USA Cycling doesn’t get it.

In announcing the country’s roster for the upcoming the UCI World Championships the sport’s governing body, and one of the most political sports organizations around, opted for youth, particularly on the men’s elite squad.

Kristin Armstrong

Christian Vande Velde, Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie, three of the country’s most veteran and accomplished riders, all declined participation. And it’s the riders’ prerogative.

But my hunch is that three riders opted not go to the Italian event next week based on family responsibilities and a long season, for sure. And, of course, a spokesman for the organization was quick to rationalize the three riders’ decisions.

But more to the point: USA Cycling is a great organization when it comes to touting its athletes — when they do well.

But where is USA Cycling in its efforts to market and promote the sport and athletes to the mainstream sporting public? Cycling insiders know what’s going on; it’s the public that needs to be educated. USA Cycling doesn’t do much to showcase its athletes on a year-round basis.

In fact, I’ve reported on cycling for nearly 25 years, and I’ve always been amazed how little the riders’ national governing body does to promote and market, particularly in its national championships.

Where are the results? Why doesn’t USA Cycling contact the Associated Press to at least get the results filed on the national wire service?

Andy Lee is USA Cycling’s media relations representative, and he distributes a lot of press releases, often about sponsors and new programs. He works hard. But where was Lee at the Tour of California, Tour de Georgia or Tour of Missouri — the country’s three largest races? He wasn’t at any of them.

So, it’s no wonder Hamilton, Hincapie and Vande Velde declined. And what did USA Cycling do? It offered the spots to young pros Craig Lewis, Steven Cozza and Lucas Euser.

If USA Cycling wanted to show some respect to riders, it could have offered two of the spots to Bobby Julich and Mike Sayers.

Julich, a long-time veteran who won many races in hiscareer, recently announced his retirement after a rekindled few seasons with CSC. Sayers, who rode on the world team twice, was an unheralded team rider for much of his 15-year career. He rode in the recent Tour of Missouri as his last race.

But USA Cycling didn’t make the offer, and it came as little surprise.