Valmont Bike Park selected as host of 2014 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships

 

Boulder’s Valmont Bike Park has been selected to host the 2014 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships. The Cyclo-Cross National Championships is held in January and is expected to bring at least 1,500 athletes and even more spectators to Boulder.  According to an Economic Impact Study from the 2009 Cyclo-Cross National Championships, the host that year, Bend, OR, reaped an economic benefit of $1 million from hosting the championships.

 

USA Cycling made site visits to the three finalist cities of Boulder; Austin, Texas; and Asheville, N.C. earlier this year. The committee visited Valmont Bike Park on Feb. 1.  Austin was selected as the host of the 2015 Cyclo-Cross National Championships, and Asheville was selected as the host of the 2016 Cyclo-Cross National Championships.

Defying gravity

“We had three outstanding bids, making the only logical choice to award all three communities,” said USA Cycling Managing Director of National Events Micah Rice. “The decision to award one-year contracts for the championships will also help foster cyclo-cross racing in three distinctively different parts of the country.”

 

“We are so proud that Valmont Bike Park was chosen to host the 2014 United States Cyclo-Cross National Championships,” said Kirk Kincannon, director of the Boulder Parks and Recreation Department. “This reiterates that we have a world-class park in our community, and we’re thrilled that this investment is paying off so quickly in terms of daily users, programming, events, and now as the host of a USA Cycling event. The Cyclo-Cross Championships should bring an estimated $1 million economic benefit to Boulder.”

 

“It is a real honor for Parks and Recreation to host this national event,” said Mike Eubank, Valmont Bike Park manager. “The Cyclo-Cross National Championships is like the Super Bowl of cycling. This is tremendous news for Boulder, and especially for all the local cyclists and bike organizations who have been involved in creating this one-of-a-kind bike park.”

 

“I’m incredibly proud of what our community has created at Valmont Bike Park, and hosting these championships is the next step in affirming the benefits of a dedicated bike park,” said Pete Webber, Valmont course designer and recent Masters World Champion.

For more information, visit www.usacycling.org or call Mike Eubank, Parks and Recreation, at 303-413-7226.  Valmont Bike Park website:  http://bouldermountainbike.org/valmontbikepark.