Following an unprecedented bevy of strong bids, USA Cycling has selected Boulder, Colo., Austin, Texas and Asheville, N.C. to host its 2014, 2015 and 2016 Cyclo-cross National Championships respectively.
The cyclo-cross national championships are expected to bring upwards of 1,200 competitors and 10,000 spectators to these communities. “We had three outstanding bids making the only logical choice to award all three communities,” said USA Cycling Managing Director of National Events Micah Rice. “The decision to award one-year contracts for the championships will also help foster cyclo-cross racing in three distinctively different parts of the country.”
USA Cycling evaluated potential host cities using various criteria, including: accessibility, community support, course options, technical expertise and the organization’s commitment to volunteer recruitment, marketing and lodging. Each community will be required to host an international-caliber test event ahead of the national championships.
With a handful of top-caliber cyclo-cross events already in place at Boulder’s Valmont Bike Park, the northern Colorado cycling-hotbed was the obvious choice to host in 2014. The tried and true, permanent cyclo-cross course and facilities will offer the ideal structure to host the nation’s best.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 17:39.
Move Nationals back to December!!! The mid-December date was great. The early January date sucks to all except the handful of riders going to Worlds.
USAC - Listen to the majority of riders for once!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 18:58.
So what you are saying is that amateur racers who do this for fun and recreation should take precedent over professionals trying to make a living and have the best chance for being competitive representing our country at the World Championship level?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 21:30.
Yes... as long as the "pros" are barely cracking the top 20 (if that), then having everyone else sacrifice for them to "represent" our country is crazy.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 22:26.
So the national governing body of cycling should put Olympic and World level development as a secondary priority to what is most convenient for your race season. We should not push cycling towards the schedule of every other country so that it is more convenient for Joe Amateur. Perhaps we should move Nationals to late October, since that is when "the majority" of racers are in greatest attendance?
So, you would be OK with the change if we were all over the podium? Apparently the women's results don't count in your book, since we do quite well there. And Page's 2nd place is of no value either. Maybe you could outline for USAC the podium scenario that would make it worth of re-arranging your season an additional 3 weeks.
Submitted by Master of the not so obvious (not verified) on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 18:06.
It might be helpful if you understood that Page's 2nd place came at the end of a very Euro racing season and the timing of the US Natz had nothing to do with his placing. If USAC were truly promoting elite/pro level 'cross, they'd pay for the US riders to live in Belgium during their teens and early 20s.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 10:52.
There was some discussion at cxmagazine.com a while ago about splitting 'cross nats - having elites/collegiates in January and masters/juniors in December. It makes sense to keep the masters/juniors together as there is strong affinity between the groups - kids and their parents are competing. Likewise, there is some affinity between collegiates & elites - in fact some collegiates compete as elites and they certainly are aiming to be at that level.
How many elites go to worlds? 10-15? How many non-elites compete at nats? 1200-1500? Should we try to accommodate the needs of both rather than catering to one or the other? Hence the idea for splitting the championships.
Submitted by Kris Thompson on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 15:11.
Special thanks goes out to all those who were involved in hosting the USAC folks the day they were in town, we put on quite an awesome show to them. Everything shined bright.
Also from sources I have a special thanks goes out to those who also were supportive of the USAC/ACA merger as this step was critical in making nationals happen.
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Move back to December!!!
Move Nationals back to December!!! The mid-December date was great. The early January date sucks to all except the handful of riders going to Worlds.
USAC - Listen to the majority of riders for once!
Amateurs priority for Nationals?
So what you are saying is that amateur racers who do this for fun and recreation should take precedent over professionals trying to make a living and have the best chance for being competitive representing our country at the World Championship level?
Yes... as long as the "pros"
Yes... as long as the "pros" are barely cracking the top 20 (if that), then having everyone else sacrifice for them to "represent" our country is crazy.
Got it
So the national governing body of cycling should put Olympic and World level development as a secondary priority to what is most convenient for your race season. We should not push cycling towards the schedule of every other country so that it is more convenient for Joe Amateur. Perhaps we should move Nationals to late October, since that is when "the majority" of racers are in greatest attendance?
So, you would be OK with the change if we were all over the podium? Apparently the women's results don't count in your book, since we do quite well there. And Page's 2nd place is of no value either. Maybe you could outline for USAC the podium scenario that would make it worth of re-arranging your season an additional 3 weeks.
I think this may help - ACA was a grass-roots, amateur racing based organization. USAC is not.
http://www.usacycling.org/usa-cyclings-vision-mission-statement.htm
Causal vs coincidental
It might be helpful if you understood that Page's 2nd place came at the end of a very Euro racing season and the timing of the US Natz had nothing to do with his placing. If USAC were truly promoting elite/pro level 'cross, they'd pay for the US riders to live in Belgium during their teens and early 20s.
Split nats
There was some discussion at cxmagazine.com a while ago about splitting 'cross nats - having elites/collegiates in January and masters/juniors in December. It makes sense to keep the masters/juniors together as there is strong affinity between the groups - kids and their parents are competing. Likewise, there is some affinity between collegiates & elites - in fact some collegiates compete as elites and they certainly are aiming to be at that level.
How many elites go to worlds? 10-15? How many non-elites compete at nats? 1200-1500? Should we try to accommodate the needs of both rather than catering to one or the other? Hence the idea for splitting the championships.
Special Thanks to all those involved!
Special thanks goes out to all those who were involved in hosting the USAC folks the day they were in town, we put on quite an awesome show to them. Everything shined bright.
Also from sources I have a special thanks goes out to those who also were supportive of the USAC/ACA merger as this step was critical in making nationals happen.
Advantage to CO residents
I haven't seen anyone mention the altitude yet. Old folks coming up from sea level are going to have a rough time of it.
Altitude
C'mon you NorEasters, NorCal, etc, better get yourself an Oxygen tent or line up in the back row for 2014!