Overview of Team USA at Gravel World Championships

USA Cycling has officially announced the roster for the upcoming Gravel World Championships. Below is an analysis of where Team USA's cyclists currently sit in the GravelRank leaderboards

Women's team

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).

While Stephens is a powerhouse, she hasn’t graced enough tracked events to secure a spot in our gravel standings… yet. Her journey in Italy is bound to alter this scenario. Joining her are formidable competitors like #2 ranked Alexis Skarda and two other top 10 ranked contenders, Sturm, and Paige Onweller.

POS	S	RIDER
2	(1208)	Alexis Skarda 2nd at Chequamegon Chequamegon 40 (2023)
5	(1175)	Sarah Sturm 11th at Chequamegon Chequamegon 40 (2023)
7	(1149)	Paige Onweller 13th at Chequamegon Chequamegon 40 (2023)
13	(1106)	Emily Newsom 8th at Gravel Nationals 131 (2023)
21	(1078)	Crystal Anthony 12th at Chequamegon Chequamegon 40 (2023)
43	(1025)	Katherine Sheridan 11th at The Rift 200k (2023)
--	(1035)	Lauren Stephens 1st at Gravel Nationals 131 (2023)
--	(1029)	Morgan Aguirre 9th at BWR California Waffle (2023)
--	(1009)	Heidi Franz 17th at UNBOUND 200 (2022)
--	(998)	Kyleigh Spearing 25th at UNBOUND 200 (2022)

Mens's team

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).

Swenson is also backed by some hitters. Vermeulen, fresh off his victory at Chequamegon, and Luke Lamperti (not listed below because he hasn't raced any ranked gravel events), the soloist of national crit championships, complement the prowess of #4 ranked McElveen.

POS	S	RIDER
1	(1285)	Keegan Swenson 2nd at Chequamegon 40 (2023)
2	(1233)	Alexey Vermeulen 1st at Chequamegon 40 (2023)
4	(1189)	Payson McElveen 4th at Chequamegon 40 (2023)
18	(1115)	Brennan Wertz 22nd at Chequamegon 40 (2023)
21	(1093)	Zach Calton 8th at Chequamegon 40 (2023)
49	(1039)	Tobin Ortenblad 31st at Chequamegon 40 (2023)
171	(1006)	Justin McQuerry 19th at Midsouth 100 (2023)
--	(999)	Andy Lydic 22nd at Gravel Nationals 131 (2023)
--	(987)	Ethan Overson 9th at Gravel Nationals 131 (2023)
--	(974)	David Van Orsdel 18th at Gravel Earth Final 95km (2023)

Uncertainty abound

The extent to which UCI Gravel will mirror the burgeoning gravel scenes in America and Europe remains uncertain. Similarly, there are unanswered questions regarding how USA teams will fare against European road talent. There's speculation about whether Keegan's supremacy in US events will translate well to competitions that resemble road races—with abundant pavement and minimal technical sectors. Similarly, will Stephens' MTB skills or Skarda’s experience in the Lifetime Grand Prix carry significance in the UCI competitions?

We eagerly await the answers to these questions.