The 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships are set to take place in Veneto, Italy on October 7-8, 2023. In the event’s second year, USA Cycling is sending a team with goals of a podium for the American racers.
As part of the UCI’s Cycling for All initiative, the Gravel World Championships qualification process is multi-faceted. Riders can qualify for their age group by finishing in the top 25% of one of the Trek UCI Gravel World Series events. Additionally, riders who won their National Championship category at the 2023 National Championships were also nominated, including the top three of the elite races. Then, USA Cycling has the opportunity to enter an additional 20 athletes across all categories, including both amateur and elites. Athletes were required to petition for those final quota spots to be considered in the process.
In the end, USA Cycling is sending a team of 13 Elite Men and 10 Elite Women who will battle for the coveted Elite World Title. Off-road phenom Keegan Swenson (Heber City, Utah; Santa Cruz, SRAM, htSQD) will have Team USA on his side with gravel superstars like Alexey Vermeulen (Pinckney, Mich.; Jukebox – ENVE), Brennan Wertz (Mill Valley, Calif.; Mosaic Cycles), and Payson McElveen (Durango, Colo.; Allied Cycle Works), along with three-time U.S. Criterium National Champion Luke Lamperti (Sebastopol, Calif.; Trinity Racing).
Elite Women’s Gravel National Champion Lauren Stephens (Dallas, Texas; EF EDUCATION-TIBCO-SVB) will be leading the charge along with fellow Road Worlds team member Heidi Franz (Seattle, Wash.; DNA Pro Cycling), and returning Gravel Worlds members Emily Newsom (Fort Worth, Tex.; Roxo Racing) and Sarah Sturm (Durango, Colo.; Specialized/ Rapha/ Wahoo). Alexis Skarda (Grand Junction, Colo.; Santa Cruz Bicycles) and Crystal Anthony (Bentonville, Ark.; Liv Racing Collective) will also be ones to watch after their silver and bronze medal performances at the inaugural Gravel National Championships.
Team USA Roster:
Elite Men
Zach Calton (Salt Lake City)
Ian Kutzleb (Durango, Colo.)
Luke Lamperti (Sebastopol, Calif.; Trinity Racing)
Andy Lydic (Boulder, Colo.; BMC #ItCouldBeMe)
Payson McElveen (Durango, Colo.; Allied Cycle Works)
Justin McQuerry (Austin, Tex.; Team Novo Nordisk Development)
Tobin Ortenblad (Santa Cruz, Calif.; Santa Cruz, SRAM, htSQD),
Ethan Overson (Tucson, Ariz.; Scuderia Pinarello)
Artem Shmidt (Cumming, Ga.; Hagens Berman Axeon)
Keegan Swenson (Heber City, Utah; Santa Cruz, SRAM, htSQD)
David Van Orsdel (Minneapolis)
Alexey Vermeulen (Pinckney, Mich.; Jukebox – ENVE)
Brennan Wertz (Mill Valley, Calif.; Mosaic Cycles)
Elite Women
Morgan Aguirre (Seattle, Wash.)
Crystal Anthony (Bentonville, Ark.; Liv Racing Collective)
Heidi Franz (Seattle, Wash.; DNA Pro Cycling)
Emily Newsom (Fort Worth, Tex.; Roxo Racing)
Paige Onweller (Belleville, Mich.; Trek/WTB/ABUS/HED/SRAM)
Lauren Stephens (Dallas, Texas; EF EDUCATION-TIBCO-SVB)
Alexis Skarda (Grand Junction, Colo.; Santa Cruz Bicycles)
Katherine Sheridan (Omaha, Neb.)
Kyleigh Spearing (Frankfort, Ill.)
Sarah Sturm (Durango, Colo.; Specialized/ Rapha/ Wahoo)
Gravel World Series and National Championship Qualifiers
*If riders have an elite UCI license and plan to compete in the World Championships, they will automatically race in the elite category
| Name | Age Group | Qualifying Event |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Nicholas | 19-34 | U.S. Nationals |
| Connor Thompson | 19-34 | 3 Rides |
| Curtis White | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Danielle Estenssoro | 19-34 | U.S. Nationals |
| Dorf Mccarthy | 19-34 | 3 Rides |
| Gabrielle Henry | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Jeffrey Watts | 19-34 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Justin Mcquerry | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Mark Myles | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Oakley Griffin | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Rane Roatta | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Raylyn Nuss | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Richard Bergeron | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Russel Finsterwald | 19-34 | Wish One Gravel |
| Stefanie Sydlik | 19-34 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Travis Longfellow | 19-34 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Aaron Clark | 35-39 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Clay Chittenden | 35-39 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Ivy Pederson | 35-39 | U.S. Nationals |
| Jesse Siemen | 35-39 | U.S. Nationals |
| John Purvis | 35-39 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Sean Wallace | 35-39 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Wesley Greer | 35-39 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Austin Edgar | 40-44 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Erin Reedy | 40-44 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Francois David | 40-44 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| John Ford | 40-44 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Jurd Hurd | 40-44 | U.S. Nationals |
| Megan Cea | 40-44 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Patrick Breen | 40-44 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Renee Harrington | 40-44 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Stefan Rothe | 40-44 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Terry Casey | 40-44 | U.S. Nationals |
| Andrew Knight | 45-49 | U.S. Nationals |
| Bonnie Branson | 45-49 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| David Deschamps | 45-49 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Gina Neiderman | 45-49 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| James Wilson | 45-49 | The Gralloch |
| Jim Farasy | 45-49 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Mary Breed | 45-49 | U.S. Nationals |
| Monilee Keller | 45-49 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Norman Zellers | 45-49 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Robert Lydic | 45-49 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Amy Phillips | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Ashley Thomas | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Brent Turner | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Cale Mcaninch | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| David Harwood | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Eric Burkhardt | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Greg Scanlan | 50-54 | U.S. Nationals |
| Jurgen Beneke | 50-54 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Karrie Hovey | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Kindler Chase | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Molly Van Houweling | 50-54 | Gravel Adventure |
| Ricardo Morante | 50-54 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Angela Patterson-Edwards | 55-59 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Bradley Cobb | 55-59 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Daniel Wren | 55-59 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Jesse Anthony Couche | 55-59 | La Monsterrato |
| Michelle Satrowsky | 55-59 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Mike Unruh | 55-59 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Nigel Willerton | 55-59 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Stacy Beneke | 55-59 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Will Black | 55-59 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Tracy Jacobs | 55-59 | U.S. Nationals |
| Victor Sheldon | 55-59 | U.S. Nationals |
| Adam Vanderburg | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Beth Leasure-Hudson | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Chris Carlson | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Elizabeth Williams | 60-64 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| James Edwards | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| John Neihouse | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| John Steward | 60-64 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Juergen Eckmann | 60-64 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Kim Wagner | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Lillian Pfluke | 60-64 | 3 Rides |
| Marni Harker | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Mary Jimenez | 60-64 | U.S. Nationals |
| Randy Warren | 60-64 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Rick Hoyt | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Stuart Mann | 60-64 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Susan Hausfeld Moote | 60-64 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Susan Mcdonough | 60-64 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Connie Carpentier | 65-69 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Frank Winters | 65-69 | U.S. Nationals |
| Gaylord Otte | 65-69 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Grace Plager | 65-69 | U.S. Nationals |
| Jay Eagen | 65-69 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Michael Harring | 65-69 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Pam Glenn | 65-69 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Steve Matous | 65-69 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Tony Turrini | 65-69 | The Gralloch |
| David Snitman | 70-74 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| Don Miller | 70-74 | Blue Mountains Gran Fondo |
| George Heagerty | 70-74 | U.S. Nationals |
| Jim Faes | 70-74 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Kristine Johnson | 70-74 | U.S. Nationals |
| Stuart Fealk | 70-74 | Highlands Gravel Classic |
| Tom Groves | 75-79 | U.S. Nationals |
| Ernest Borjon | 80-84 | U.S. Nationals |
| Phil Van Horn | 85-89 | U.S. Nationals |
| Fred Schmid | 90-94 | U.S. Nationals |
Photo – Life Time’s Garmin UNBOUND Gravel presented by Craft Sportswear
