Rohrbach's Ellison Park Cyclocross kicks off UCI 'cross season

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An international field is slated to compete at Rohrbach’s Ellison Park Cyclocross in Rochester, NY, next weekend, the first UCI-sanctioned cyclo-cross race of the 2012-2013 season. Taking place September 8-9, the two-day event will feature C2-ranked races for both elite men and women each day, as well as races for amateurs, masters, juniors and children.

International riders already committed to the event include cyclo-cross veteran and nine-time U.S. national champion Jonathan Page, New England's own Justin Lindine, seven-time and reigning British cyclo-cross champion Helen Wyman (defending women's Rohrbach's Ellison Park champion), French riders Nicolas Bazin (defending men's Rohrbach's Ellison Park champion) and Flavian Dasonville, Belgian Joyce Vanderbeken, Great Britain's Gabriella Day and Canadian Craig Richey.

Ellison Park Cyclocross is in its fourth year, third as a UCI sanctioned event, and 2012 marks the first year as a two-day UCI event. The course has been changed substantially for this year, featuring new technical sections, more challenging terrain and a slightly different route. The course is approximately 2.8km in length with a variety of man-made and natural obstacles. The race course direction will be reversed on Sunday.

"The first year I did the Rohrbach's Ellison Park Cyclocross race I thought it was a really great course; hard and with a lot of challenging elements throughout, and super well run," said Justin Lindine, winner of the 2010 elite men's event. Lindine was also the first American finisher last year, placing fourth behind France's Nicolas Bazin, Britain's Ian Field and Belgium's Tom Van Den Bosch. "I thought it had a ton of potential to become a really big event, so it's especially cool to have seen it grow each year and now be a legitimate two-day UCI weekend that's effectively the kick-off for my cyclo-cross season. I'm really excited to get the season off on the right foot at such a great event."

For more details visit www.ellisoncyclocross.com.