Chrono Kristin Armstrong attracts top North American time triallists

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As the only stand-alone UCI individual time trial in the US, the Chrono Kristin Armstrong offers a unique opportunity for the American domestic racing circuit. As such, the UCI 1.2 race has attracted some of the top riders from the North American scene for its debut on July 13 in Boise, Idaho.

The inaugural race takes place the day before the long-running Boise Twilight Criterium, one of the stops on Cyclingnews' own Bell Lap series. Both races are part of the 2018 USA Cycling Pro Road Tour calendar.

A host of newly crowned North American champions will be on hand, including US elite women’s individual time trial champion Amber Neben (PX4 Sports) and U23 champion Emma White (Rally Cycling). From Canada, 2018 U23 champion Adam Roberge (Silber Pro Cycling) and silver medalist Nickolas Zukowsky (Silber) have also confirmed attendance.

"I am looking forward to competing in the Chrono Kristin Armstrong," Neben said. "I think it's great to see a stand-alone UCI time trial event in the USA, and I'm excited to support it. It is also a unique opportunity for time-trial specialists of all ages and levels to race on the same course and day. It should be exciting."

Current Team Pursuit world champions and Rio Olympic silver medalists Chloé Dygert (Twenty20) and Kelly Catlin (Rally Cycling) have also confirmed participation, along with Canadian Olympic silver medalist Jasmin Duehring (Twenty20).

Other riders planning to toe the line include 2016 junior world champion and 2017 U23 silver medalist Brandon McNulty (Rally Cycling), two-time Romanian time trial champion Serghei Tvetkov (UnitedHealthcare) and 21-year-old Gage Hecht (Aevolo Cycling), who recently finished fifth at the US Pro time trial.

Tvetcov said he was looking forward to returning to Boise for the race.

"I have two victories in North America in the TT,” he said. “My first team was based in Boise in 2012, and I like the roads up there. It is not totally sea level and it is not super-high elevation, so it will be tricky to find balance with power during the race. This is going to be a challenging race."

Named after Boise's own multi-time world champion and three-time Olympic gold medallist, the Chrono Kristin Armstrong features a 23km course that starts outside of Boise in Star, Idaho, and finishes on the Firebird Raceway – a well-known drag-racing facility. The course includes rolling terrain, steep-pitched grades and long straightaways. The finish will take the riders onto the drag strip for their final 400m.

“As we get closer to the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, having international events such as the Chrono Kristin Armstrong becomes important for athlete and country qualification,” Armstrong said. ”One year from now, UCI points will begin accumulating: the more points for the country, the more start positions they will receive. Each country will have their own Olympic qualification criteria that will roll out in early 2019, which typically weighs heavily on UCI points and world rankings."

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