USA CRITS finds new venue for season finale

The 2011 USA CRITS series, which appeared to come to a premature end after the cancellation of Washington D.C.’s Capital Criterion, has bounced back with a new finale, to be held in Boston this weekend.

The TD Bank Mayor’s Cup, scheduled for Sunday, September 25, will now serve as the series’s final event.

“We are extremely grateful to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino for agreeing to help us and we have been working with the event in Boston to be added to the USA CRITS Series for 2012,” said USA CRITS director Gene Dixon. “It was a logical step to make the TD Bank Mayor’s Cup the Finals for 2011 with the cancellation of the D.C. event. After contacting all riders in contention for the overall, and with the assistance of the D.C. organizers, we have been able to cement the participation of these riders in Boston.”

Six of the top ten in the men’s series will be on hand in Boston.

USA CRITS will not award series start points at the Boston event since several riders in the top 10 are unable to make it to the race.

Organizers decided to end the women’s series, won by Erica Allar (RideClean p/b PatentIt.com), with last month’s Chris Thater Memorial. Allar will be in Los Angeles this weekend at the USA Cycling track nationals.

The TD Bank Mayor’s Cup is organized and managed by Boston Bikes and the City of Boston. It offers $40,000 in prize money ($15,000 plus $5,000 cash primes in both the men’s and women’s race).