USA Crits 2021 to see racing across nine cities, new dates

The United States national criterium series, USA Crits, will be contested in nine different cities in 2021.

Twenty-two USA Cycling #D1 teams have so far committed to compete in the series and will be announced later in January 2021. Confirmed to be returning to racing in the series are both of last year’s team winners: ButcherBox Cycling on the men’s side, and Colavita HelloFresh Pro Women’s Cycling Team on the women’s side.

Scott Morris, managing director of the series, says that series partners have made a $250,000 investment to bring free live streaming coverage across 19 days of racing. Morris said this comprises nearly 80 percent of all road events live-streamed in America.

The pandemic played havoc with the 2020 calendar, and also will affect the 2021 calendar. The series indicates options are being evaluated to accommodate more racing, as well as account for flexibility on the calendar for the coming season.

The pre-season Birmingham Hammerfest Fueled by BOLT24 was added to the calendar for 2021 and will continue as a regular-season points race. The Sun City Crit, in El Paso, TX, and Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium in Athens, GA will have new dates for 2021 in what is described as “recovery window from the pandemic.”

The ASWD Twilight Criterium, in Boise, will simultaneously be hosting the USA Cycling para-cycling road national championships and the Chrono Kristen Armstrong TT alongside the downtown criterium shadowing the Idaho state capitol. In an announcement Monday, USA Crits indicated that adding a second day to the Audi Denver Littleton Twilight Criterium is also being considered.

2021 USA Crits Calendar

1. Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Criterium, April 23, Spartanburg, SC
2. Saint Francis Tulsa Tough, June 11, Tulsa, OK
3. ASWD Twilight Criterium, July 10, Boise, ID
4. Salt Lake Criterium – Gateway, July 17, Salt Lake City, UT
5. Salt Lake Criterium – Holladay, July 18, Holladay, UT
6. Audi Denver Littleton Twilight Criterium, July 31, Littleton, CO
7. Birmingham Hammerfest Fueled by BOLT24, August 14, Birmingham, AL
8. AOC Twilight Criterium, August 21, Athens, GA
9. Sun City Crit, September 11, El Paso, TX
10. Winston-Salem Cycling Classic – USA CRITS Finals, September 24, Winston Salem, NC

The Winston-Salem Cycling Classic International Crit Challenge, the day after the finals in Winston Salem, will feature invited international teams to race against America’s best domestic elites.