Image 1 of 6 Taylor Phinney (BMC) (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 2 of 6 2013 US pro road race championship podium (L-R): Brent Bookwalter (BMC), Freddie Rodriguez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) and Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare) (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 3 of 6 Mara Abbott (US National Team) sprays the bubbly after retaining her lead in the Giro Rosa (Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net) Image 4 of 6 Megan Guarnier (Rabo Women) struggled on today's stage (Image credit: Bert Geerts/dcp-bertgeerts@xs4all.nl) Image 5 of 6 Evelyn Stevens (Specialized - lululemon) was caught by Fabiana Luperini (Faren), Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini Giambenini) (Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net) Image 6 of 6 Andrew Talansky set the fastest early time (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

USA Cycling will field a strong line-up of riders for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships later this month.

Joining automatic selections Freddie Rodriguez (Jelly Belly Cycling), Andrew Talansky (Garmin Sharp) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC) will be current Vuelta a Espana overall leader Chris Horner (RadioShack Leopard), Taylor Phinney (BMC), Alex Howes (Garmin Sharp) and Peter Stetina (Garmin Sharp).

Phinney, 2012 bronze medallist in the individual time trial, will get a chance to better that this month and will be joined by Talansky. The Garmin Sharp rider finished second in the time trials at Paris-Nice, prologue at the Tour of Romandie and the USA Pro Challenge.

Tom Danielson (Garmin Sharp) was eligible to race courtesy of his fourth overall at the Tour of Romandie, however he declined his start.

Automatically selected for the elite women's road race are Mara Abbott (Exergy Twenty16), Shelley Olds (Team Tibco-To the Top), Carmen Small (Specialized-lululemon), Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon) and Jade Wilcoxson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies). Runner-up at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and US elite women's road champion Megan Guanier (Rabobank-Liv-Giant) and overall winner of the Cascade Cycle Classic, Kristin McGrath (Exergy Twenty16) are the other selections.

Last year's silver medallist in the individual time trial Stevens, will be joined by national champion Small in the chrono.

The five-man under-23 contingent includes the four automatic nominations of Nathan Wilson (Bontrager Cycling Team), Lawson Craddock (Bontrager Cycling Team), Nathan Brown (Bontrager Cycling Team) and national U23 amateur champion Tanner Putt (Bontrager Cycling Team). Gavin Mannion (Bontrager Cycling Team) was selected as a discretionary pick after placing eighth at the Tour de l'Avenir in France last week.

Brown was also an automatic selection for the U23 individual time trial after winning the bronze medal at the national championships. He will be joined in the time trial by Craddock, a discretionary selection who finished just behind Brown in fourth place.

Elite Men

Chris Horner (RadioShack Leopard)

Alex Howes (Garmin Sharp)

Taylor Phinney (BMC) – competing road race and time trial

Freddie Rodriguez (Jelly Belly Cycling)

Peter Stetina (Garmin Sharp)

Andrew Talansky (Garmin Sharp) – competing in road race and time trial

Tejay van Garderen (BMC)



