More than 900 riders are expected to vie for a Stars-and-Stripes jersey this week at the 2012 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships. The five-day event, which returns to Bend for the second year in a row, will feature the race of truth on Wednesday in Prineville, followed by the road races on Thursday and Friday in and around the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort. Downtown Bend will be the place to be on Saturday for several criterium races, before more crits conclude the event in the Northwest Crossing district on Sunday.
More than 60 national championships will be earned in individual and tandem age-group categories, as well as a male and female Best All-Around Rider award for each age group and a single Best All-Around Team award, which last year went to Webcor/Alto Velo Racing Club.
Currently registered to race in Bend are the following 2011 Best All-Around Riders: Jason Walker – Men 40-44 (Reno, Nev./Team Specialized Racing Masters); Brendan Sullivan – Men 45-49 (Atlanta, Ga./Iron Data Racing); Kevin Metcalfe – Men 50-54 (Pleasant Hill, Calif./ Team Specialized Racing Masters); David Zimbelman – Men 55-59 (The Dalles, Ore.); Kenny Fuller – Men 60-64 (Corona Del Mar, Calif./ Cycles Veloce/ Team Simple Green/Bike Religion); John Elgart – Men 65-69 (Sacramento, Calif./ Webcor/Alto Velo Racing Club); William Meyers – Men 70-74 (Oak Creek, Colo./Schwab Cycles Racing Team); Paul Tetrick – Men 80+ (Evergreen, Colo.); Mindy Caruso – Women 35-39 (Albuquerque, N.M./ Olev Rapido/The Kickstand); Ruth Clemence – Women 50-54 (Newport Beach, Calif./ Southern California Velo/Empower Coaching); Linda Elgart – Women 55-59 (Sacramento, Calif./ Webcor/Alto Velo Racing Club); Patricia Baker – Women 70-74 (Laguna Hills, Calif./ Lightning Velo/ Cal-Pacific Export Packers).
On-site registration will be available at the Old Mill District in south Bend beginning today, Tuesday, September 4, from 2-6 p.m. Riders can pre-register for a race the day before at the start area of each day’s racing. There is no day-of race registration. For registration and packet pick-up locations and times, please refer to the event schedule.
Visit the official event webpage of the 2012 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships for more information on the event, including a complete schedule, course maps, tech guide, results, photo gallery and more. Follow the event on Twitter via the USA Cycling account or using the hashtag #RoadNats.
For more information on Bend and the surrounding area, go to www.visitbend.com.
