Haley Batten and Riley Amos earned the top podium spots at the Cross-country short track (XCC) on Friday 10 May at the Pan American Mountain Bike Championships in Solider Hollow, Utah.
Batten led an American sweep, with Kate Courtney in second and Bailey Cioppa in third. Team USA’s Makena Kellerman took fourth place, showcasing the dominance of this US Women’s team.
In the men’s field, American Riley Amos earned the top podium spot racing in XCC men’s elite, finishing ahead of teammate Christopher Blevins in second, with Canadian Gunnar Holmgren finishing in third.
Haley Batten is currently leading the UCI World Cup points and Christopher Blevins and Savilia Blunk (not racing this weekend) are ranked third, with Riley Amos leading in U23.
The Pan Am Games are a race for Nation quotas—if the U.S. men hold their position among the top 8, currently ranked 5th—and it’s looking promising—the U.S. will have earned quotas for two men in the Olympics for the first time since London 2012. The U.S. women are currently in a solid 3rd place.
The competition for the Elite field continues with the men’s and women’s Cross-country Olympic (XCO) on Sunday, May 12 at Soldier Hollow.