COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- Infineon Raceway will host the 2006 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships, July 13-16, as part of the Infineon Technologies Cougar Mountain Classic, it was announced today by both raceway officials and officials from USA Cycling.
The championships were originally planned for the following weekend at Mammoth Mountain but had to be relocated after a record amount of snowfall this past winter. Infineon Raceway will now play host to one of the most prestigious mountain bike race weekends in the country.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity for Infineon Raceway and for the Northern California cycling community,” said Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway. “We have long believed that the unique nature of our facility landscape and our location in the virtual birthplace of the mountain bike offered the ingredients for an outstanding competition. Hosting the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships is an honor and a responsibility we take very seriously and we look forward to working with everyone involved to stage a successful and memorable event in July.”
Initially designated as the fifth round of the 2006 National Mountain Bike Series, the Sonoma event has been removed from the series calendar and will no longer factor into the overall series standings. Instead, the event has been designated as the stand-alone, American-only national championship for all levels and disciplines of mountain biking.
After a record 664 inches of snow fell this season, Mammoth Mountain reported a base depth of nearly 20 feet as of May 1 — a figure that ultimately put the resort's ability to host the event in jeopardy.
After weeks of discussion with several potential sites, Infineon Raceway was identified as the best replacement venue, and the date change was largely due to the raceway's preparation to host an NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event the weekend of July 28-30.
“Infineon Raceway is one of a handful of established venues capable of hosting a national championship-caliber event in a short amount of time,” said Steve Johnson, chief executive officer of USA Cycling. “We had hoped to maintain the original date that was designated for our national championships, but ultimately a decision had to be made so that we can move forward with the organization of an event consistent with the level of quality that our membership has come to expect. After discussions with several potential venues, it was determined that Infineon Raceway on the new date provided the best-possible scenario.”
Infineon Raceway has a history of hosting nationally recognized cycling events including a NORBA National Mountain Bike Series event in 2004 and the Cougar Mountain Classic. The raceway, best known for hosting an annual NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race, has featured a cycling weekend on its calendar since 2004.
The crown jewel of the weekend will be Cougar Mountain, which sits 500 feet above the raceway and offers scenic views of the San Francisco and Oakland skylines, as well as the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge. Approximately 90 percent of the course is visible to spectators, which will allow them to enjoy runs while riders tackle plenty of natural jumps, as well as banked and off-camber turns.
“This is incredible because you can see the whole course. That is unprecedented,” said Marla Streb, a two-time national downhill champion. “On top of that, it is pretty difficult; it's the kind of course that really sneaks up on you. It has a lot of potential to be a world-class course.”
Cougar Mountain will serve as the venue for downhill and mountain cross events, while mountain mountain bike cross country will cover a 7.7-mile course over the raceway’s 1,700-acre property.
The weekend will not only boast the country’s top mountain bike racers, but the raceway will also feature a variety of cycling in many disciplines, including road racing on the 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course and six-hour endurance races for both road racing and mountain bike cross country. There will also be a vintage bicycle concourse, huge sports expo, children’s activities and more. For more information, visit www.cmclassic.com.
Registration for the 2006 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships begins on Monday, May 15 at www.sportsbaseonline.com
About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 54,000 members and 2,000 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization (professional men's road). For more information visit www.usacycling.org
