Colorado Springs, Colorado — The United States will once again host more top-level cyclocross races than any other nation in the world with 49 events slated for the 2011-12 United States International Cyclocross Calendar (USICX). The USICX, a new domestic cyclocross calendar comprised of top quality, UCI-inscripted events, begins this Saturday, Sept. 10 with the Nittany Lion Cross in Brenigsville, Pa.
The USA Cycling Cyclocross National Calendar (CXNC) will now be comprised of non-UCI sanctioned, national-level events. All cyclocross events wishing to attain UCI inscription and be a part of the USICX must be a part of the CXNC for a minimum of one year. The 2011-12 CXNC is set to be released shortly.
The 49-competition calendar features 15 multi-day events across the country before concluding with the 2012 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Madison, Wisc. from Jan. 4-8. Three officially recognized UCI cyclocross series are included in the USICX. Those three series are: The U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross (USGP), Cross After Dark and The New England Professional Cyclo-cross Series (NEPCX).
The calendar also has three new events: Gateway Cross Cup on Sept. 21 in St. Louis, Mo., Spooky Cross on Oct. 15-16 in Irvine, Calif. and Chicago Cyclocross Cup New Year’s Resolution in Bloomingdale, Ill. on Dec. 31-Jan. 1.
The USICX also consists of 10 races inscripted by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as Category 1 contests. The first one is Cross Vegas on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas, Nev. Each of the four USGP races are Category 1 competitions. The remaining five Category 1 races are: The Gran Prix of Gloucester in Gloucester, Mass. on Oct. 1, Providence Cyclo-cross in Providence, R.I. on Oct. 8, Victory Circle Graphix Boulder Cup in Boulder, Colo. on Oct. 30, Harbin Park International in Fairfield, Ohio on Nov. 6 and Jingle Cross Rock in Iowa City, Iowa on Nov. 27.
While elite men and women will be ranked following each of the 49 events, eight will include UCI-inscripted junior men’s races. The junior men will contest the Granogue Cross in Wilmington, Del. on Oct. 15-16, Java Johnny’s Lionhearts International in Middletown, Ohio on Nov. 5, Harbin Park in Fairfield, Ohio on Nov. 6, USGP of Cyclocross Derby City Cup in Louisville, Ky. on Nov. 12-13 and the USGP of Cyclocross Portland Cup in Bend, Ore. on Dec. 10-11. The Rohrbach’s Ellison Park Cyclocross on Sept. 26, in Rochester, N.Y. will include a UCI-inscripted U23 men’s race. Competitors of the elite, junior or U23 levels are scheduled to contest the 2012 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships.
