USA Cycling Announces 2015 NCC and NRC Calendars

USA Cycling has announced its 2015 USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar (NCC) and 2015 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar (NRC) . The premier domestic road cycling calendars sanctioned by USA Cycling, the sport's national governing body, begin in March and continue through September with races across the United States.

Riders will compete for standings points tabulated for individual riders as well as teams. Following each week of racing, USA Cycling will post updated standings on each respective calendar page as well as distribute to media.

NCC: Increased from 16 to 19 events for 2015, the NCC begins March 21 when the action will be in Tampa, Fla., for the Gasparilla Criterium and Action Sports Festival and concludes Sept. 20, when the riders will toe the line in Hartford, Conn., to contest the Connecticut Cycling Festival. The 183 days in between will feature the fastest, most entertaining criterium racing in the country.

The second event of the NCC calendar is the Sunny King Criterium in Anniston, Ala., on March 28. The following week is highlighted by the Novant Health Invitational Criterium on April 11 in Charlotte, N.C. The criterium racing moves west to Dana Point, Calif., on May 3 as competitors will contest the Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling before heading to Wilmington, Del., to compete in the Wilmington Grand Prix on May 16. The Tour of Somerville is the main event in Somerville, N.J., on May 25 before the focus shifts to a two-race weekend on May 30 with the Winston-Salem Classic Criterium in Winston-Salem, N.C., and the Glencoe Grand Prix in Glencoe, Ill. In early June, the spotlight focuses on Manhattan Beach, Calif., for the Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, and on Tulsa, Okla., for the Saint Francis Tulsa Tough on June 12-14.

The criterium action returns to the east coast when riders compete in the two-day Air Force Association Cycling Classic in Arlington, Va., on June 13-14. After a three-week break, the competition moves to Boise, Idaho, as the Andersen Banducci Twilight Criterium takes center stage on July 11. The peloton continues to go west to compete in the Littleton Criterium in Littleton, Colo., on July 18. On July 25, the riders will be in Lake Bluff, Ill., to compete in the Intelligentsia Cup. The action returns to the northeast on Aug. 15 when riders will compete in the Rochester Twilight Criterium in Rochester, N.Y., followed by the Chris Thater Memorial in Binghamton, N.Y., on Aug. 22. St. Louis, Mo., plays host to the the TSG Realty Gateway Cup on Sept. 4-7 before the penultimate race of the calendar, the TD Bank Mayor's Cup, takes to the streets of Boston, Mass., on Sept. 19.  The NCC wraps up the following day with the Connecticut Cycling Festival in Hartford.

Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare) clinched the men's title in the 2014 NCC men's standings while Erica Allar (Tucson, Ariz./Colavita-Fine Cooking) topped the NCC women's standings for the second straight year with 1,117 points. UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling rode away with the NCC men's team standings with 3,040 points while Colavita-Fine Cooking posted 1,963 points to win the NCC women's team standings.

NRC: The 2015 edition of the NRC boasts seven events, including three additional UCI races for both men and women, beginning April 8-12 with the Redlands Bicycle Classic in Redlands, Calif. The second event of the calendar is the Joe Martin Stage Race p/b Nature Valley UCI 2.2 event in Fayetteville, Ark., on April 23-26 before the focus shifts to Silver City, N.M., for the five-day Tour of the Gila, another UCI 2.2 race, from April 29-May 3. The following week features the UCI 1.2 Winston-Salem Cycling Classic in Winston-Salem, N.C., on May 31. The NRC action continues in Philadelphia where riders will compete in the Philly Cycling Classic, a UCI 1.2 race, on June 7 before heading to Minneapolis, Minn., to contest the North Star Grand Prix from June 18-21. After a long respite, the NRC calendar ends with the Thompson Bucks County Classic (UCI 1.2 men's race only) in Doylestown, Pa., on Sept. 12. 

The 2014 NRC individual standings winners were Travis McCabe (Tucson, Ariz./Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis), who topped the NRC men's standings with 672 points and Lauren Stephens (Dallas, Texas/Team TIBCO-To the Top), who paced the NRC women's standings with 934 points. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies topped the NRC men's team standings with 1,972 points while Team TIBCO-To the Top won dominated the NRC women's team standings with 1,858 points.

2015 National Criterium Calendar (NCC)

 
2015 National Racing Calendar (NRC)

About USA Cycling: Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 64,000 members; 2,700+ clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions over 3,100 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit usacycling.org.