Marquardt Shifts Focus to Track Nationals and Upcoming UCI Races

A member of the 2020 USA Cycling Olympic Long Team, Mandy Marquardt was not selected for the Final Olympic Team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and thus she is shifting her focus to upcoming competitions. Team Novo Nordisk’s Marquardt started off her summer racing season with a victory at the Bicycle Racing League All-Stars at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania on Friday, June 18.

“Over the last few years, it’s been an incredibly fulfilling experience and an honor to represent my country throughout major international events, focusing on helping accumulate Olympic qualifying points for the United States alongside my teammate. Though I wasn’t selected, I stand ready if the team needs me and will be cheering on my USA Cycling teammates,” Marquardt said. “If diabetes has taught me anything, it’s resilience and I’m grateful for the team’s continued support. We are a family.”

Marquardt won all her races at the sprint invitational, starting with the four-rider heat, then the semifinals and lastly the finals.

“I loved being back racing under the lights at the VPCC for the first time since 2019,” commented Marquardt. “It was great to race with some of the upcoming athletes, especially from my Edge Cycling training group. I trained that morning at the track already and went into the night already pretty warmed up just focusing on technical skills and that race pressure again for future international events.”

After the competition, the event announcer acknowledged Marquardt’s efforts in playing a valuable role in helping secure a spot for the Olympics alongside her teammate. Marquardt was then happy to answer a few questions.

“I noted the talent from my teammates, the upcoming generation and how much fun it is to be here racing again in front of a crowd, especially with my parents and fiancé here,” she concluded. “I then commented that it’s been a great journey alongside Maddie [Godby] and that it is great to see a female sprinter in the Olympics since 2008.”

Her love of track racing has not diminished. Marquardt is now shifting her focus to the next training and racing block which starts with the 2021 USA Cycling Elite, Junior, Para Track National Championship in July.  Afterwards, Marquardt plans on competing at the three UCI events scheduled for the end of the summer at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. Marquardt will also continue her education in the fall with The Pennsylvania State University MBA program.

Photo Credits:

Courtesy of Vishrut Garg and Valley Preferred Cycling Center (@vishrut_fa and @the_velodrome on Instagram)