Jennifer Valente

Jennifer Valente is an American cyclist and one of the most successful track endurance riders in United States history. A specialist in the omnium, team pursuit and bunch races, she became the first American woman to win an Olympic track cycling gold medal when she took the omnium title at Tokyo 2020, before defending that crown and adding team pursuit gold at Paris 2024. Valente has also competed on the road during a career closely associated with the TWENTY cycling programme.

Jennifer Valente profile

• Name: Jennifer Marie Valente
• Nationality: United States
• Place of birth: San Diego, California, United States
• Date of birth: 24th December 1994
• Status: Active
• Current Team: No current UCI road team
• Previous Teams: Virginia’s Blue Ridge-TWENTY24, Sho-Air TWENTY20, Twenty16 p/b Sho-Air, Exergy Twenty16

Career overview

Valente began track cycling as a teenager and developed into the dominant American endurance rider of her generation. She won team pursuit silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics before taking bronze in the event and gold in the omnium at Tokyo 2020. At Paris 2024 she successfully defended her omnium title and helped the United States win its first Olympic women’s team pursuit gold, taking her career Olympic tally to five medals. Valente has also won multiple World Championship titles across the team pursuit, omnium and scratch race. Although track has remained her primary discipline, she has periodically raced on the road with the TWENTY programme, including appearances at the Tour of the Gila. Her combination of endurance, tactical awareness and consistency has made her one of the defining track cyclists of her era.

Latest Jennifer Valente articles