The granddaddy of all US professional stage races will wake from its annual slumber July 16-21 when the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic mounts up for its 34th run. The six-day race in this Central Oregon cycling hotbed is the longest-running stage race in the US and fills the penultimate spot on USA Cycling's National Race Calendar for both the men and the women.
As a lead up to the August onslaught at the tours of Elk Grove and Utah, followed by the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado and September's inaugural Tour of Alberta, the Cascade Cycling Classic serves as a prime starting block for domestic men hoping to do well in those UCI races, while the women are making their final cases for inclusion on USA Cycling's world championship squad. Both men's and women's Cascade fields are stacked with top-notch talent.
