USA Cycling announces 2021 Professional Cyclocross Calendar

USA Cycling has announced their 2021 Professional Cyclocross (ProCX) calendar, which will have a dynamic 11-event program for 2021. The ProCX will offer spirited head-to-head competition among the top North American cyclocross athletes as the USA prepares to host the world’s best at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., to culminate the 2021-2022 racing season.

The 2021 ProCX calendar has been revitalized to support the long-term growth of cyclocross in the US.

“The ProCX event organizers and USA Cycling have stepped up to create a practical calendar. Having a concise, high profile calendar with no conflicting race weekends will be beneficial for U.S. cyclocross by allowing athletes the opportunity to compete at every event on the calendar and create increased focus on each event,” stated Stu Thorne, owner of the Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld team.

Individual champions are crowned in the elite categories at the conclusion of the calendar, which will culminate three weeks before the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships to be held December 7-12 (its location to still be announced). “It will be nice to have a condensed schedule that will certainly push us all to be more consistent and strategic with our training and racing approach.” said defending Men’s ProCX Champion Kerry Werner of Kona/Maxxis/Shimano.

The domestic calendar is foundational in setting the stage for success for US athletes with ambitions to compete in Europe and achieve top performances at Fayetteville 2022. “With COVID-19 making things harder for event organizers and athletes, I think this is a good start back to racing for the riders and sponsors. There can always be improvements, and it’s important to acknowledge where we are and how we can move forward as a strong cross racing country. I think these changes are a step forward to improving the flow and planning for US riders to be successful in Europe,” commented 15-time national champion Katie Compton.

Along with intense elite-level competition, ProCX events will champion community engagement through USA Cycling’s Lets Ride Camps, junior rider clinics, and amateur races to offer a full menu of fun and entertainment each weekend. “COVID-19 has been tough on everyone and race organizers have not been excluded – the condensed 2021 ProCX calendar is a testament to that. The updated event standards will provide exciting opportunities for the spectators, media, sponsors and athletes, and having unconflicted calendar dates is highly beneficial not only for the event organizers but for everyone involved. I strongly believe that the steps taken for 2021 will build a better future for CX in America!” said Scott Page, Executive Director of Rochester Cyclocross.

The ProCX competition kicks off September 18-19th with the season opener at GO Cross p/b Deschutes Brewery in Roanoke, Va. The racing will continue with an east coast swing before heading to the mid-west to integrate with an unprecedented set of three UCI Cyclo-cross World Cups on U.S. soil, followed by two ProCX events in Ohio and Indiana. The calendar will return for back-to-back weekends in Massachusetts and then head south for the series finale at North Carolina Grand Prix in Hendersonville, N.C., on November 20-21. This schedule is dependent upon the state of the pandemic, and events reserve the right to make changes accordingly.

With a nod to the forward progress of the ProCX calendar, USA Cycling is also reimagining the American Cyclocross Calendar to provide benefits to regional event organizers and riders alike with a focus on opportunities all across the US.