Batten and Team USA make history with first gold at 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

Park City's Haley Batten helped bring home Team USA'a first gold medal in the team relay at UCI World Championships in Andorra. Photo: USA Cycling

Batten followed it up with 13th place in the women's elite cross-country race

PARK CITY, Utah –  Team USA clinched its first-ever gold in the Cross-Country Mixed Team Relay at the the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Andorra, Spain last week. The event took place on the first day of competition  and the US team made history winning its very first gold medal since the event’s inception in 1999.

The Cross-Country Team Relay brings together a mix of Elite, U23, and Junior men and women riders from across the globe, pushing each athlete to complete a single lap at lightning speed. Team USA’s lineup featured Haley Batten, of Park City, Brayden Johnson, Nicholas Konecny, Vida Lopez de San Roman, Madigan Munro, and Christopher Blevins.

France and Italy dominated the early stages of the race, but Team USA surged into contention, and stayed within striking distance. It all came down to a nail-biting final lap, with Christopher Blevins clocking one of the fastest times of the day. Blevins edged out France by a razor-thin three seconds, delivering Team USA’s groundbreaking win.

After years of close podium finishes—starting with bronze in 2007 and silver in recent championships—Team USA finally broke the long-standing French and Swiss stronghold on the event, claiming its first-ever gold.

Batten also competed in the women’s elite cross-country race, where she placed 13th.

Final Standings:

1. United States: 1:19:38
2. France: +0.03
3. Italy: +1:31