The five-day event will kick off on Wednesday, September 4 with a time-trial course that starts at Crooked River Park in Prineville, approximately 40 minutes northeast of Bend. It’s an out-and-back course that parallels the scenic Crooked River, and represents the second consecutive year a national championship bike race will be hosted in the City of Prineville.
On Thursday and Friday, September 5-6, the competition will shift to the road racing national championships, where another tried and true national championship course will be the challenge of the day. The road racing course will begin at picturesque Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, loop clockwise south past Edison Sno-Park, and continue north up the legendary Sparks Lake Grade on Century Drive. The course, made famous through the Cascade Cycling Classic Stage Race, will end at the West Village parking lot of Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort.
Saturday and Sunday, September 7-8, will see the criterium races on a new course in beautiful downtown Redmond. This is a new addition for 2013, characterized by flat, fast terrain with ample room for larger field sizes.
“We’re excited to introduce the new course in Redmond which allows us to share a broader cross-section of our community with USA Cycling and cyclists from around the country,” said Doug La Placa, CEO of Visit Bend, “We worked with key stakeholders from each of the communities and permitting agencies combined with rider feedback from the past 2 years to make sure the courses are safe, challenging, and worthy of hosting national championship racing.”
The 2013 USA Masters Road Cycling National Championships are expected to draw more than 3,500 competitors, support staff, and fans to Bend in September. Over the past four years, Bend has played host to an unprecedented eight USA Cycling National Championships.
“Bend has secured its place as one of the undisputed capitals of bike racing in the United States,” noted Micah Rice, Vice President of National Events at USA Cycling. “We’re excited to be able to announce these courses to the public, and we look forward to another successful national cycling championship in Bend.”
www.usacycling.org/2013/masters-road-nationals.
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.
About USA Cycling:
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 74,500+ licensees; 2,800+ clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions over 3,150 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.
