USA Cycling continues the search for the next generation of Olympic hopefuls with several new open try out events at the Velo Sports Center in Carson, Calif.
LOS ANGELES, California (January 9, 2024) – USA Cycling announced that Search for Speed, the Los Angeles based track sprint talent identification program, will continue and advance in 2024 with a newly expanded tryout strategy and schedule.
Founded in early 2023 and funded through the generous support of the Rapha Foundation, Search for Speed gained immediate national attention. The program proved to be a massive success focusing on grassroots efforts by introducing the sport to an expanded and more diverse audience throughout southern California. By the end of 2023, Search for Speed had tested over 3,000 new prospects at 45 different locations. Athletes who hit Search for Speed’s target peak power on the WattBike, the official smart bike of USA Cycling, were invited to a combine at the VELO Sports Center in Carson, Calif. In July, the program hosted a combine final where 12 athletes were later invited to a three-part Talent Integration Camp.
For 2024, the Search for Speed mission remains the same: break down entry barriers into the sport of competitive sprint cycling, while putting National Championship, World Championship, and Olympic medals within reach.
In 2023, athletes needed to try out in order to be invited to a Search for Speed combine. New for 2024, all Search for Speed combines will be open to the public. This will streamline the identification and testing process, and will provide athletes from any sport and background the opportunity to demonstrate their individual speed, power, and athletic potential in a one-stop setting. The desired age range is 18-28, but individuals of all ages are encouraged to participate. Track cycling favors power and explosiveness, and open combines will be set-up to test an athlete’s ability, with different categories and target marks dependent on gender.
“We believe the new 2024 Search for Speed open combine format in a single location will make it significantly easier for anyone to showcase their athletic skill, regardless of sports background,” says Alec Pasqualina, USA Cycling’s Athlete Development Pathway Director. “Athletes can pre-register and simply walk in.”
All 2024 Search for Speed open combines will take place at the VELO Sports Center – home to the USA Cycling Track Sprint program and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Combines will be organized as weekend events, with one per month from February through July.
The confirmed Search for Speed Open Combine dates include:
- February 3-4, 2024
- March 2-3, 2024
- April 27-28, 2024
- June 1-2, 2024
The first day includes four tests: a speed and ability test; a standing vertical jump; a 40-yard dash; and a 6-second WattBike power test. All athletes will be invited back the following day for the UCI’s structured Power Profile Protocol Test. This internationally recognized test is conducted entirely on a WattBike and is a benchmark standard utilized by cycling’s international federation.
Athletes that hit the desired Power Protocol Test numbers at any combine will then graduate to the Talent Integration phase. Athletes invited to our Talent Integration team will undergo six months of training and development with USA Cycling’s Athlete Development staff. This phase kicks off in the late summer/fall of 2024.
“Search for Speed’s new open combine talent ID format really streamlines development for sports performance,” says USA Cycling’s Sprint Track Director, Erin Hartwell. “The opportunity for any athlete from any background to be seen and discovered has never been easier. Los Angeles 2028 is only four and half years away and we are committed to fielding the best possible team and competing for medals at our home Olympics. Search for Speed is a key component in that effort.”
USA Cycling’s Search for Speed in collaboration with the Rapha Foundation, is committed to finding and developing the sport of track sprint cycling with an end goal of developing and placing a U.S. Olympian in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
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 more information, contact Alec Pasqualina at [email protected]
