As Magnus Sheffield and Matteo Jorgenson join Brandon McNulty on the U.S. cycling team for the Paris Olympics, U.S will seek to end 40-year medal drought.
Since 1984 at Los Angeles Games, when Alexi Grewal won the men’s race and Connie Carpenter and Rebecca Twig, went one-two in the women’s event, U.S has been craving for the gold. Meanwhile, European countries have excelled in the medal table, though Richard Carapaz of Ecuador won a surprising gold in Tokyo.
McNulty had already qualified for the team by winning the U.S. time trial championship. Sheffield and Jorgenson joined the team by USA Cycling on Friday. The trio secures the best chance for an American to win a road race medal since Alexi Grewal took gold 40 years ago.
Chloe Dygert and Taylor Knibb already had secured the two women’s spots on the team. Dygert won the time trial world title to earn a direct nomination, while Knibb was a surprising winner of the U.S. time trial championship to earn her spot.
Both will be busy in Paris. Along with the road race and time trial, Dygert will be racing at Olympics as part of U.S. pursuit squad in the velodrome. Knibb already had qualified for the Paris Games in the triathlon before making the cycling team. Also she finished 16th in the event at the Tokyo Games.
Taylor Knibb expressed her thoughts on making it to cycling team ,”I’m very honored, grateful and excited for the opportunity to represent Team USA with USA Cycling.”
She also said, “Cycling has a very steep learning curve and I am simultaneously excited and nervous for what lies ahead.”
McNulty, Sheffield And McNulty Three Americans At Paris Olympics
McNulty, the overall winner at a race in Spain had a strong season. He won time trial stages at the UAE Tour and the Tour de Romandie. He also finished third overall at the prestigious Paris-Nice race that Jorgenson won. Athlete seems all geared up for the upcoming Paris event,
“I’m already training with 100% focus on Paris,” he had said earlier.
Jorgenson, after winning at last year’s Tour de France made a name for himself. Also, he has been active in several breakaways and nearly won atop Puy de Dôme. This year he performed even better, winning Dwars door Vlaanderen and finishing second at the Criterium du Dauphine against a field that included some of the biggest names in the sport. Jorgenson spoke about Olympics being his childhood dream,
“The Olympics were always a part of my childhood,”
Talking about one of the reason to choose this career,
“I remember spending entire summers watching sports I had never heard of and admiring the athletes. For sure, it had a big effect on me, and it was one of the reasons I decided to pursue a career as a pro athlete. Being able to race in Paris, especially following the best year of my career, is a dream come true.”
Sheffield, 22, is the least-experienced rider on the U.S. squad. But the athlete has produced some big results. Two years back, he won Brabantse Pijl, one of the major one-day races in Flanders and a first for an American in more than a decade.
“Going to the Olympics was one of my biggest goals growing up,” Sheffield said.
“I’m incredibly proud to represent the U.S. in Paris as well as all the people that have helped me along the way. I don’t think it will fully sink in until I’m there.”
As McNulty had already qualified for the U.S cycling team, announcement about Sheffield and Jorgenson joining him came on Friday, June 21.
Tabinda Mir is a writer from Kashmir. She is an English Honours graduate and her interests primarily dwell in poetry and sports writing. She likes to cover Cricket as an avid fan. Apart from sports, her other publications include articles, poems and a letter to summer in the book titled, “Under The Summer Skies”.
Also, her leisure time activities include reading novels, poetry, non literary works, philosophies and writing poetry, short stories, articles on diverse themes.
