With USA Cycling’s announcement, northwest Arkansas’ grip on the mountain biking world continues to tighten.
If you’re a mountain biker, chances are high you’ve heard of Bentonville by now.
The once-quiet metropolis in northwest Arkansas exploded right into a world-class mountain biking vacation spot within the final decade and reveals no indicators of slowing down. Now USA Cycling has introduced Bentonville will play residence area to the U.S. National Mountain Bike Team.
The transfer comes as USA Cycling units its sights on a mountain biking gold medal within the 2028 Summer Olympics. To get there, the U.S. National Mountain Bike Team will use northwest Arkansas’s myriad trails for endurance health and skills-development camps, in line with a press launch.
The group can even maintain junior expertise and expertise identification camps within the space.
Bentonville Becomes Home for the U.S. National Mountain Bike Team
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— USA Cycling (@usacycling) December 15, 2022
“Our long-term goal is for Team USA to win the gold at the 2028 Olympic Games,” mentioned Brendan Quirk, CEO of USA Cycling. “This investment gives us access to the infrastructure and resources we need to support our Under-23 and Junior riders. Developing these up-and-coming riders is a top priority for USA Cycling, now and in the future.”
Help From the Walton Family Foundation
The deliberate camps are the results of direct assist from the Walton Family Foundation, a serious participant in Bentonville’s transformation into a vital mountain biking vacation spot. Bentonville performs residence to the headquarters for Walmart, the superstore chain upon which the Walton household’s fortune is constructed.
USA Cycling additionally intends to make Bentonville the guts of its collegiate biking program.
“Investing in collegiate cycling is a priority for this effort,” mentioned Tom Walton, chairman of the Walton Family Foundation’s Home Region Program. “We believe Bentonville is a natural host for this program and are confident this will elevate USA Cycling on the global stage.”
All of which is to say, should you occur to be driving round Bentonville within the subsequent few years, chances are high you’ll encounter a younger mountain biker with goals of Olympic gold dancing below their helmet.
So don’t take it too personally once they depart you within the mud.
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