Midwesterners take charge at Nationals
On Friday Minnesota's Linda Sone (Hollywood/Silver Cycling) finished
in a strong 2nd place in a fast women's 35-39 race. Dage Selander
(Alan) just missed the podium with a 6th place finish in the 50+ race.
Bob Downs (Planet Bike) made it into the top 15.
On Saturday Sarah Huang (Kenosha Velosport) brought home the national
championship title in the Girls 10-12 race while Katie Antonneau
(IS Nova) and Samantha Schneider (Endeavour) brought home silver medals
in their races. Bjorn Selander (Alan) finished 3rd in his first
year as a U23 racer. Tristan Schouten (Trek/VW/Michelin) was the
top Wisconsin finisher in the Elite Men's race.
On Sunday, in the B Men's 35+ Brian Conant (Training Bible) finished
in 2nd place. Tristan Schouten (Trek/VW/Michelin) raced to a top
10 finish in the Berry Cup.
Strong finishes were put in by all the area riders on a fast course
in Providence, Rhode Island.
Jonathan Page to Ride Nationals
December 13, 2006
Jonathan Page is planning to race in the National Championships this
Saturday in Providence, RI. This will be his first race after
dislocating his shoulder in a spill during the warm-up of the first
World Cup race in Aigle, Switzerland, this past October. His return to
racing was not expected until mid-January, but the former national champ
will be arriving stateside this Friday. Page has been training on the
road for a few weeks now, and has had some training in Switzerland as
well. Jonathan is without a team for 2007, and would like to have a good
result to ensure his cyclocross career can continue. Page was second in
last year’s nationals.
Courtesy of Cyclo-cross.info.
Midwestern Racer Dinner
Interested in getting together with other riders from the area in
Providence for Nationals? Would dinner at about 7pm on Saturday
night work? If so,
email and I will try to coordinate a gathering if there is
interest.. Angelo's
Italian restaurant seems like an affordable option and is only a 1/2
mile from the Westin. That is nice and walkable for those staying
at the host hotel.
City of Providence and the Westin Providence prepare
to host California Giant Berry Farms Nationals
November 19, 2006
Cyclo-cross returns to the City of Providence in December when thousands
of racers, fans, and spectators descend upon the Westin Providence and
Roger Williams Park for a weekend of world-class bike racing.
What makes it world-class could be the roster of top-level racing talent
arriving from points scattered about the country; or it could be the
Westin Hotel and its touted "efficient service" (efficiency IS, after
all, the language of cyclists); or it could be the city that is home to
Johnson & Wales, RISD, and Brown, whose academic influences ripple
throughout the city's remarkable restaurants, public art displays and
even the Mayor's office. When the 2006 California Giant Berry Farms USA
Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships take place the weekend of
December 15-17, you can bet that the experience will be nothing short of
sensational.
"The City of Providence is thrilled to once again host the Cal Giant
Cyclocross Nationals," said Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline. "Last
year, the excitement of the sport won our city over with a tremendous
weekend of competition for our legions of winter sports fans. We eagerly
anticipate the return of world-class athletes and another festival of
premium cyclocross."
Roger Williams Park will once again become the make-or-break
battleground for national champions to defend or lose the
Stars-and-Stripes jersey. Current national champions Todd Wells, his
brother, Troy, Katie Compton, Dale Knapp, and Maureen Bruno-Roy (among
others) will need to hold off attacks from opponents, some of whom may
have an axe to grind following poor performances at last year's event.
When the day is done, racers and their supporters, friends and fans can
retire to the plush trappings of the Westin Providence.
"We're trying to create the experience like you're arriving home," said
Cullen McKain, sales manager at the Westin Providence. "We have a custom
scent called 'White Tea' that helps guests to relax, restore and
rejuvenate when they arrive through the front doors. For weary cyclists,
we also have an indoor pool overlooking the city on the eighth floor
plus there's a hot tub in the pool area overlooking the city skyline.
Better yet, the Westin is the first hotel nationwide to become 100
percent smoke-free, which should ease cyclists' tension even more."
Rooms are still available at the Westin Providence at special rates
exclusive to the 2006 Cal Giant Cross Nats. Information is available by
visiting http://www.cyclocrossnationals.com/lodging.htm Be advised that
rooms are selling out quickly.
For general hotel information
For things to see and do in Providence, visit: www.providenceri.com or
Providence Warwick
Convention and Visitors Bureau
About The Westin Providence:
Located in the center of one of New England's most historically
significant cities, The Westin Providence offers much more than just a
place to rest your head. Within walking distance of world-class
shopping, theatre, major sporting events, historical sights, and an
array of local attractions, The Westin Providence is itself a landmark
of warm hospitality and luxurious accommodations.
About California Giant Berry Farms:
California Giant Berry Farms grows and ships over 14 million trays of
berries annually. From its nurseries to state-of-the-art cooling
facilities, the family-owned company controls every aspect of its
strawberry production to ensure superior quality and supply to its
customers. Based in Watsonville, California, California Giant produces
strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. The company's
operation encompasses all aspects of growing, handling and shipping of
fresh berries. The management and employees know the future depends on
the actions of today and places concerns for the environment, food
safety, excellent quality and service at the core of their business. For
more information visit www.calgiant.com.
About Roger Williams Park:
Known as the 'Jewel of Providence,' the award-winning Roger Williams
Park attracts more than 2 million visitors per year. Cited by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's premier
urban parks, Roger Williams Park was designed by Horace Cleveland. Roger
Williams Park is located just south of downtown Providence, the capital
of Rhode Island.
About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste
Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 60,000
members and 2,500 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 Marketing and Communications, Andy
Lee at 719-866-4867.
About the New England Cyclo-cross Association:
The New England Cyclo-cross Association is the committee formed
specifically to promote the 2006 California Giant Berry Farms USA
Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships. Headquartered in Lexington,
Mass., the core members of this committee have experience promoting five
national championships and dozens of national caliber events. |
US Cyclo-cross champs start this weekend
December 12, 2006
The 2006 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships will kick off
this weekend with a record-breaking 1,940 entrants. Held for the second
year at Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island, riders will
fight for 28 national titles.
As a testament to the ever-increasing popularity of the sport in the
U.S. The entry numbers represent a 14-percent increase over the 2005
edition US Cyclo-cross Championships and a 41-percent growth compared to
2004.
Racing starts Friday with 14 master national championships. Saturday
will include junior racing, the U23 and collegiate women's events, the
U23 men's contest and the elite men's race. Competition will close
Sunday with the collegiate men's and elite women's races. Two
non-national championship categories - the class-B events and the
Pro-Elite Cup - will also be contested Sunday.
Defending elite and two-time Cyclo-cross National Champion Todd Wells
(GT/Hyundai) will face US National MTB Cross-Country Champion Ryan
Trebon (Kona). Trebon recently dominated the US field by winning the
2006 U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross series (USGP). USGP overall runner-up
Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) will also present Wells
with some tough competition, as will perennial 'cross powerhouses Adam
Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant) Mark McCormack (Foxboro, Mass./Clif Bar), Barry
Wicks (Corvallis, Ore./Kona), and three-time National Champion Jonathan
Page (Cervelo). Page is normally the dominator in US Cyclo-cross
National Championships races but the rider from the Northeast who
focuses on European competition has been sidelined with a shoulder
injury and his form is unseen. So even though Wells is the defending
champ, a top-ten finish for Trebon at last weekend's Superprestige in
Belgium suggests he will be marked as the man to beat.
Two-time winner and defending elite women's National Champion Katie
Compton (Spike/Primus Mootry) will face an 81-rider field. To take the
win for a third year in a row, she'll need to be stronger than other
primary contenders like Ann Knapp (Seattle, Wash./Kona), Dorothy Wong
(Altadena, Calif./Figueroa Farms-Redline-MS Society) and Georgia Gould
(Ketchum, Idaho/Luna), who is the reigning Mountain Bike National
Champion and second-place finisher in this year's USGP Series.
Event Schedule
Friday, December 15
7:30: Open Course
8:30: Master Women (40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55+)
9:30: Master Men (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+)
10:30: Master Women (30-34, 35-39)
11:30: Master Men (45-49)
12:30: Open Course, Awards
13:00: Master Men (40-44)
14:00: Master Men (35-39)
15:00: Master Men (30-34)
16:00: Closed Course, Awards
Saturday, December 16
7:30: Open Course
8:30: Junior Women (Under 12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18)
9:30: Junior Men (10-12, 13-14, 15-16)
10:30: Women (U23, Collegiate)
11:30: Junior Men (17-18)
12:30: Open Course, Awards
13:00: Men (U23)
14:00: Elite Men
15:00: Closed Course, Awards
Sunday, December 17
7:30: Open Course
8:30: Women Category B
9:30: Men U35 Category B Race
10:30: Men 35+ Category B Race
11:30: Men (Collegiate)
13:00: The Giant Strawberry Cup
14:00: Elite Women
15:00: Closed Course, Awards
The Westin Providence Extends Special Event Room Rates
until Dec. 7
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (November 30, 2006) The Westin Providence has
graciously increased availability and extended the deadline until
December 7 for its special event room rates for the 2006 California
Giant Berry Farms USA Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships. So far
the Westin has sold out f rooms set aside exclusively for the
event and has deemed it necessary to add to an already brimming number
of rooms earmarked for the weekend.
"The Westin recognized the enormous popularity of the event," said Lyle
Fulkerson, operations director. "The response has been well beyond
expectations and as a result, the Westin approved an extension of rates
contracted especially to accommodate racers for this national
championship event."
Rooms at the special event rate are selling quickly and are available
based on first come, first serve. For more information, visit
http://www.cyclocrossnationals.com/lodging.htm |
