USA Cyclo-cross nationals registration now open

The US Cyclo-cross National Championships will return for the second consecutive year to Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island, on December 15-17, 2006. Registration for the event opened yesterday. "The city is thrilled to have us back," said Lyle Fulkerson, operations director. "We believe this to be one of the greatest cyclo-cross venues in the world."

Certainly, racers from last year will remember the venue. At times during the 2005 championships, the weather was so severe that the promoter postponed two events until later in the weekend. Racers faced blinding snowstorms and freezing rains one day. Over the next two days, icy mornings and mild temperatures left the course a difficult combination of sloppy mud layered over frozen ruts that made the technical dirt off-camber turns and tricky ups and downs even more treacherous.

Race communications director Richard Fries said, "We will be making some exciting announcements in the coming days regarding sponsorship. We have a good committee, some great sponsors to announce, and we expect to build upon last year's event."

In 2005, Todd Wells (GT Hyundai) defeated Ryan Trebon (Kona) and an ailing Jonathan Page (Liberty Mutual) for the national title in the elite men's event. Katie Compton (Redline) successfully defended her elite women's national title; only second-place finisher Anne Knapp (Kona) could keep her in sight during the race.

See also: 2005 US National Cyclo-cross Championships.