Following the departure of Matt Cramer from U.S. Cycling late last year, Marc Gullickson will assume the role as the Norba and U.S. Cyclocross Program Manager. Marc is fresh off a successful stint as a Hutchinson product manager.
 
A former competitive mountain bike and cyclocross athlete, Gullickson represented the United States at five Mountain Bike and five Cyclocross World Championships throughout his career. Gullickson also served as an assistant coach to Cramer for the U.S. National Team at the past three Mountain Bike World Championships and shared head coaching responsibilities for the U.S. contingent at the last three Cyclocross World Championships--including the 2007 edition in which the American squad claimed an unprecedented three silver medals.  Before his retirement in 2002 from competitive cycling, Gullickson raced for 13 seasons on the domestic and international mountain bike and cyclocross circuits.
 
Following his racing career, Gullickson supported several different racing organizations and industry companies. The list includes Boulder Racing, Ground Zero Sports Marketing, the TIAA-CREF/Clif Bar Cyclocross Team and Hutchinson Tires. It was Gullickson who was instrumental in getting Hutchinson's Road Tubeless system launched in the u.s.
 
As Norba's and U.S. Cyclocross' Program Manager, Gullickson will be responsible for creating and implementing initiatives that support the development of competitive cyclists in the disciplines of mountain bike and cyclocross racing. Gullickson will also manage the activities of elite athletes and teams in order to maximize opportunity and performance that further the United States' performance goals at Continental Championships, World Championships, Pan American Games and Olympic Games. He will also work with USA Cycling coaches to manage the selection of athletes to training camps and national teams.
 
"I'm very excited to be on board with USA Cycling," said Gullickson. "Working with the country's best mountain bike and cyclocross athletes and preparing them for important international and domestic events is what I know best and represents a natural progression in my cycling career. With only seven months to go before the Beijing Games, one of my immediate goals is to provide our Olympians with the highest level of support possible to compete to their potential this summer. Then, following the Games, the priority will shift to developing the next generation of world class off-road cyclists by offering the necessary opportunities to excel internationally.
 
"On the cyclocross end of the spectrum, there is clearly a lot of momentum here in the United States.  We need to continue to refine our approach to preparing riders for the World Championships by exposing them to international competition on a regular basis and continuing to develop the domestic scene in the U.S. Thanks to the impressive growth rate of •cross racing, we have a talented base of young riders ready to take us to the next level."
 
Currently a resident of New York State, Gullickson begins his new role on Monday, January 14 and will relocate to USA Cycling's headquarters at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs later this year.
 
"The addition of Marc to the USA Cycling athletics staff provides us with a seamless transition in an Olympic year," commented Pat McDonough, USA Cycling Director of Athletics.  "His accomplishments at the highest level of mountain bike and cyclocross racing, in addition to his experience in athlete management, ensure that our developmental and elite athletes will continue to be afforded the necessary opportunities to maximize their success internationally. Under Marc's direction, we look forward to the continued advancement of success for American off-road athletes."