VN news ticker: Rob DeMartini leaves USA Cycling for Purple Innovation, USA Cycling announces dates, locations of 10 national championship events
Here's what's making headlines on Tuesday, December 14.
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Rob DeMartini leaves USA Cycling for Purple Innovation
Rob DeMartini, who had been USA Cycling’s chief executive officer, was on Monday announced as the acting CEO of the mattress and pillow company Purple Innovation.
Read: Q&A: New USA Cycling CEO Rob DeMartini
DeMartini served as the CEO of USA Cycling for nearly three years after joining the organization at the end of 2018. Before taking over the helm of the governing body, DeMartini had been president and CEO at New Balance since 2007.
USA Cycling did not immediately announce DeMartini’s successor. The organization is expected to formally announce his departure later this week.
“We are grateful for how he ran USA Cycling in the last three years,” said Brendan Quirk, USA Cycling’s chairman of the board. “USA Cycling is actively working on a transition plan and will have details finalized by the end of the week.”
USA Cycling announces dates, locations of 10 national championship events
Just two days after the conclusion of the final national championship cycling race of the 2021 season, USA Cycling announced the dates and locations of 10 of the 2022 national championship events.
Highlighting the calendar with dates and host cities, so far, are the elite road national championships, which return to Knoxville, Tennessee, with some routes traveling alongside Lake Melton, in nearby Oak Ridge.
Also returning for another year at the same venue are the masters road national championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the elite track championships in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania.
Still remaining to be announced are the dates and/or locations of eight additional national championship events.
2022 USA Cycling National Championship events
• Collegiate BMX National Championships, February 19-20, Phoenix, AZ
• Elite BMX National Championships, May 15, Tulsa, OK
• Collegiate Road National Championships, May 6-8, Augusta, GA
• Amateur Road National Championships, date and location TBA
• Pro Road National Championships, June 23-26, Knoxville, TN
• Elite and Junior Track National Championships, date TBA, Trexlertown, PA
• Para Track National Championships, date and location TBA
• Gran Fondo National Championships, July 17, Asheville, NC
• Mountain Bike National Championships and High School Festival, July 18-26, Winter Park, CO
• Para Road National Championships, date and location TBA
• Masters Track National Championships, date and location TBA
• Masters Road National Championships, August 4-7, Albuquerque, NM
• Collegiate Track National Championships, September 8-11, Indianapolis, IN
• Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships, date TBA, Frederick, MD
• Freestyle BMX National Championships, date and location TBA
• Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships, October 13-16, Durango, CO
• Madison Track National Championships, November 10-13, Detroit, MI
• Cyclocross National Championships, December 6-11, location TBA
Crusher in the Tushar registration date announced
The Crusher in the Tushar, one of gravel’s longest-running events, has announced its 2022 registration date.
Registration for the July 9th event will open at 7 p.m. MST on Monday, January 24, 2022.
Read also: Monuments of Gravel: Crusher in the Tushar
The event, which joined the Life Time portfolio of off-road races in 2019, dabbled with a lottery registration format similar to that of Unbound Gravel for last year’s event but will return to a ‘first come, first served’ method for 2022.
“We’ve always wanted everyone to have an equal shot at getting into the event, so after some dialogue on the best way of going about, we came to the realization that the ‘tried and true’ method we’ve used in the past has always served us well and we’d like to stick with it,” the event organizer said in a press release.
Riders who deferred their entries to 2022 can register now until the deadline of December 31, 2021.
Nicolas Roche to join Dancing with the Stars
Many pro cyclists become sport directors or TV pundits when they retire.
Nicolas Roche is going to dance.
The recently retired pro confirmed on social media he will appear on the Irish version of the Dancing with the Stars television show.
“I’m very excited to take part in Dancing with the Stars,” he said. “It’s a massive challenge for me, and something completely new. It scares me and thrills me at the same time.”
“It has been great being back in Ireland and I’m really enjoying my time at home. The rehearsals so far are going good, it’s hard work, it’s pushing me both in terms of being something completely new, and also in terms of performing and learning to let go,” Roche added.
Roche, 37, retired in October following a 17-year career, riding for such teams as BMC, Ag2r, Credit Agricole, and Team Sky.
A few other ex-pros have done similar programs, including Michael Rasmussen, Mario Cipollini, and Michael Boogerd.
Professional cyclist, Nicolas Roche has represented Ireland on a world stage… but he’s giving up cycling for some sparkle!
This is going to be a very different race, @nicholasroche! 🚴 #DWTSIrl #DWTS pic.twitter.com/nzN8NgYkKT
— DWTS Ireland (@DWTSIRL) December 12, 2021
Rémi Cavagna undergoes successful back surgery
Rémi Cavagna underwent successful surgery Monday on the L1 vertebrae that he fractured during an accident during our team training camp Spain last week, Deceuninck-Quick-Step officials reported.
The team reported that the surgery, which took place at Hospital IMSKE Valencia, was successful. Cavagna will now take a period of recuperation and continue to be monitored by doctors.
Deceuninck-Quick-Step officials thanked the surgeon, Dr Gerd Bordon and the staff at IMSKE for their care, and we wish Rémi the best for his recovery