Twenty-three riders selected to represent Team USA in Cross-Country MTB at historic World Championships in Valais, Switzerland
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – August 12, 2025 – The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are set to take place in Valais, Switzerland. Spanning from August 30 to September 14, this two-week event marks a historic milestone in mountain biking, bringing together eight disciplines to one World Championship location in the stunning region of Valais.
The cross-country events will be held on the back end of the event, running from September 9-14, with the Short Track races in Zermatt and the Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) battles in Crans-Montana. Across Junior, Under-23 (U23), and Elite, twenty-three riders have been nominated to the team.
Current World Cup overall leader Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing) will lead the charge following a stellar first half of the season. He’ll be joined by Riley Amos (Durango, Colo.; Trek Factory Racing) and Bjorn Riley (Boulder, Colo.; SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing), both of whom earned podium finishes at last year’s U23 World Championships and now make their debut in the Elite World Championship category.
The top American women have faced their share of injuries this year but are set to make their comebacks in time for the World Championships. That includes Haley Batten (Park City, Utah; Specialized Factory Racing) and Kate Courtney (Kentfield, Calif.; She Sends Racing). Savilia Blunk (Inverness, Calif.; Decathlon Ford Racing Team) currently leads the American women in the World Cup overall standings after multiple top-10 finishes and a podium at the season opener.
The Junior and Under-23 riders have been steadily building toward the World Championships. Dan English (San Ramon, Calif.; Trinity Racing) and Makena Kellerman (Escondido, Calif.; Bear National Team) have each earned several top-10 finishes this season and aim to build on that consistency with breakthrough performances on the world stage. In the Junior ranks, Kian Reid (Wenatchee, Wash.; Bear National Team) landed a podium finish at the largest World Cup Junior Series race of the season in Nové Město, proving he can compete with the best in the world.
The Team USA Cross-Country Mountain Bike roster is as follows:
Elite Men
Riley Amos (Durango, Colo.; Trek Factory Racing)
Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing)
Bjorn Riley (Boulder, Colo.; SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing)
Elite Women
Haley Batten (Park City, Utah; Specialized Factory Racing)
Savilia Blunk (Inverness, Calif.; Decathlon Ford Racing Team)
Kate Courtney (Kentfield, Calif.; She Sends Racing)
Gwendalyn Gibson (Ramona, Calif.; Trek Factory Racing)
Kelsey Urban (Kentfield, Calif.; KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team)
Madigan Munro (Boulder, Colo.; Trek Factory Racing)
Under-23 Men
Brayden Johnson (Littleton, Colo.; Allied Cycle Works)
Dan English (San Ramon, Calif.; Trinity Racing)
Ivan Sippy (Boulder, Colo.; Team Segment 28)
Jack Spranger (Sammamish, Wash.; Bear National Team)
Under-23 Women
Vida Lopez de San Roman (Sebastopol, Calif.; Trinity Racing)
Makena Kellerman (Escondido, Calif.; Bear National Team)
Bailey Cioppa (Durango, Colo.; Bear National Team)
Junior Men
Rowan Nistal (Boise, Idaho; Bear National Team)
River Valdez (Sedona, Ariz.; Bear National Team)
Kian Reid (Wenatchee, Wash.; Bear National Team)
Benjamin Bravman (Golden, Colo.; Bear National Team)
Junior Women
Elisabeth Knight (Moab, Utah; Rouleur Devo)
Landrie McLain (Bella Vista, Ark.; Bear National Team)
Ingrid McElroy (Danville, Pa.; Bear National Team)
The remainder of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships teams will be announced in the coming weeks.
USA Cycling’s participation in the World Championships is made possible through the support of dedicated donors and partners. To support the USA Cycling National Team, members can donate to the USA Cycling Foundation here. Our supporting partners who have a shared mission to elevate the sport of cycling include HOVERAir and Visit Bentonville.
Visit USACycling.org for more information on the athletes, events, and membership programs, and follow @USACycling across all channels for the latest on Team USA.
For downloadable images, click here.
For more information, contact Angelina Palermo at apalermo@usacycling.org
ABOUT VISIT BENTONVILLE (visitbentonville.com)
Visit Bentonville is funded by the Bentonville Advertising and Promotion Commission which was established in 1996. The commission is supported by a 2% tax on lodging and meeting space and a 1% tax on restaurant and dining establishments. The organization's mission is to promote Bentonville as a vibrant experience for all, enhancing the quality of life and stimulating economic development that will strengthen our local economy. Visit Bentonville leads the planning of sports, meetings and group tours while also marketing leisure experiences that include arts, cycling, food, film, music and aviation. Visit Bentonville also collaborates with tourism offices throughout the state of Arkansas to create positive economic impact while increasing tourism amenities for both visitors and residents.
ABOUT USA CYCLING (usacycling.org)
USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, gravel, BMX, esports. USA Cycling’s mission is to grow participation and engagement in the sport of bicycle racing and to achieve sustained international success across all cycling disciplines. USA Cycling supports cyclists of all levels and abilities, from those just beginning in the sport to international-caliber athletes. The organization identifies, develops, and selects cyclists to represent the United States in international competition through support of youth and interscholastic programs, amateur and grassroots racing events, athlete development initiatives, and operational support for cycling clubs, racing teams, and event organizers. USA Cycling has a membership of 80,000, sanctions over 2,500 events annually, and is a member of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). USA Cycling’s national headquarters is located in Olympic City USA, Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a regional office in Bentonville, Arkansas, home to the U.S. Mountain Bike National Team.
