USA Cycling has selected Oak Ridge for one of three national championships in East Tennessee this month.
The USA Cycling Professional Road, Individual Time Trial (ITT), and Criterium National Championships will be in Knoxville and Oak Ridge from June 21-24.
The ITT National Championships will be on Melton Lake Drive on June 21, kicking off the championships, a press release said.
The City of Oak Ridge is hosting the ITT National Championships in partnership with Visit Knoxville, the press release said.
“It was a collaborative effort that included USA Cycling, Visit Knoxville, the event management agency, Medalist Sports, and Explore Oak Ridge to arrive at a course design that is a source of pride for all involved,” said Lisa Kendall, Explore Oak Ridge vice president. “We know we have a great venue and a course that athletes and spectators will enjoy.”
The ITT course is a seven-mile section of roadway that includes part of Melton Lake Drive and Union Valley Road. The professional and elite women will complete two laps for a total distance of 14.1 miles. The professional and elite men will complete three laps for a total distance of 21.25 miles. The course is relatively flat with three technical u-turns, allowing spectators to see athletes pass multiple times from one viewing location, the press release said.
As the “race of truth,” the ITT is distinct in its format for participants to race against the clock rather than in a big group against each other,” the press release said. Both women and men will compete in waves, with each individual riders being separated at the start by a one-minute gap. In the women’s event, the top U23 women (under the age of 23) will be awarded a separate championship.
“We are very pleased to partner with Visit Knoxville to host the ITT event,” said Marc DeRose, Explore Oak Ridge president. “It will be a great opportunity to showcase Oak Ridge both nationally and internationally.”
For more information, a full schedule of events, and course maps click here. For information on volunteer opportunities, click here.
Image by USA Cycling
About USA Cycling
USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling in the United States and oversees the disciplines of BMX, cyclocross, mountain bike, road, and track. USA Cycling’s membership is comprised of racers and cyclists of all ages and abilities, clubs, coaches, officials, mechanics, and race directors. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit usacycling.org
About Explore Oak Ridge
From the Graphite Reactor of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park to the exhilarating mountain bike trails of Windrock, Explore Oak Ridge promotes the unique history, world changing innovation, natural outdoor recreation opportunities, and diverse arts available in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
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Philip W Nipper says
We need more events like this! It appears it is a sure way to get our roads repaired and repaved “really, really fast”. Let’s hope the next race is soon and hopefully the course will encompass, at a minimum, Lafayette Drive.
John Huotari says
From what I heard, it sounds like the event wants to return to Oak Ridge next year.