2006 National Racing Calendar announced

2005 Women's NRC Champion, Tina Pic (Photo: Casey B. Gibson)

Colorado Springs, Colo. (November 15, 2005)—USA Cycling announced its 2006 National Racing Calendar (NRC) today. Heading into its 10th season, the NRC features 45 events in 2006 and represents a collection of the most prestigious road cycling events on American soil.

The 2006 National Racing Calendar brings with it several changes, most notably the relocation of USA Cycling’s USPRO Road Championships.

After 21 years in Philadelphia, the cornerstone of one-day, professional-level cycling in the United States heads to Greenville, S.C. where an American-only field will compete for the title of USPRO Champion on Sept. 2 at The Cliffs USA Cycling Professional Championships powered by Charter.

Also new on the calendar is the inaugural USPRO Time Trial Championships. Scheduled for Aug. 31, the pro-only event will be the first of its kind in the United States and will also be held in Greenville.

The 2006 NRC opens with another major addition as the Amgen Tour of California, a new eight-day UCI-sanctioned stage race kicks off the season Feb. 19-26. The first-year event has already formally announced the participation of eight European and American-based squads and is shaping up to be one of the marquee events on the 2006 calendar.

The Tour de Georgia returns for its fourth year and has been granted the highest possible status from the cycling’s international governing body. Labeled with a category 2.HC rating in 2006, the Tour de Georgia will continue to attract several major international teams as the benchmark for stage racing in the United States.

Another major change was the previously announced relocation of USA Cycling’s National Road Festival. After two years in Park City, Utah, the two-week cycling festival that crowns national champions in junior, U23, elite and master categories is moving east to the Pittsburgh area as Seven Springs resort in nearby Champion, Pa. will host the event July 5-17.

In all, nine events on the 2006 NRC are expected to be UCI-sanctioned including the Tour of California, the Tour de Georgia, the Wachovia Cycling Series events in Lancaster, Pa., Trenton, N.J. and Philadelphia, the USA Cycling National Road Festival, the Barclay’s Global Investor’s Grand Prix, and the Univest Grand Prix.

The Wachovia Liberty Classic is the sole women’s UCI-sanctioned event on the 2006 NRC.

USA Cycling welcomes five new events as the Tour of California, the Raleigh Twilight Criterium, the Snow Valley Grand Prix of Bethesda, the Saturn Rochester Twilight Criterium and the Parker Mainstreet Omnium make their NRC debut in 2006.

USA Cycling created the NRC in 1997 to create a streamlined circuit of pro-level road cycling events in the United States. With a ranking system and point structure, the NRC determines the top domestic individuals and athletes. In 2005, Health Net presented by Maxxis’ Scott Moninger (Boulder, Colo.) and Quark’s Tina Pic (Dahlonega, Ga.) earned the individual crowns while Health Net presented by Maxxis and T-Mobile earned the men’s and women’s team titles respectively.

2006 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar:

Bold – UCI-Sanctioned
* New Events to the NRC

2/19-2/26: AMGEN Tour of California – California*
3/4: McLane Pacific Downtown Grand Prix - Merced, Calif.
3/5: McLane Pacific Downtown Road Race - Merced, Calif.
3/10-3/12: Central Valley Classic - Fresno, Calif.
3/24-3/26: Redlands Bicycle Classic - Redlands, Calif.
4/2: Garrett Lemire - Ojai, Calif.
4/8: Sea Otter Classic - Monterey, Calif.
4/8: Jacksonville Cycling Classic - Jacksonville, Fla.
4/18-4/23: Tour de Georgia – Georgia
4/29: Athens Twilight Criterium - Athens, Ga.
4/30: Nalley Roswell Criterium - Cumming, Ga.
5/3-5/7: Tour of the Gila - Silver City, N.M.
5/5: Raleigh Twilight Criterium - Raleigh, N.C.*
5/6: Sunny King Criterium - Anniston, Ala.
5/12-5/14: Joe Martin Stage Race - Fayetteville, Ark.
5/19- 5/21: Tri-Peaks Challenge - Russellville, Ark.
5/19-5/21: Tour of Connecticut - Connecticut
5/27: Bikejam/Kelly Cup - Baltimore, Md.
5/25: Captech Classic - Richmond, Va.
5/28: Snow Valley Grand Prix of Bethesda - Arlington, Va.*
5/29: Tour of Somerville - Somerville, N.J.
5/31-6/4: Mt Hood Cycling Classic - Hood River, Ore.
6/3: CSC Invitational - Arlington, Va.
6/4: Wachovia Cycling Series-Lancaster - Lancaster, Pa.
6/8: Wachovia Cycling Series-Trenton - Trenton, N.J.
6/11: Wachovia Cycling Series-Philadelphia - Philadelphia, Pa.
6/11: Wachovia Liberty Classic - Philadelphia, Pa.
6/14-6/18: Nature Valley GP - Minnesota
6/22-6/24: Tour de Nez - Reno, Nev.
6/24: Saturn Rochester Twilight Criterium - Rochester, N.Y.*
6/29-7/2: Fitchburg Longsjo Stage Race - Fitchburg, Mass.
7/5-7/17: USAC Road Festival (Elite only) - Champion, Pa.
7/12-7/16: Columbia River Bank Cascade Cycling Classic - Cascade, Ore.
7/22: Wells Fargo Twilight Criterium - Boise, Idaho
7/24-7/30: The International Tour de ‘Toona - Altoona, Pa.
8/5: Bank of America Invitational Criterium - Charlotte, N.C.
8/13: Manhattan Beach GP - Manhattan Beach, Calif.
8/19 -8/20: USCF/USPRO - Criterium Championships - Downers Grove, Ill.
8/26-8/27: Chris Thater Memorial - Binghamton, N.Y.
8/31: The Cliffs USA Cycling Professional Championships powered by Charter (TT) - Greenville, S.C.
9/2: The Cliffs USA Cycling Professional Championships powered by Charter (RR) - Greenville, S.C.
9/4: US100K Classic - Atlanta, Ga.
9/10: Barclays Global Investors Grand Prix - San Francisco, Calif.
9/16: Univest Grand Prix - Souderton, Pa.
9/15-9/17: Parker Mainstreet Omnium - Parker, Colo.*

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 54,000 members and 2,000 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization (professional men’s road). For more information visit www.usacycling.org or contact, USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867.

This Article Published 2005-11-15 14:30:02 For more information contact: