The Nor’Easter ‘Cross Powered by Eastern Mountain Sports is coming up this Saturday, September 24th in Burlington, Vermont. But before the racing gets underway, we’ll be hosting a number of great events, all are open to the public and will be a great opportunity to get to know some of the best racers in the world – and maybe pick up some new techniques.
First of all, the main event: Nor’Easter ‘Cross is the third round of the all-important Verge New England Cyclo-Cross Series. Pre-registration closes on Thursday, September 22 at 8pm. Registration information is here. Day-of registration will be available for a $5 additional fee.
The kickoff comes Wednesday night at the Catamount Wednesday ’Cross Series. This event will be headlined by British National Champion Helen Wyman (Kona Factory Team) and her compatriot Gabby Day (Renner Custom Cyclocross). Belgian Tom van den Bosch (AA Drink/Leontien.nl), former Canadian National Champion Mike Garrigan, several-times Danish Champion Joachim Parbo, Briton Ian Field and Canadian Craig Ritchey round out the international field. To top it off, also racing will be Adam Myerson (SmartStop/MOB p/b Ridley) and the Cycle-Smart Elite team.
The event kicks off in earnest on Friday with the Pre-Ride with the Pros event. At 2pm, all our premier racers from Wednesday’s event plus Vermont’s finest, Amy Dombroski (Crankbrothers Race Team) will convene at the start/finish line at North Beach in Burlington and head out for some quality course inspection. This is a free and informal event that will pay big dividends to all who come out.
Friday night, we’re excited to announce our Number Pick Up Party at Maglionaro, at 47 Maple Street, right in Burlington. For anyone who hasn’t had the chance to visit, Maglionaro is some kind of wonderland with ample bike parking, a bike wash, top-quality coffee and, reports say, a half-pipe. We give them our deepest thanks for their involvement. The Pick Up Party is a carryover from the Cycle Smart International and has been a staple, giving racers the chance to meet and greet the pros and their competitors in a comfortable and relaxed environment. The party runs from 6-9pm.
Also, last but not least, the Nor’Easter ‘Cross is part of the Nor’Easter Festival powered by Eastern Mountain Sports. Nor’Easter is a three-day celebration of outdoor culture showcasing sports, music, food, beer and the environmental issues we face. The music festival runs the gamut from rjd2 (Friday at 7:30pm) to G. Love & the Special Sauce (Saturday at 8pm). All pre-registered racers can purchase festival tickets at a 50% discount. All festival information is available at http://noreasterems.com/.
For all registration and schedule information, head here: http://www.cycle-smart.com/events/neccs/schedule.
The Verge New England Cyclo-Cross Series includes fifteen races in eight venues. The opening weekend is in Williston, Vermont on September 17th and 18th with the Green Mountain Cyclocross Weekend. The following Saturday, September 24th brings Nor’Easter Cross at the Nor’easter Festival in Burlington, Vermont. The Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester comes next on the 1st and 2nd of October followed by the Providence Cyclocross Festival presented by Interbike on October 8th and 9th. Rounds 8 and 9 bring the series back to New Gloucester, Maine for the Downeast Cyclocross weekend on the 22nd and 23rd of October. The series hits the home stretch on November 5th and 6th in Northampton, Massachusetts, for the Cycle-Smart International. After a two-week break, the series pays its annual visit to Sterling, Massachusetts for Tom Stevens’s Bay State Cyclocross on November 26th and 27th. The series finale comes the next weekend with the NBX Gran Prix of Cyclocross. For more information, visit http://www.cycle-smart.com/neccs
