(BEND, Ore.) — Officials from the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross have accepted a bid from Visit Bend to host the final two races of the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross series presented by Greenware®.
The 2011 US Gran Prix of Cyclocross (USGP) is a four weekend, eight race series comprised of the Planet Bike Cup – Madison, WI on September 24 and 25, The New Belgium Cup – Fort Collins, CO on October 8 and 9, The Derby City Cup – Louisville, KY on November 12 and 13; and The Deschutes Brewery Cup – Bend, OR on December 10 and 11. Each of these race weekends will see the deepest, strongest, and fastest cyclocross fields in a series format in the United States.
The USGP races in Bend are slated for December 10-11, 2011 and will be held at Bend’s Deschutes Brewery in the heart of the Old Mill District, following a course similar to the course featured in the 2009 and 2010 USA Cyclocross National Championships. The December USGP races are the final races of the USGP’s four weekend eight race series. The December races were previously hosted in Portland.
“Bend has established itself as one of the epicenters of North American cyclocross,” said Bruce Fina with the USGP. “As a community, Bend has proven they can host world class cyclocross events and they have convinced us that they will be excellent partners for our organization, our racers and our sponsors.”
The USGP is expected to bring 800 racers and an additional 2,000 visitors to Bend for the two day event. “Cycling is a big part of Bend’s culture and has emerged as an important component of our tourism strategy,” said Doug La Placa, President/CEO of Visit Bend. “Hosting the USGP is an honor for Bend and will provide a much needed stimulus to our regional tourism industry during an otherwise slow time of year.”
More information on the 2011 US Gran Prix of Cyclocross presented by Greenware® can be found at www.usgpcyclocross.com .
In recent years, Bend has been named #1 Town for Sportsmen (Outdoor Life), America’s Top Adventure Town (Men’s Journal), Top 10 Fly Fishing Towns in the U.S. (Fly Fisherman), one of the Best Fishing Towns in America (Field & Stream), best trail running town (Outside) one of the country’s Top Five Ski Towns (Travel + Leisure), and the #1 mountain biking town in the United States (Mountain Bike Action).
About Visit Bend:
Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit economic development organization dedicated to promoting tourism on behalf of the City of Bend. We’re a leading provider of information on Bend, Oregon hotels, restaurants, activities, and Oregon vacation planning. To learn more or to order a complimentary Official Visitor Guide to Bend, contact Visit Bend at 1-800-949-6086 or visit www.visitbend.com.
