"Let's not select the guys who've been winning races" - Rider left out of USA team for World Championships blasts eight-man team selection
Cycling
The USA team for the 2026 UCI World Championships has been announced as eight riders prepare to fly the flag of the United States in search of the coveted rainbow jersey. However, one rider who missed out on selection for Montreal took to social media to take a dig at team selection.
With a close-to-home World Championships and an exciting roster of emerging and established riders starring at WorldTour level, USA have become a key team at World Championships in recent seasons. The 2026 Worlds is expected to be no different.
Matteo Jorgenson, Quinn Simmons, Neilson Powless and Brandon McNulty lead the team, with all four riding at the highest level in cycling and in the thick of action in 2026 and previous seasons.
With Jorgenson and Simmons, the team have two riders who featured heavily in Tour de France breakaways in 2026, while Brandon McNulty has proven a valuable teammate for Tadej Pogacar this season. Powless' season has been interrupted by injury, but he did take an impressive Tour of Austria breakaway win as he proved his winning touch is returning.
Riley Sheehan
USA name eight-rider team for World Championships
In support, Sean Quinn, Artem Shmidt, Kevin Vermaerke and Larry Warbasse got the nod, with all four demonstrating capable form throughout 2026.
But not everyone is in agreement with the eight-rider elite men's team as Riley Sheehan took to Twitter/X to criticise his own admission, while also implying that others have been left out while in-form.
He said: "Let's not select the guys who've been winning races".
The 26-year-old has taken two victories this season at the Czech Tour and Circuit de Wallonie, but also placed in the top ten on multiple occasions across the season.
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Riley Sheehan not happy with selection
He also seemingly implied that others have missed out on selection unfairly. Riders with the most amount of UCI points over the past year, and not included, are Matthew Riccitello, Sepp Kuss, Sheehan and Andrew August.
Both Riccitello and Kuss are amidst a Tour-Vuelta double, making them unlikely figures to feature in the team due to their packed team schedule. However, both Sheehan and August did not feature in a Grand Tour in 2026.
The USA line-up for U23 includes Ashlin Barry, Nathan Cusack, Gavin Sherry, Kade Kreikemeier and Marcis Shelton. The Elite Women's team is headlined by Kriisten Faulkner and Kate Courtney, and also includes Grace Arlandson, Taylor Knibb, Alexis Magner, Natalie Quinn and Lauren Stephens.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- That 3000 extra that the Tour de France is built up in the flat stages
Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
- his Roubaix win was amazing. not to take anything away from him - arguably one of MVDP's wins was at the expense of a WVA flat - but so many things need to line up to get one of these. He had a perfect race with fewer bike issues on an attritional course. And crazy strong as usual. Glad he got this done.mij04-11-2026
- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- yeah... you're right...PogiSloFans04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
- A mindset that reminds me of Tim Declerq. I loved watching that guy just pound away the kilometers, hours at the front, holding an entire breakaway in check on his own. Bjerg seems like a similar guy. Curling, the team sport.RidesHills04-11-2026
- He will be lol, but he can still win on the climbs hahaawp04-11-2026
- I would love to have his inconsistency. How many wins this year? 2 TdF stages, a WC, a Euro championship, San Sebastian, multiple wins early year. Monument podiums. I'd take it. I don't think he has a chance in the TdF, but he is still amazing.mij04-11-2026
- He's not going to win the TdF. Maybe if they make every single stage a TT he could win. But I still believe Tadej would just sharpen his TT skills and win.mij04-11-2026
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