Subaru Cup moves up to UCI category 1 status

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The Subaru Cup will host the penultimate contest of USA Cycling's 2011 national mountain bike racing series (US Pro XCT) in Wisconsin. As part of the popular Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS), the two-day Subaru Cup event, presented by Trek, also will include a full slate of amateur racing.

New for 2011, the Subaru Cup has been awarded UCI category 1 status on the international mountain bike calendar. The category 1 designation will attract racers interested in chasing UCI points as the 2012 London Olympic Games loom on the horizon. Sam Schultz (Subaru-Trek) and Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) won the most recent edition of the Subaru Cup Pro XCT in 2010, when the race was categorized as a 2 by the UCI.

Trek Bicycle also announced on Wednesday that it will continue to support both the Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS) and the Subaru Cup Pro XCT in 2011. Trek returns as the presenting sponsor of the Subaru Cup Pro XCT race.

"As the world leader in mountain bike technology, Trek chooses only premier partners," said Michael Browne, Global Mountain Bike Brand Manager at Trek. "Not only is WORS that premier partner, they set the standard for mountain bike racing in the United States."

Outstanding spectator turnout and amateur participation are hallmarks of events hosted by the Wisconsin Off Road Series, and the Subaru Cup is no exception. At the 2010 Subaru Cup, hundreds of enthusiastic fans lining the course led many pro racers to draw favorable comparisons to the atmosphere at a World Cup race. The most popular spectator areas will return in 2011.

Based on the modern World Cup model, the Subaru Cup Pro XCT course is approximately four miles in length. Over an area of 60 acres, it winds in on itself several times to provide spectators convenient access and numerous viewing opportunities. With wooded singletrack, fast descents and short, steep climbs, the Subaru Cup will offer all racers a real taste of Midwest mountain biking.

Now in its 20th season, WORS leads a resurgence of American mountain bike racing. Last year, WORS races averaged over 700 racers and close to 1000 spectators per event at each of 12 distinct venues throughout Wisconsin. Consistent numbers like these have earned WORS the label of America's largest state mountain bike racing series. With races for all ages and abilities and a focus on rider and spectator fun, WORS provides a family-friendly weekend for recreational and competitive cyclists alike

The first priority of the WORS Series is "to create access to fun, competitive mountain biking for as many individuals as possible," said Series Director Don Edberg.

The Subaru Cup will also serve as the second annual USA Cycling Midwest Regional Championships, which will crown champions in all age classes and ability categories as "Fastest in the Midwest".