2023 Gravel Worlds Roster 1130x600
Team USA
Gravel

USA Cycling Announces 2023 Gravel World Championships Team

By: Angelina Palermo  September 18, 2023

A total of 125 athletes have qualified for the World Championships in Veneto, Italy on October 7-8, 2023.

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.

Follow along on @UCI_Cycling and the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships event page.

The Team USA Roster is as follows:

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

NameAge GroupQualifying Event
Andrew Nicholas19-34U.S. Nationals
Connor Thompson19-343 Rides
Curtis White19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Danielle Estenssoro19-34U.S. Nationals
Dorf Mccarthy19-343 Rides
Gabrielle Henry19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Jeffrey Watts19-34Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Justin Mcquerry19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Mark Myles19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Oakley Griffin19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Rane Roatta19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Raylyn Nuss19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Richard Bergeron19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Russel Finsterwald19-34Wish One Gravel
Stefanie Sydlik19-34Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Travis Longfellow19-34Highlands Gravel Classic
Aaron Clark35-39Highlands Gravel Classic
Clay Chittenden35-39Highlands Gravel Classic
Ivy Pederson35-39U.S. Nationals
Jesse Siemen35-39U.S. Nationals
John Purvis35-39Highlands Gravel Classic
Sean Wallace35-39Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Wesley Greer35-39Highlands Gravel Classic
Austin Edgar40-44Highlands Gravel Classic
Erin Reedy40-44Highlands Gravel Classic
Francois David40-44Highlands Gravel Classic
John Ford40-44Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Jurd Hurd40-44U.S. Nationals
Megan Cea40-44Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Patrick Breen40-44Highlands Gravel Classic
Renee Harrington40-44Highlands Gravel Classic
Stefan Rothe40-44Highlands Gravel Classic
Terry Casey40-44U.S. Nationals
Andrew Knight45-49U.S. Nationals
Bonnie Branson45-49Highlands Gravel Classic
David Deschamps45-49Highlands Gravel Classic
Gina Neiderman45-49Highlands Gravel Classic
James Wilson45-49The Gralloch
Jim Farasy45-49Highlands Gravel Classic
Mary Breed45-49U.S. Nationals
Monilee Keller45-49Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Norman Zellers45-49Highlands Gravel Classic
Robert Lydic45-49Highlands Gravel Classic
Amy Phillips50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Ashley Thomas50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Brent Turner50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Cale Mcaninch50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
David Harwood50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Eric Burkhardt50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Greg Scanlan50-54U.S. Nationals
Jurgen Beneke50-54Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Karrie Hovey50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Kindler Chase50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Molly Van Houweling50-54Gravel Adventure
Ricardo Morante50-54Highlands Gravel Classic
Angela Patterson-Edwards55-59Highlands Gravel Classic
Bradley Cobb55-59Highlands Gravel Classic
Daniel Wren55-59Highlands Gravel Classic
Jesse Anthony Couche55-59La Monsterrato
Michelle Satrowsky55-59Highlands Gravel Classic
Mike Unruh55-59Highlands Gravel Classic
Nigel Willerton55-59Highlands Gravel Classic
Stacy Beneke55-59Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Will Black55-59Highlands Gravel Classic
Tracy Jacobs55-59U.S. Nationals
Victor Sheldon55-59U.S. Nationals
Adam Vanderburg60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
Beth Leasure-Hudson60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
Chris Carlson60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
Elizabeth Williams60-64Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
James Edwards60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
John Neihouse60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
John Steward60-64Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Juergen Eckmann60-64Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Kim Wagner60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
Lillian Pfluke60-643 Rides
Marni Harker60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
Mary Jimenez60-64U.S. Nationals
Randy Warren60-64Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Rick Hoyt60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
Stuart Mann60-64Highlands Gravel Classic
Susan Hausfeld Moote60-64Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Susan Mcdonough60-64Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Connie Carpentier65-69Highlands Gravel Classic
Frank Winters65-69U.S. Nationals
Gaylord Otte65-69Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Grace Plager65-69U.S. Nationals
Jay Eagen65-69Highlands Gravel Classic
Michael Harring65-69Highlands Gravel Classic
Pam Glenn65-69Highlands Gravel Classic
Steve Matous65-69Highlands Gravel Classic
Tony Turrini65-69The Gralloch
David Snitman70-74Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
Don Miller70-74Blue Mountains Gran Fondo
George Heagerty70-74U.S. Nationals
Jim Faes70-74Highlands Gravel Classic
Kristine Johnson70-74U.S. Nationals
Stuart Fealk70-74Highlands Gravel Classic
Tom Groves75-79U.S. Nationals
Ernest Borjon80-84U.S. Nationals
Phil Van Horn85-89U.S. Nationals
Fred Schmid90-94U.S. Nationals