USA Cycling announced, today, host cities and dates for two of its 2011 and 2012 national championships events. Sun Valley, Idaho will host the USA Cycling cross-country mountain bike national championships and Augusta, Georgia will hold the USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite & Paralympic road national championships for the next two years.
USA Cycling Cross Country Mountain Bike National Championships Sun Valley, Idaho — July 14-17, 2011; July 12-15, 2012
In effort to better meet the needs of endurance and gravity athletes alike, USA Cycling will split the cross country and gravity portions of the mountain bike national championships into two separate events beginning in 2011.
The 2011 and 2012 USA Cycling cross-country mountain bike national championships will be held at their own venue in Sun Valley, Idaho. The event will be organized by Breakaway Promotions and will include the Olympic-style cross country, short track cross country and Super D competitions.
“We made the decision to split the disciplines based on member feedback from all types of mountain bikers,” said Kelli Lusk USA Cycling national events director. “This will allow both gravity and cross-country athletes to compete on an ideal course in a setting specifically designed for their needs.”
All categories of racers will duke it out on the trails of Sun Valley for stars-and-stripes jerseys during the UCI-mandated dates of July 14-17, 2011.
“I have traveled the world and the U.S. for races and I live in the Sun Valley area of Idaho because it has some of the best trails I’ve ever ridden as well as welcoming cycling community,” said Rebecca Rusch, three-time 24 hour mountain mike world champion. “I already know this place is world-class and I’m really looking forward to sharing what Idaho has to offer with the best cyclists in the U.S.”
The Sun Valley Ski Resort in Idaho will act as the host venue for both the 2011 and 2012 event. The Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber and Visitors Bureau chose Breakaway Promotions as the race organizer.
“The Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau and the communities of Sun Valley and Ketchum, Idaho provided a very detailed bid and a clear commitment to host the 2011 and 2012 events,” said Lusk. “The combination of an experienced race director, along with the event and marketing knowledge of the Sun Valley Resort and CVB staff, were key to the success of this bid.”
“We worked closely with Breakaway Promotions and Metric Marketing Group and spent hundreds of hours to formulate the successful bid,” explained Carrie Westergard from the Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau. “We are thrilled with the news and are ready to showcase our area’s great riding and the strong mountain bike community.”
More information about the 2011 USA Cycling cross-country mountain bike national championships will be announced in coming months.
"Breakaway Promotions is honored to be selected as the race organizer for the USA Cycling USA Cycling cross-country mountain bike national championships in Sun Valley," said Chad Sperry the race director. “We will create a course and competitive experience that will make this event memorable for every rider.”
The downhill, four-cross, and dual slalom contests will be included with the USA Cycling gravity mountain bike national championships, whose 2011 date and location has yet to be announced.
USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite & Paralympic Road National Championships Augusta, Ga. — June 21-26, 2011; June 18-24, 2012
The city of Augusta, Georgia will host the USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite and Paralympic road national championships for the next two years.
Best known for the Masters Golf Tournament, Augusta also has a rooted history in cycling which began with the hosting of the 1994 USA Cycling masters road national championships and has continued for more than a decade; including hosting several stages of the Tour de Georgia. Other successful “lifestyle sports” competitions on Augusta’s resume are Ironman Triathlons, the 2010 IMBA Summit and Masters Half Marathon Championship events.
“USA Cycling has been quite impressed with the extraordinary job Augusta has done in the past with its Tour de Georgia stages,” said Micah Rice, USA Cycling’s managing director of national events. “We’re confident that this same level of professionalism will be applied to the national championships in 2011 and 2012.”
In Augusta, national titles will be awarded in each category for the road race, criterium, and individual time trial competitions. The 2011 event will take place June 21-26 while the 2012 edition is slated for June 18-24.
More information will be announced about the USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite and Paralympic Road National Championship in coming months.
The USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite and Paralympic road national championships and the USA Cycling cross country mountain bike national championships are the third and fourth 2011 national championship events announced by USA Cycling so far this summer.
They are in addition to the announcement that the USA Cycling marathon mountain bike national championships and the USA Cycling masters road national championships will be held in Bend, Ore for 2011 and 2012.
The remainder of USA Cycling’s 2011 national championship calendar will be announced in coming months.
