June 24, 2004 – USA Cycling announced today automatic nominations to the
U.S. team that will compete at the 2004 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World
Championships in Bad Goisern, Austria July 9-11. Marathon racing is the
ultra-endurance equivalent of cross country competition defined by its
100km distance and massive elevation gain.

Receiving automatic nominations for the men’s squad are Charlie Storm
(Cary, N.C.), Chris Eatough (Ellicott City, Md.) and Nat Ross (Vail,
Colo.). Storm earned his nomination with a win in the marathon event at
the third round of the 2004 NORBA National Mountain Bike Series in Big Bear
Lake, Calif. while Eatough solidified his spot on the team with a win in
round four in Snowshoe Mountain, W. Va.). Ross secured an automatic
nomination as the highest-ranked rider in the overall NORBA marathon
standings.

Women who received automatic nominations include Melissa Thomas (Boulder,
Colo.), Abigail Hippely (Boulder, Colo.), Jessica Kisiel (Los Alamos,
N.M.), and Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo.). Thomas earned her
nomination with a win in Snowshoe while Hippley and Kisiel received
nominations as the top two ranked riders in the overall NORBA marathon
series respectively. Vanlandingham is the current leader in the overall
NORBA cross country standings which gives her an automatic nomination.

Also earning automatic nominations, but declining their spots on the team,
were Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Willow Koerber (Horseshoe,
N.C.), Dave Wiens (Gunnison, Colo.) and Ryan Trebon (Corvalis, Ore.).

The U.S. can enter a maximum of seven men and seven women in the Marathon
World Championships. The remainder of the roster will be determined by
discretionary selections based on international and national performances.
The final team will be announced on June 25, 2004.

2004 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships

Bad Goisern, Austria – July 9-11

Automatic Nominations to the U.S. Team

Men

1. Charlie Storm (Cary, N.C.)

2. Chris Eatough (Ellicott City, Md.)

3. Nat Ross (Vail, Colo.)

4. Dave Wiens (Gunnison, Colo.)*

5. Ryan Trebon (Corvalis, Ore.)*

Women

1. Melissa Thomas (Boulder, Colo.)

2. Abigail Hippley (Boulder, Colo.)

3. Jessica Kisiel (Los Alamos, N.M.)

4. Shonny Vanlandingham (Durango, Colo.)

5. Willow Koerber (Horseshoe, N.C.)*

6. Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colo.)*