The biggest team competition in mountain biking is back, and Ainsley Haggart of Durango was selected to represent Team USA.
The 2022 Enduro World Series Trophy of Nations will take place Oct. 1-2 in Finale Ligure, Italy, and ask riders to cast aside their personal and team ambitions in favor of their home nation. Riders will compete in teams of three for their home country, working together to claim the rainbow jerseys.
Erin Bixler and Lauren Bingham will join Haggart on Team USA’s U21 women’s team.
John Brown, Jake Keller and JT Fisher will comprise USA’s U21 men’s team. The pro men’s team includes Richie Rude, Nikolas Nestoroff and Colton Peterson, and the pro women’s team will feature Amy Morrison, Porsha Murdock and Kate Lawrence.
Last held in 2019, the men’s competition was won by Team USA. Rude, Shawn Neer and Cody Kelley put on a master class in teamwork and tactics to earn those rainbow stripes, but they have their work cut out for them if they want to retain their title this time. Team Canada, Team Australia and Team New Zealand will field strong lineups.
Team France dominated the women’s competition in 2019, and Isabeau Courdurier, Morgane Charre and Melanie Pugin are all back in the lineup.
Team USA finished second behind Great Britain in the U21 women’s competition. New Zealand claimed the U21 men’s title.
Haggart recently competed in her first Enduro World Series event Aug. 6-7, in Whistler, Canada, and finished second in the women’s U21 competition.
