UCI Racing Returns To Kingsport
KINGSPORT – A fun and exciting weekend is in store for racers and spectators January 4-5 at Domtar Park in Kingsport, TN. Saturday, January 4th, will be the final races for the local MSG Cyclo-cross Series and the Southeastern Regional Cyclo-cross Series. On Sunday, January 5th, the Kingsport Cyclo-cross Cup returns to Domtar, which is the only international-level event in Tennessee and is sanctioned by the UCI. Sundays race is also part of the newly formed ProCX calendar organized by USA Cycling. The ProCX calendar consists of 41 races across the nation, with the Kingsport race being the final ProCX race on the calendar. Individual prizes for the day total nearly $6,000.00, and that is in addition to the $40,000 USA Cycling committed in overall prize money for pro men and women racing the series. The race for the ProCX title is very tight and the Kingsport Cyclo-cross Cup could be the deciding factor in the series. Racers from around the country are expected to participate in the race.
The racecourse is nearly two miles long, flat and fast, with technical sections interspersed through out the course. Both days have race categories for beginners to pros. Cyclo-cross is an extremely fun and exciting event to watch, and the public is invited come out and join in. Spectating is free to the public. Food, beverages, music, and a vendor expo will also be part of the event.
The Kingsport Cyclo-cross Cup is sponsored by:
The City of Kingsport, Kingsport Parks and Rec, Reedy Creek Bicycles, Hampton Inn, Holston Distributing, Tri-Cities Road Club, and Virginia Intermont College.
For more information go to http://kingsportuci.wordpress.com or email roadclub@gmail.com.
Cyclo-cross is a mixture of road and mountain bike racing. Most racers ride a cyclo-cross bike, which is basically a road bike that has knobby tires and mountain-bike style brakes. Cyclo-cross races usually occur in a park or open field where riders do multiple laps per race, which makes it spectator friendly and fun to watch, as large portions of the course can be seen from most anywhere on the course. Cyclo-cross is a Fall and Winter sport that pits riders against adverse weather conditions such as snow, rain, wind, and mud, which is one of the aspects that has made the sport so popular. Riders begin in mass-start fashion and must navigate through both paved and off-road terrain, often times dismounting their bikes to hurdle barriers, climb steep hills or stairs, push or carry their bike through mud and/or snow, or traverse other obstacles.
To view/download the 2014 KCXC Tech Guide, please click here.