October 13/11 15:12 pm - USA Cycling Announces National Road Schedule

Posted by Editoress on 10/13/11
 

USA Cycling has announced its 2012 National Racing Calendar (NRC) and 2012 National Criterium Calendar (NCC). The NRC heads into its 16th year with nine of the nation's top pro-am road and stage races while the NCC will debut with 19 single-day criteriums and criterium omniums.

As was previously announced, 2012 is the first year that criterium-only events will not be included on USA Cycling's National Racing Calendar, but instead showcased in their very own calendar.

"Criterium racing is a discipline dominated by riders whose skill sets differ from those who dominate longer-format road races," explains USA Cycling's Managing Director of Events, Micah Rice. "We're excited to give this uniquely American discipline, as well as its top competitors, a chance to shine on its own."

National Racing Calendar (NRC)

The NRC has represented the nation's top races for 15 seasons now. The calendar's 16th edition will mark its first year as a road and stage race-only calendar, featuring nine events in nine states between March and September.

Those nine events are sure to be action-packed as Francisco Mancebo (ESP/Realcyclist.com) and Janel Holcomb (San Diego, Calif./Colavita-Forno d'Asolo) will race to defend their overall individual NRC wins from 2011. The teams that will be looking for a second straight overall win in 2012 are Bissell Pro Cycling on the men's side and Holcomb's Colavita-Forno d'Asolo on the women's.

The NRC schedule for 2012 (Note: the rankings for each event (eg, 2.2, 1.HC) are NOT UCI rankings, since most events are not UCI events and carry no points):

March 22-25: Redlands Bicycle Classic (2.2), Redlands, Calif. - men and women

April 26-29: Joe Martin Stage Race p/b Nature Valley (2.3), Fayetteville, Ark. - men and women

May 2-6: SRAM Tour of the Gila (2.2), Silver City, NM - men and women

June 3: Liberty Classic (1.HC) - Philadelphia, Pa. - women

June 13-17: Nature Valley Grand Prix (2.1), Minnesota - men and women

July 17-22: Cascade Classic Stage Race (2.2), Bend, Ore. - men and women

Aug. 3-5: Tour of Elk Grove (2.3), Illinois - women only

Aug. 21-23: Aspen/Snowmass Pro Women's Race (2.5.2), Aspen, Colo. - women only

Sept. 15: Univest Grand Prix (1.HC), Souderton, Pa. - men only

For more information on the NRC, visit www.usacycling.org.


National Criterium Calendar (NCC)

In its debut year, the NCC will visit 17 states for 19 events between March and September, giving the all-American criterium discipline an opportunity to take center stage.  (Note: the rankings (eg, 1.2, 1.4) are NOT UCI  rankings, since the events are not UCI events and carry no points)

March 31: Cigar City Brewing Criterium (1.4), Tampa, Fla. - men only

April 14: Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium (1.1), Charlotte, N.C. - men and women

April 21: Sunny King Criterium (1.3), Anniston, Ala. - men and women

May 4-6: USA CRITS Speedweek (2.5.2), SC and Ga. - men and women

May 6: Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling (1.2), Dana Point, Calif. - men only

May 12: Tour de Grove (1.2), St. Louis, Mo. - men and women

May 19: Wilmington Grand Prix (1.3), Wilmington, Del. - men and women

May 28: Tour of Somerville (1.2), Somerville, N.J. - men only

May 31: Base Camp International p/b Verizon Wireless (1.3), Basking Ridge, N.J.- men only

June 2: Glencoe Grand Prix (1.3), Glencoe, Ill. - men and women

June 8-10: Saint Francis Tulsa Tough (2.5.1), Tulsa, Okla. - men and women

June 9-10: Air Force Cycling Classic (2.5.1), Arlington, Va. - men and women

June 17: Harlem Skyscraper Criterium (1.4), Manhattan, N.Y. - men only

June 28-July 1: Tour of America's Dairyland (2.5.2), Wisconsin - men and women

July 8: Manhattan Beach Grand Prix (1.2), Manhattan Beach, Calif. - men only

July 14: Exergy Twilight Criterium (1.2), Boise, Idaho - men and women

July 28: Herman Miller Grand Cycling Classic (1.2), Grand Rapids, Mich. - women only

Aug. 25-26:  Chris Thater Memorial (1.2), Binghampton, N.Y. - men and women

Sept. 23: TD Bank Mayors Cup (1.4), Boston, Mass. - men and women

For more information on the NCC, visit www.usacycling.org.


USA Cycling has strived to alleviate date conflicts between the NRC and NCC. In an effort to continue offering optimum road race opportunities in the U.S., race directors from both calendars will be meeting at the USA Cycling Race Directors Summit in Salt Lake City, Nov. 10-12, along will UCI registered road team representatives.