Fitchburg-Longsjo reduced to one-day criterium

Organizers of the Fitchburg-Longsjo stage race have announced that the 2011 edition of the event will be a one-day race. Previously consisting of four stages, the event will return to a one-day criterium, as it was in its original incarnation first put on in 1960.

The 2011 edition will eliminate the circuit race at Fitchburg Stage College, the famed Wachusett Mountain road race, and the time trial, which were added in the 1990s.

The 2011 criterium will take place in Fitchburg on July 3 on the event's 52nd anniversary.

"While we are reducing the number of days of racing, it will allow us to pack the energy, excitement, and amazing history of the race into one day of amazing competition for the riders and fans," said the race's Executive Director, Ed Collier. According to Collier, the logistics and required manpower and resources are quickly diluted when stretched over four days.

The one-day criterium will still include eight different categories, including Women's Pro/1 and Men's Pro/1, and race organizers have submitted an application to be included on the 2011 National Race Calendar (NRC).

"Based on our history and the quality of the race, we anticipate we will be included on the calendar," said Collier.