USA Cycling named Madison, Wisconsin as the host city for the 2012-2013 Cyclo-cross National Championships today.
In addition, the national governing body announced that for 2012 and 2013 the event will be held in the first week in January.
Although the United States historically held its cyclo-cross national championships in December, the move to January was proposed to better align the event with the international calendar. The move is said to better serve the U.S. athletes who are training to compete in the world championships slated for Louisville, Ky. later in January.
USA Cycling originally began the discussion surrounding the date change last year. After a participant survey showed member support for the move, the final decision was confirmed this fall.
“To make sure this decision was in the best interest of our members, we distributed a survey to 2009 Cyclo-cross National Championship participants,” explained USA Cycling National Events Director Kelli Lusk. “When a large majority came back and said they would support moving the event to January, the decision was made to move the national championships to the UCI-designated weekend.”
Because next season’s national championship will take place in January of 2012 and this season’s is scheduled for December of 2010, there will not be a cyclo-cross national championship event held during the 2011 calendar year.
Organized by the Madison Area Sports Commission and Team Sports Inc., the 2012 championship event will take place January 4-8 in Madison’s Badger Prairie/Reddan Park where warming tents and plenty of shelter will help ensure the warmth and safety of racers and spectators.
"We are truly honored and excited to host the 2012/2013 USA Cycling CX National Championships,” said Tom Schuler of Team Sports, Inc. “I know that the rest of the country will quickly learn what midwesterners know already, that the greater Madison area is an incredibly cycling-friendly city.”
