The US Cyclocross Series (USCX) returns for a third season with eight races at four signature events on the east coast this fall, with elite riders vying for a $15,000 prize purse for a second time.
Virginia’s Blue Ridge Go Cross presented by Fat Tire will kick off the series on September 16-17, followed by Rochester Cyclocross in New York on September 23-24 and Charm City CX in Baltimore, Maryland, September 30-October 1. The series concludes October 28-29 in Falmouth, Massachusetts at the Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross.
Elite fields will split the purse equally, $7,500 for both women and men, once the final races are completed in Falmouth on October 29. Inaugural women’s series champion Caroline Mani (now with Groove Off Road Racing) retained her crown with a 60-point margin over second-placed Raylyn Nuss (Steve Tilford Foundation). On the men’s side, Curtis White (Steve Tilford Foundation) took the crown last year in a tight battle against Eric Brunner (now with WTB-Pivot Off Road) that came down to the final weekend and three points.
All four event weekends will feature live streaming on GCN+ for the elite races, available with a paid subscription. Organisers at each venue also plan to have food trucks, a beer garden, music, professional announcers and children’s activities for spectators.
“Our goal with USCX has always been to host four weekends of premier racing for both elite and amateur athletes,” said Scott Page, series co-founder and executive director for Rochester Cyclocross. “Cyclocross is so exciting to watch and we want to give these incredible athletes a platform on which to shine. We believe integrating these four events into the USCX Series does that.”
The elite contests, which include a set of C1 and C2 races each weekend, are also part of USA Cycling’s Pro CX calendar. Each USCX stop also provides a points competition for amateurs.
A quartet of US-based, UCI cyclocross events joined forces to launch the USCX Cyclocross Series in 2021, spotlighting eight pro races for elite men and women. Rochester Cyclocross led the way, followed by Charm City CX in Baltimore, Jingle Cross in Iowa City and Kings CX in Cincinnati. Jingle Cross is no longer on the ‘cross circuit, while Kings CX remains on the schedule for Pro CX. The first year did not offer a prize money for series winners, but upgraded the stakes to a combined $15,000 purse in 2022.
USCX 2023
- September 16-17 - Virginia’s Blue Ridge Go Cross presented by Fat Tire in Roanoke, Virginia
- September 23-24 - Rochester Cyclocross in Rochester, New York
- September 30-October 1 - Charm City CX in Baltimore, Maryland
- October 28-29 - Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross in Falmouth, Massachusetts
