Kathy Sarvary repeats as World Champion at 2009 Masters Worlds. © Joe Sales
Updated: UCI reverses decision to cancel masters worlds and will bring back the race to Mol in 2010 and put the 2011-2013 race location up for bid.
This is not the year to plan that trip to Mol, Belgium to try your chance at the blue and rainbow-striped Masters World Champion jersey. The race has been held in Mol, Belgium for over ten years, but the contract is over and the race will not continue in 2010.
It’s bittersweet news for Kathy Sarvary, the only current World Champion in cyclocross from the States. The New Englander can now proudly wear her jersey for a third year without having to defend the title. But for the growing contingent of U.S. ‘cross racers, it’s just bitter.
Is it too late for an resourceful, innovative U.S. race promoter to convince the UCI to schedule the 2010 race in the United States? Domestic racers here will certainly fill the fields like never before. We know late-season race series such as Santa Cruz’s Peak Season series could pull off a major coup. The small, January-focused race series has favorable weather, former National Champions and current Masters National Champs participants, international music via a cyclocross-loving mariachi band, world-class spectators and a fairgrounds venue that has hosted the USGP. We can hope.
Stay tuned as we bring you more details of this disappointing breaking news. Bumming? Got some great ideas? Drop a comment below. Know someone who was thinking of going? Pass this story along.
You heard it on Cyclocross Magazine first.
