USA Cycling names the junior and U23 team for the world mountain bike championships.

USA Cycling announced today the 12 junior and U23 cross-country athletes that have been nominated to represent the United States at the 2008 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole, Italy, June 17-22.

Four men and two women have been nominated to the U23 cross-country squad, while four men and two women were also nominated to the junior cross-country team.

In the U23 ranks, Sam Jurekovic (Colorado Springs, Colorado) received the only automatic nomination to the men’s team after placing fourth among the elites at the Fontana National in March. He is joined by Colin Cares (Boulder, Colorado), Mitchell Peterson (Sandy, Utah) and Tim Allen (Flagstaff, Arizona), who received discretionary nominations.

On the women’s side, Jamie Dinkins (Powell, Tennessee) received the only automatic nomination after turning in the top U23 performance at Fontana. Chloe Forsman (Boulder, Colorado) received the sole discretionary nomination.

In the junior division, Kerry Werner (Birdsboro, Pennsylvania) and John Bennett (El Cerrito, California) received automatic nominations after Werner’s victory at the Greenbrier Challenge and Bennett’s win at the Santa Ynez National. Robbie Squire (Sandy, Utah) and Seamus Powell (Round Top, New York) will join them as discretionary selections.

Jill Behlen (Boulder, Colorado) won the Greenbrier Challenge in April to solidify her automatic nomination, while Deidre York (Indio, California) took the victory at Santa Ynez to earn her spot on the junior women’s squad.

USA Cycling will announce on June 9 the entire squad that will represent the United States at the Mountain Bike World Championships.

FILED UNDER: Mountain