Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) wins CrossVegas for the third time(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
World champion Sven Nys (Crelan-Euphony) wins CrossVegas on a solo breakaway(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
It is looking more and more likely that the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup 2015/2016 season will kick off with an event in Las Vegas, Gazet van Antwerpen reports. "It is now certain that Las Vegas will be part of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup," UCI coordinator Peter Van Den Abeele said.
CrossVegas organiser Brook Watts told Cyclingnews, "I will only confirm that discussions about CrossVegas becoming a World Cup that began in 2008 are ongoing today albeit at a much faster pace and more serious tone."
The UCI cyclo-cross commission and athlete representative Sven Nys have been working on ways to globalise 'cross, and it was long rumored that CrossVegas would make its World Cup debut this season. However, that will be postponed for another year.
Watts seemed optimistic that the race would be included in the 2015/2016 calendar, and is actively seeking sponsorship for this year's edition and the future.
"CrossVegas has proved it is a world class race worthy of a spot among other events like the World Cup, Superprestige or BPost series races in Europe. We continue to work toward a goal of globalizing our sport and look forward to being a part of that for many years.
"At this time our energies are concentrated toward staging a successful 2014 event including the introduction today of a new sponsorship webpage, and working with the team in Cincinnati to present the first Pan-American 'Cross Championships."
CrossVegas is going to be the first World Cup race outside of Europe. The upcoming season will see the first UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup round outside of continental Europe in Milton Keynes, Great Britain.
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The 2014/2015 World Cup season starts in Valkenburg on October 19, followed by Koksijde on November 22, Milton Keynes on November 29, Namur on December 21, Heusden-Zolder on December 26. The last two races: Roubaix (January 18) and Hoogerheide (January 25) will precede the World Championships in Tabor on January 31 and February 1.
In 2013 Sven Nys won the men's event in Las Vegas while Katerina Nash was victorious in the women's race. This year's Cross Vegas is set to take place on the 10th of September.
Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.
