The US Gran Prix of Cyclocross on Monday announced its 2010 schedule and East Coast ‘cross fans find themselves on the losing end.
Most notably in 2010, the Fort Collins Cup in Fort Collins, Colorado, will replace the Mercer Cup, a longtime USGP event in West Windsor, New Jersey. Fort Collins promoter Jason Trujillo signed a three-year agreement to host the USGP, he said.
2010 U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross
Planet Bike Cup Sept. 25-26, Sun Prairie, Wisc.
Derby City Cup Oct. 23-24, Louisville, Ky.
Fort Collins Cup Nov.r 13-14, Fort Collins, Colo.
Stanley Portland Cup Dec. 4-5, Portland, Ore.
Series event director Joan Hanscom was disappointed to leave the Eastern Seaboard this season, but hopeful to return in 2011 with a new event. “We are obviously sorry to have lost our East Coast presence in 2010 but after considerable searching we had been unable to secure a suitable home on the East Coast for the series this year,” said Hanscom. “We will keep searching in earnest with an eye to adding a new East Coast stop on the series in 2011.”
Fort Collins, a new ‘cross hub?
Fort Collins, 60 miles north of Denver, is emerging as a leading cycling community in the U.S. and the move by the USGP this week confirmed that fact. The city employs a full-time bicycle coordinator and will host more than 40 nights of local racing this season, including a popular run of cyclocross races at New Belgium Brewery.
“Fort Collins is already home to USGP cyclocross superstars Meredith Miller, Georgia Gould, and new junior phenom, Skyler Trujillo, so we were very interested in learning more about their community,” said Hanscom. “When I visited with them, I discovered Fort Collins has a very robust cycling community, which has already embraced the event as their own. The venue is tremendous and the energy and support for the event from the City itself is just outstanding.”
Dan Porter, of local cycling Web site yourgroupride.com, said that a group of local ‘cross promoters and riders met with USGP and Convention and Visitors Bureau staff earlier this summer to discuss bringing the event to Fort Collins. “Meredith Miller is on the 2013 worlds committee for Louisville and she got wind that the USGP was looking for a Colorado venue and basically brought to the attention of Joan that we would definitely be interested,” said Porter.