Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) ready to defend her jersey on the last stage. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
USA Cycling rolled out its revamped national calendars today, revealing a slimmed-down National Racing Calendar, stripped of the major criteriums, which have been assembled into a National Criterium Calendar.
In the 16th year for the NRC, men will have six and women will have eight events in a road race and stage race-only format. The series begins as usual with the Redlands Bicycle Classic in March, then moves to Arkansas for the Joe Martin Stage Race in April, Tour of the Gila in May and the women-only Liberty Classic in June.
The Nature Valley Grand Prix and Cascade Classic follow in June and July. The men's Tour of Elk Grove, a UCI 2.1 event in 2012, is not on the NRC calendar, but the women's component is, as is the women-only Aspen Snowmass Stage Race.
The men-only Univest Grand Prix in Pennsylvania closes out the NRC.
The National Criterium Calendar, in contrast, is rich with 19 events, including the multi-day USA Crits Speedweek, Tulsa Tough, Tour of Americas Dairyland, Air Force Classic and Chris Thater Memorial as well as all of the major one-day criteriums across the nation.
The decision to split the calendar into two series was announced earlier this year.
"Criterium racing is a discipline dominated by riders whose skill sets differ from those who dominate longer-format road races," said USA Cycling's Managing Director of Events, Micah Rice. "We're excited to give this uniquely American discipline, as well as its top competitors, a chance to shine on its own."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
2012 National Racing Calendar
March 22-25: Redlands Bicycle Classic (2.2), Redlands, CA – men and women April 26-29: Joe Martin Stage Race p/b Nature Valley (2.3), Fayetteville, AR – men and women May 2-6: SRAM Tour of the Gila (2.2), Silver City, NM – men and women June 3: Liberty Classic (1.HC) – Philadelphia, PA - women June 13-17: Nature Valley Grand Prix (2.1), MN - men and women July 17-22: Cascade Classic Stage Race (2.2), Bend, OR – men and women Aug. 3-5: Tour of Elk Grove (2.3), IL – women only Aug. 21-23: Aspen/Snowmass Pro Women's Race (2.5.2), Aspen, CO – women only Sept. 15: Univest Grand Prix (1.HC), Souderton, PA – men only
2012 National Criterium Calendar
March 31: Cigar City Brewing Criterium (1.4), Tampa, FL – men only April 14: Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium (1.1), Charlotte, NC - men and women April 21: Sunny King Criterium (1.3), Anniston, AL – men and women May 4-6: USA CRITS Speedweek (2.5.2), SC and GA – men and women May 6: Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling (1.2), Dana Point, CA – men only May 12: Tour de Grove (1.2), St. Louis, MO – men and women May 19: Wilmington Grand Prix (1.3), Wilmington, DE – men and women May 28: Tour of Somerville (1.2), Somerville, NJ – men only May 31: Base Camp International p/b Verizon Wireless (1.3), Basking Ridge, NJ – men only June 2: Glencoe Grand Prix (1.3), Glencoe, IL – men and women June 8-10: Saint Francis Tulsa Tough (2.5.1), Tulsa, OK – men and women June 9-10: Air Force Cycling Classic (2.5.1), Arlington, VA – men and women June 17: Harlem Skyscraper Criterium (1.4), Manhattan, NY – men only June 28-July 1: Tour of America's Dairyland (2.5.2), WI – men and women July 8: Manhattan Beach Grand Prix (1.2), Manhattan Beach, CA – men only July 14: Exergy Twilight Criterium (1.2), Boise, ID – men and women July 28: Herman Miller Grand Cycling Classic (1.2), Grand Rapids, MI – women only Aug. 25-26: Chris Thater Memorial (1.2), Binghampton, NY - men and women Sept. 23: TD Bank Mayors Cup (1.4), Boston, MA – men and women
