2012-2013 Cyclocross Nationals Awarded to Madison, Event Moved to January
That’s right folks – we’ve been warning you it was coming and now it’s official. There’s no 2011 official USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships as the event moves to January in 2012 and will be hosted by Madison, Wisconsin. (Come join us in the fall of 2011 as we transform our Wednesday Night Worlds into the 2011 National Championships.) Full press release below.
Colorado Springs, Colo. (October 29, 2010) – USA Cycling is pleased to name Madison, Wisconsin as the host city for the 2012-2013 Cyclocross National Championships.
Additionally, the national governing body announced today that for 2012 and 2013, the event will move from its traditional dates during the second week of December to the first week in January.
Although the United States has held its cyclocross national championships in December for a number of years, the move to January was proposed to better align the event with the international calendar. Additionally, the move will better support the U.S. athletes who are training to compete in the world championships slated for Louisville, Ky. later in January.
USA Cycling originally began the discussion surrounding the date change last year. After a participant survey showed member support for the move, the final decision was confirmed this fall.
“To make sure this decision was in the best interest of our members, we distributed a survey to 2009 Cyclocross National Championship participants,” explained USA Cycling National Events Director Kelli Lusk. “When a large majority came back and said they would support moving the event to January, the decision was made to move the national championships to the UCI-designated weekend.”
Because next season’s national championship will take place in January of 2012 and this season’s is scheduled for December of 2010, there will not be a cyclocross national championship event held during the 2011 calendar year.
12 comments:
So much for enjoying the holidays. For the remaining .0000001% of you that this change will benefit, enjoy the Euro WC and X worlds. Good luck.
WORD!
It's about time. The US needs to get in line with the rest of the world, even if it doesn't satisfy the majority of you crybabies. No one's forcing you to go. If you want the Stars and Stripes, see you there. If you want to be American, stay home and tell Jebus happy birthday. This move will benfit 'cross in a number of ways if you're willing to open your eyes and see outside of your little world. With the calendar currently jam packed, the racing has become diluted. Making the season longer is appropriate and will allow some of these races to have their own date without overlapping with two other events. We might even see the best riders at one race. The only way to extend the season is to move Nationals. And the last time I checked, Nationals wasn't exactly hurting for participants. With everyone getting their 2013 Projects going, this should only make sense. Nationals then Worlds, easy enough. With plenty of real racing up until that time, the good ol USA might even produce a medal. The demand is there. And get over the weather. Do you think they're getting tan on the beach in Europe during 'cross season? Again, you don't have to go. If you get too cold, stay home. This might the move that sees the posers exit the sport early. Maybe Madison won't have 200 rider fields. Maybe we Nationals won't have to have a gay time trial to seed riders. Maybe Nationals can have a normal length course because all the bitchy little girls will be at home watching online. Maybe we won't have useless packfill just looking to have fun. This is hard to fathom, but it looks like USAC made a good decision for a change. Viva le 'Cross!!
WORD!
The only way to improve on the world X level is to live in Europe and become a part of their world of racing. Similar to what our road racers have done for the past two decades. Which is why the U.S. has become road competitive.
Moving a date on the calendar will not make U.S. riders train harder and become more disciplined. Ask yourself this question, what is going to become of U.S. X after 2013? Will our riders live in their system? I want the sport to grow, but the honest answer is no.
Unfortunately, the future will be what has become of the formerly great U.S. Mountain bike program. "The easy road".
Riders will continue to stay in the U.S. to earn easy money and continue to get killed at the world level. Yes, sad...but true.
after 2013 your gonna see a HUGE down turn in the whole cross gig.
sad but true.
Who said anything about training harder and becoming more disciplined? No date on the calendar will do that. But leaving Nationals in December and not having any races after make sense when Worlds are in the US? Some people will love the move and some will hate it. There's no right answer. I see some good points being discussed here, but what does it matter when Nationals are? Can't we enjoy a longer season for the sake of enjoying a longer season? If there weren't two major holidays sandwiched in there, would it even matter? So what if Worlds moves back to another country and continent? The season can still be longer and thrive. Only about 1% of all 'crossers will go to Worlds, but that doesn't keep them from showing up to Nationals. So Worlds goes somewhere else and the season ends when Nationals are over. How is that any different than now? I agree living in Europe is the way to go if you want to kill it, but its also great that the sport has gotten to the point where some Elites can make a living doing it here in the US. And even some of the Euros who come over here don't ride off the front. I guess it'll be a personal choice whether a rider is willing to continue through January. We will lose some and that's ok too.
xmas and new year fall on weekends next yr, if im correct, i may be wrong, For all the few that count around here..Good luck trying to find tune up races around here. Im sure ol Robert wants to set up on those weekends.
I'm "hearing" all the anonymous points and this is most likely the most constructive conversation that this site has had in a while. The problem is this. If the change is to make faster riders, then it won't work because as Anonymous earlier pointed out, you have to "live their scene" to become faster. If the change is to increase popularity (I.E. $ to USA Cycling, which we all know is what our governing body is about), then I believe that the date change will only work south of the Mason-Dixon line. X just isn't "fun" racing in shit weather like the northerners will have in December/January. That is unless you're drunk or stoned. Maybe I'm wrong, but what's the point of lengthening the season in the North when most promoters have a hard time getting more than 30 people to show up at races now once the weather turns? I do agree that it won't matter come 2013 and beyond because not matter what, the decline will come and we'll all blog banter about another useless topic. Peace.
WORD!
this whole post is fine and dandy, and quite positive in all do respect, But in all honesty it only effects about 3 people in our "scene" the rest will continue to do the same thing they always do.
"we'll all blog banter about another useless topic"
Useless to you, but maybe not to some Sir Noble One.
Post a Comment