The 2016 Rochester Cyclocross UCI races this weekend move to a spectacular new venue, but fans of the previous iterations shouldn’t worry that the new Genesee Valley Park will be boring or flat. Instead, the course has quite a bit of vertical, plus challenging new features in the woods should please spectators and racers alike. See the full details and photos of what’s in store this weekend in the release below.
A fair bit has been buzzed about the new venue for Rochester Cyclocross. Most of the gossip has centered around the fact that the old course had this epic hill, so how in the world could this new place be any comparison. It’s been said but it bears repeating, it’s not going to be flat.
A bit about the park’s illustrious history. Genesee Valley Park was designed by the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in 1888. Over the years, the park has evolved and is home to some large events and tons of recreational activities.
Genesee Valley Park is a picture-perfect cyclocross venue. photo: Patrick Breen
There’s a road that cuts through the middle and as one would expect, the road is flat. Thousands of people play kickball in the park every summer, while thousands of others ride the paths through and enjoy the Erie Canal path system and the park’s many shelters and amenities. But the park has a lot of elevation changes that provide the perfect backdrop for a super fun course with a lot of variety.
The park has a number of steep embankments—some are part of the natural pastoral terrain of the park. Scott Page has made these grassy embankments into a roller coaster-like section with punchy little climbs and descents that are so much fun, you just might forget you’re racing cyclocross. But you probably won’t forget, because there are challenges at every turn.
The 2016 Rochester Cyclocross UCI Weekend has plenty of vertical and some “natural” barriers to add intrigue. photo: courtesy
Other embankments take advantage of the bridges that make it possible for the Erie Canal to bisect the park. These embankments are super steep and allow for some really challenging run-ups.
The views throughout Genesee Valley Park are spectacular, and the bridges will be paired with steep run-ups. photo: Matt DeTurk
Ask any of the folks who previewed the course back in July and they’ll tell you, these run-ups will put your skills to the test. Thankfully, Page isn’t a complete sadist and did use about 250 meters of pavement to give riders a little break.
The woods brings both shade, fun and challenge for amateurs and pros alike. The 2016 Rochester Cyclocross UCI Weekend has plenty of vertical and some “natural” barriers to add intrigue. photo: courtesy
The hidden gem of this course is the woods section. Built specifically for this event, it includes a lot of fun and challenging obstacles, off cambers, turns and log-overs. This will definitely be a popular spot for spectators and novice riders to camp out watching the pros to cheer them and see what lines they select.
The 2016 Rochester Cyclocross UCI Weekend has plenty of vertical and some “natural” barriers to add intrigue. photo: courtesy
Riders who came to Rochester before may remember the Belgian Staircase—which lives on in Genesee Valley Park along with a few more surprise features that Full Moon Vista is pleased to put on display during the races!
The 2016 Rochester Cyclocross UCI Weekend has plenty of vertical and some “natural” barriers to add intrigue. photo: courtesy
For Page and the crew at Full Moon Vista Productions, the venue provides better facilities that allow them to stage a first-class event with greater ease and all of the amenities. For spectators, they’ll enjoy convenient parking, clear sightlines and better arrangement of all of the pieces and parts that make this more than just a cross race, this is an event. The park has a huge shelter known as the Roundhouse that is home to registration for all racers, a media center, medical, elite athlete awards prep, a coffee stand and the awards stand.
Food trucks and a huge beer garden are conveniently located near the start finish area too. Lastly, Pro teams finally have an actual parking lot to bring in their rigs and regional riders can set up camp in Club Row – in an easily accessible area. Simply put, Genesee Valley Park is the perfect home for Rochester Cyclocross and Full Moon Vista can’t wait to show it off!
See a map of the new Rochester Cyclocross venue, the Genessee Valley Park, below:
GeneseeValleyPark
More info: rochestercyclocross.com
