the Mid-Atlantic Bicycle Racing Association (MABRAcross) released its 2006/07 schedule this week.
A recognized Local Association under the umbrella of USA Cycling, MABRA begins its series with the traditional east-coast curtain raiser, the Charm City Cyclocross, in Baltimore on September 24. New this year is the early scheduling of races - four of the six races take place before the end of daylight savings time - which should make for beautiful weather.
But isn’t the classic vision of cyclocross a cold and rainy day with mud-up-to-your-knees, rather than beautiful weather? MABRAcross series director Chip Sovek, says it doesn’t have to be. “Classic cyclocross weather sucks,” he laughed, “Absolutely, bad weather is part of bike racing, and ‘cross especially - but so are crashes and injuries, and we don’t go looking for those, do we? Being soaked to the bone in 35 degree weather is only romantic when you‘re reading about it.” Besides the better weather, the early schedule has other benefits as well, “Only two of our races have any conflict with local NFL football teams, and there is only one partial conflict with the NFL during daylight savings time when we are trying to establish a spectator base.”
For more information on the MABRAcross series, see their Web site http://mabra.org or contact MABRAcross Media Director Ken Getchell at kenmacpr@yahoo.com.
2006 MABRAcross Schedule
- Sep 24, Baltimore, MD: “Charm City Cyclocross”
- October 1, Buckeystown, MD, (Baltimore and Washington DC Media Markets): “Ed Sander ‘Cross at Lillypons”
- October 7, Hagerstown, MD: “AVC Cyclocross”
- October 14, Carlisle, PA (Harrisburg Media Market): “Iron Cross Lite”
- November 4, Leesburg, VA (Washington DC Media Market): “Squadra Coppi ‘Cross”
- Novemer 5, Eldersburg, MD (Baltimore Media Market): “Race Pace Cross”
