US 'cross nationals awarded to Madison for 2012-2013

Madison, Wisconsin has been awarded the US cyclo-cross national championships for 2012-2013, USA Cycling announced today.

Additionally, the national governing body announced that for 2012 and 2013 the event will move from its traditional dates during the second week of December to the first week in January.

Although the United States has held its cyclo-cross national championships in December for a number of years, the move to January was proposed to better align the event with the international calendar. The move will better support the US athletes who are training to compete in the 2012-2013 Masters 'cross world championships and the 2013 Elite 'cross world championships slated for Louisville, Kentucky.

"To make sure this decision was in the best interest of our members, we distributed a survey to 2009 Cyclo-cross National Championship participants," said USA Cycling National Events Director Kelli Lusk. "When a large majority came back and said they would support moving the event to January, the decision was made to move the national championships to the UCI-designated weekend."

Organized by the Madison Area Sports Commission and Team Sports Inc., the 2012 event will take place January 4-8 in Madison's Badger Prairie/Reddan Park

Because next season's national championship will take place in January of 2012 and this season's is scheduled for December of 2010, there will not be a cyclo-cross national championship event held during the 2011 calendar year.