BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – Riders from all around the world will converge on New England, the epicenter of American cyclocross, for the second edition of the Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series. The series will include races held in four of the most prestigious U.S. venues: Gloucester, Providence, Northampton and Warwick.
This series grew from the prestigious Verge Series to accommodate the explosive popularity of this sport in New England in recent years. A total of eight days of racing over four weekends has historically drawn racers from among the top levels of cycling nationally and internationally. The competition, amidst some of the most scenic racing venues in the country, attracts crowds to spectate world-class athletes competing for series points and a total $10,000 cash purse. Riders from Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Great Britain, France, Hungary, Italy and other countries are expected to compete against America’s best.
“We have the best venues, the best markets, the best courses, and the biggest overall cash purse of any UCI series in North America,” says Richard Fries, announcer and race organizer of the Shimano New England Professional Cyclocross Series.
Two UCI Category 1 races on September 29 and October 6 are certain to bring some of the best cyclocross racers to compete for valuable UCI points in addition to series points. Last year’s races saw wins from some of the best in the world: Swiss National cyclocross champion Christian Heule, US National cyclocross champion Jeremy Powers, British National cyclocross champion Helen Wyman, former Olympian and USA Cross Country Mountain Bike National Champion Mary McConneloug, with Heule and the Northeast’s own Laura Van Gilder taking the series wins.
The Gran Prix of Gloucester kicks off the series on September 29 & 30 along the gorgeous seaside along the North Shore of Boston, with some of the biggest names in US cyclocross coming to historic Stage Fort Park.
The Holy Week of New England cyclocross will culminate the following weekend, October 6 & 7, with the Providence Cyclocross Festival bringing the best in bike racing to the storied venue of Roger Williams Park, which was the site of the 2005 and 2006 national championships.
The series will visit Northampton, Massachusetts, where racers will enjoy the classic New England racing at Look Park with Cycle-Smart International on November 3 & 4, the oldest UCI cyclocross race in the US.
The grand finale unfolds at Goddard Park in Warwick, Rhode Island as the final points are tallied in the competition to determine the series winners at the NBX Gran Prix of Cyclocross on December 1 & 2, as the racers face a supremely challenging course.
For more series information and to follow the action as it unfolds, follow @NEproCX on Twitter and visit www.NEPCX.com.
