The nation's top criterium teams will head to the Washington, DC area this weekend for two classic races: the Clarendon Cup and Crystal City Cup, both part of the weekend's Air Force Cycling Classic.
Set in downtown Arlington, Virginia, Saturday's Clarendon Cup is in its 15th year and will feature the same one kilometer long, five-corner high-speed course as usual. The professional men will compete over 100 laps, while elite women will do 50.
The international men's field will include Professional Continental teams Champion System and UnitedHealthcare, Continental UCI teams Jamis/Sutter Home, Team Exergy and Team Mountain Khakis/SmartStop as well as elite squads Team Type 1 Developmental, Danish National Team, X/O Communications p/b Cisco, 160Over90 CCN Sport, Kelly Benefit/LSV, Don Byer/Kia DC Velo and National Capital Velo Club/UnitedHealthcare.
Defending champion Hilton Clarke will try for three in a row in the Clarendon Cup, while his teammate Jake Keough will look to repeat his success in Sunday's Crystal City Cup.
In its fifth year, the Crystal City race will feature both pro men's and women's fields on the 2km course, as well as a recreational event, the Annual Air Force Cycling Challenge Crystal Ride, a 15km course around the Air Force Memorial, the Pentagon and through Crystal City. Participants in the event will be raising money for The Air Force Association’s Wounded Airman Project.
