NORBA 2006 announced

The 2006 U.S. NORBA National Mountain-Bike Series schedule has been announced. Starting later in the calendar year than the '05 season (in May instead of March), the calendar features a streamlined six races (vs. eight last year) and hits new venues in Los Angeles and North Carolina. The 2006 U.S. National Championships will be held in July in Mammoth Lakes, California; a schedule that brings the U.S. in line with the rest of the World's national championship calendar.

The opening round of the series is at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas, Ca, between May 5-7. Less than 50 km east of Los Angeles, the season opener marks the return of the national mountain bike series to the state of California after the traditional stop in Big Bear Lake was cancelled in 2004.

After a month long break the series resumes with two consecutive weekends on the east coast. Sugar Mountain Resort in Banner Elk, N.C. hosts its first-ever national series event June 10-11 and is followed by a return to a familiar site as Mount Snow Resort in West Dover, Vt. hosts round three June 17-18.

The series then returns to Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah for round four July 8-9 before taking another brief hiatus. For the second consecutive year, the series then heads to Brian Head Resort in southern Utah for round five August 4-6 before heading to Snowmass Resort in Aspen, Co. for the series finale on August 12-13.

Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for a full analysis of the 2006 NORBA schedule.

2006 National Mountain Bike Series

NMBS # 1 - May 5-7: Los Angeles, CA
NMBS # 2 - June 9-11: Sugar Mountain, NC
NMBS # 3 - June 16-18: Mount Snow, VT
NMBS # 4 - July 7-9: Deer Valley, UT USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championship - July 20-23: Mammoth Lakes, CA
NMBS # 5 - August 4-6: Brian Head, UT
NMBS # 6 - August 11-13: Snowmass, CO