Cyclo-cross season gets into full swing this weekend with UCI C2 events in three different regions. On the west coast, the new North American Cyclo-cross Trophy (NACT) kicks off in Washington State. The midwest season opens with the KTR Michigan Double 'Cross, while the popular Mid-Atlantic series starts in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania with the Nittany Lion 'Cross.
Most of the North American 'cross stars will be in Redmond, Washington for the FSA Star Crossed and Rad Racing GP, the first events of the eight-race NACT - a new series which adds $7,000 in series bonus prizes to four already lucrative weekends of racing. Current US champion Tim Johnson (Cyclo-crossworld.com/Cannondale) will face off against the 2006 champion, Ryan Trebon (Kona) and '05 champion Todd Wells (GT).
Wells is in superb form after representing the USA at the Beijing Olympic Games in mountain biking. He took fifth in the cross-country race at the the Canberra MTB World Cup last month. Current National Cross Country Champ Another mountain biker who could upset the 'cross specialists is Adam Craig (Giant), who took eighth in last weekend's MTB World Cup in Austria.
Former Star Crossed winners and Carl Decker (Giant) and Andy Jacques-Maynes (Specialized/KMC p/b California Giant Berry) have confirmed attendance along with Joachim Parbo who is two-time Danish National Cyclo-cross Champion.
For up to date and race information go to www.starcrossedcx.com and www.radracingnw.org/rrnwcross.php
Jonathan Page, the top-ranked American on the UCI circuit, will opt for the KTR Michigan Double-Cross, Michigan's only UCI Cyclo-cross event. Page won both days of racing at last year's event. The race takes place at the Springfield Oaks County Park in Davisburg, Michigan. After the race, Kinetic Systems will be hosting a post race party / Q & A session with Page and some of the other top professionals.
For those on the east coast, the Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-cross series will kick off in the region's cycling mecca, the Lehigh Valley, with the Nittany Lion 'Cross.
