mari Holden (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USCF National Road Champion, Amber Neben (Irvine, Calif.), and 2003 Pan American Games bronze medalist, Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho). These four riders, along with Barry, should also contend for the title in the Team USA Selection Race. Also considered threats in the road race that will result in an Olympic nomination are Tina Pic (Dahlonega, Ga.), Christine Thorburn (Davenport, Iowa) and Jessica Phillips (Butte, Mont.). For the women's time trial in Athens there is no automatic selection criteria. The two riders that will contest the time trial will be discretionary selections from the pool of automatic selections above. Men's Road Cycling Update Under the first selection criteria, the winner of the Team USA Selection Race in Redlands, Calif. on June 19 will receive the first automatic nomination to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team for the sport of men's road cycling. Under the second selection procedure, any athlete placing in the top three at the 2003 UCI World Road Cycling Championships in Hamilton, Canada, October 8-12, 2003 would have received a nomination. American athletes failed to meet this requirement. The third selection criteria allows for athletes to receive automatic nominations based upon their performance in a UCI Grand Tour. Between July 1, 2003 and July 5, 2004, any athlete finishing in the top-five in the final general classification of a UCI Grand Tour will receive an automatic nomination with the highest placing given priority. Thus far, Lance Armstrong (Austin, Texas) and Tyler Hamilton (Marblehead, Mass.) have met these requirements. Armstrong placed first overall in the 2003 Tour de France and Hamilton placed fourth overall in the same event. Only this year' s Giro d'Italia, May 8-30, 2004, provides another opportunity to qualify under this selection procedure. Currently, Fred Rodriguez (Emeryville, Calif.) is the only American rider schedule to participate in the Giro d' Italia. The fourth selection criteria allows for athletes to receive automatic nominations based upon their performance in a UCI World Cup, or 1.HC and 2.HC categorized events in 2004 prior to July 5. Any U.S. athlete finishing in the top-five in the general classification in such events will receive an automatic nomination. Thus far, Bobby Julich (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) and George Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.) have met these requirements. Julich placed third overall at Paris-Nice, a UCI 2.HC categorized event, and fourth overall at the Vuelta Ciclista a Pais Vasco, another UCI 2.HC event. Hincapie placed fifth overall at Paris-Nice. Hamilton also won the 2.HC Tour de Romandie but his performance at the 2003 Tour de France outweighs his recent performance in Switzerland. If the team were selected today, Armstrong, Hamilton, Julich and Hincapie would receive automatic nominations in that order with the fifth spot reserved for the winner of the Team USA Selection Race. However, plenty of opportunity remains for some of America's other top road cycling talent to stake their claim to an automatic nomination. Four events remain on the UCI calendar that provide other American athletes with the opportunity to meet the fourth selection criteria or for the aforementioned athletes to improve their placings and thus their chances at receiving an automatic nomination. Those events are: Giro d' Italia (ITA) May 8-30 (GT) Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (FRA) June 6-13 (2.HC) Tour de Suisse (SUI) June 12-20 (2.HC) Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (ESP) June 14-20 (2.HC) For the men's time trial in Athens there is no automatic selection criteria. The two riders that will contest the time trial will be discretionary selections from the pool of automatic selections to the road team. Complete allocation of start positions for the 2004 Olympic Games are available here: