After a nine-year run of UCI Cyclocross World Cup rounds in the USA, the information got here crashing down on Friday that the 2024-2025 calendar would forego any journey exterior Europe.
A revised 12-race schedule didn’t embrace a cease within the rural countryside of Waterloo, Wisconsin, and elite riders have responded with blended feelings, together with that it might be seen as “a step again within the development of our sport”.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t in any means imply cyclocross is gone from the North American panorama, because the plans for UCI registered races and a US nationwide collection supported by native organisers are nonetheless within the works. Plans are within the works to refashion the Trek CX Cup this fall, a extremely standard nationwide occasion identified for giant plastic, painted cows scattered throughout Trek’s company yard that reverberates with all-day ringing of cowbells on race weekend.
“Sure, it is unlucky there aren’t any U.S. rounds on this yr’s World Cup calendar. We’re happy with the influence World Cup Waterloo had on US cyclocross since 2017 and are hopeful a World Cup race will return to the U.S. sooner or later,” Trek Bicycle’s Haley Ludwick, campaigns and public relations supervisor, advised Cyclingnews.
“Nonetheless, even with out inclusion within the World Cup collection, Trek CX Cup lives on! Trek is internet hosting The Battle among the many Cattle, one of the best ‘cross race within the US this fall and will probably be on the UCI calendar.”
Cyclocross racing exploded in an enormous means in Wisconsin within the 2013-2014 season when Trek introduced a weekend of UCI races for elite riders to their native occasion. Two years later, the World Cup landed within the US with Cross Vegas in Nevada, and that yr there have been simply seven worldwide occasions. Iowa joined the early-season lineup for 2 US stops the following yr and in 2017-2018 Waterloo tagged on with Iowa for a US doubleheader within the now-global collection.
Whereas the 2020-2021 season was hindered by the coronavirus international pandemic, with no racing within the US and 6 European races cancelled as properly, the peak of the World Cup within the US got here in 2021-2022 with three races – Waterloo, Fayetteville (Arkansas) and Iowa Metropolis, multi functional week in early October. The collection itself had 15 whole occasions. Final yr solely Waterloo remained within the US on a calendar of 14 races.
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“It’s undoubtedly a bummer to not have a World Cup in North America, or anyplace exterior Europe this yr. It feels a bit bit like a step again within the development of our sport,” Canadian Maghalie Rochette, who was the highest North American within the ladies’s World Cup Waterloo final yr, fourth place, advised Cyclingnews.
“However on the similar time, we are able to’t blame race organizers. Placing on a World Cup race prices some huge cash, it is an enormous dedication. If they will’t cowl their charges with followers and newbie racers, then, it means our sports activities is unfortunately not in one of the best place proper now.”
After dominating final yr’s USCX cyclocross collection for elite ladies by sweeping all eight races, Rochette travelled to Europe to compete in eight World Cup occasions for her buildup to the World Championships, the place she completed tenth. USA’s Curtis White received the boys’s elite USCX title for a second-consecutive yr and had a diminished three-race programme previous to Worlds. He echoed the sentiment from Rochette concerning the demise of a World Cup race within the US.
“On the one hand, we’re again to the place we have been 10 years in the past with the ‘World Cup’ being round a handful of Euro nations. On the opposite, there’s now no excuse to not promote our nationwide scene and nationwide collection, the USCX,” White advised Cyclingnews concerning the significance of the home cyclocross collection “There aren’t any conflicts, and athletes can focus 100% on USCX, good prize cash, then shift focus to World Cup later within the season.”
The USCX is anticipated to return for a fourth season this fall, which final yr hosted eight races throughout 4 weekends and paid a $15,000 prize purse, break up evenly between elite women and men.
Two-time US nationwide champion and three-time Pan-American champion Eric Brunner advised Cyclingnews that whereas it was a “large disappointment” to not have World Cup racing on dwelling turf this subsequent season, he was glad Trek Cup would stay with UCI factors on provide. Nonetheless, he was involved concerning the development of the game for up-and-coming riders.
“I believe the principle individuals affected are the younger North American riders who wish to get a World Cup expertise however could also be in class or not in a position to afford a lot journey,” he mentioned.
“The extra geographically compact World Cup makes logistics simpler if you’re racing the entire collection, however there are so few riders truly doing that. The mountain bike World Cup schedule could be very properly thought out and I wish to see ‘cross observe that mannequin of 6-8 rounds with principally back-to-back weekends which are shut to at least one one other. I believe that might see participation enhance and provides extra respect and status to the World Cup.
“I believe naturally the World Cup will change and evolve to incorporate completely different races and I hope that we will see a house World Cup (or a number of) once more quickly.”
The UCI made some sweeping adjustments to cyclocross guidelines this previous winter, taking impact March 1, 2024, which tackled some points with World Cup races and athlete participation. Many riders and crew leaders had complained concerning the hectic cyclocross calendar, with 14 or 15 World Cup occasions throughout Europe and North America up to now three seasons, somewhat than eight or 9 occasions from the pre-COVID years. Plus, there have been different collection on the worldwide calendar – Superprestige, X2O Trofee and Precise Cross collection – including to journey bills and an absence of relaxation durations.
Rochette famous that adjustments are anticipated and it was not an finish to the glory days of US cyclocross, however might present alternatives on the grassroots stage.
“However tendencies in biking are a continuing ebb and movement. We may be blissful concerning the USCX collection that we’ve got as a result of this permits us execs to have a collection, however even most significantly, it permits amateurs to remain in contact with the game, and it permits youngsters to have grassroots races and uncover the game of cyclocross. That’s crucial factor to develop the game. So so long as we’ve got the native races, the native golf equipment, the home races and collection, there’s hope that cyclocross in North America will sooner or later come again to its greatest days!”
