2015 Cyclocross National Championships, Singlespeed Women. © Cyclocross Magazine
Report from USA Cycling:
AUSTIN, Texas (Jan. 9, 2015) – USA Cycling announced Friday that Hartford, Conn., and Reno, Nev., have been awarded the 2017 and 2018 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, respectively, which will be the 43rd and 44th installments of the annual championships.
The announcement came following Friday’s competition at the 2015 Cyclo-cross National Championships in Austin, Texas.
“The Cyclo-cross National Championships are the pinnacle of cyclo-cross racing in the United States each year,” said Micah Rice, USA Cycling Vice President of National Events. “Going from the East in 2017 to the West in 2018 with Hartford and Reno is indicative of how quickly the sport is spreading from coast to coast, and these two cities will do an excellent job of helping us crown the best in the sport in the coming years.”
Hartford’s Riverside Park will play host to the 2017 National Championships in January, which is sure to bring an arctic New England chill that is a welcomed challenge at the top cyclo-cross event of the year.
“The USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships is an exciting first for Connecticut, and Hartford’s selection is the result of a great partnership between the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program, Riverfront Recapture, the city of Hartford and the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau,” said Bob Murdock, the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau’s Director of Sports Marketing. “Our state capital’s Riverside Park is a prime venue for this dynamic winter sports event and offers many design options for a challenging course that will satisfy thrill-seeking competitors and spectators alike. We look forward to welcoming cycling enthusiasts from all over the nation in two short years from now.”
The competition moves west in January 2018 to Reno and Rancho San Rafael County Park, where high altitudes and difficult terrain will test the most skilled cyclo-cross competitors in America.
“As a destination, we could not be more excited to host an elite event such as USA Cycling’s Cyclo-cross Nationals,” said Shelli Fine, Director of Sports Development, Reno Tahoe USA. “With our combination of world-class entertainment and hotels, all in such close proximity to the cyclo-cross venue, we are uniquely poised to execute one of the finest cyclo-cross events to date. The cycling community in Reno is abuzz with anticipation and enthusiasm. We’re thrilled and honored and can’t wait to begin planning this prestigious event.”
The 2016 USA Cycling National Championships are slated for Asheville, N.C., next January.
