The National Cycling League (NCL), America’s latest attempt to make pro road cycling a relevant and exciting sport, has announced their inaugural calendar of races, including a $1 million prize list criterium series and a training race in Arizona where amateur riders can race with some of the top pros in the world.
The four race NCL Cup criterium series will debut in Miami on 8 April and conclude 10 September in Washington D.C., in between the series will also hold races in races in Atlanta on 14 May and 13 August in Denver.
10 invited domestic teams of men and women, plus the league’s own Miami Nights and Denver Disruptors will compete in the NCL Cup, with riders sprinting for points on every lap of every race to accumulate points towards the $1 million series prize payout. With a tagline of “Don’t Blink,” the NCL promises the new racing format will be exciting, fast paced and technologically innovative…
Prior to the start of the NCL season, the Miami Nights and Denver Disruptors will meet for a league training camp in Phoenix, Arizona from 21 February through 5 March, including participation in the 35th Tucson Bicycle Classic, one of the few remaining amateur stage races in America.
Amateurs will have the opportunity to meet the NCL teams, snap a selfie with world class riders like the Paris-Nice Champion Sergio Henao from the Denver Disruptors or Olympian Daniely Garcia of the Miami Nights, and compete against the NCL pros in Tucson Bicycle Classic time trial, road and circuit races.
Denver Disruptors Team Roster:
Leah Kirchmann, Canada
Hayley Bates, USA
Ava Hachman, USA
Elizabeth “Izzy” Harden, USA
Iro Milaki, Greece
Nerea Nuno Iglesias, Spain
Valentina Scanolara, Italy
Erica Zaveta, USA
Sergio Henao, Colombia
Juan Estaban Arango Carvajal, Colombia
Ulises Alfredo Castillo, Mexico
Noah Granigan, USA
Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg, South Africa
Oskar Nisu, Estonia
Riley Sheehan, USA
Sergei Tvetcov, Romania
Miami Nights Team Roster:
Jeidy Pradera Bernal ,Cuba
Andrea Buttine, USA
Andrea Cyr, USA
Verena Eberhardt, Austria
Daniely Garcia, Venezuela
Taylor Kuyk White, USA
Paola Munoz Grandon, Chile
Brittany Parffrey, USA
Evan Bausbacher, USA
Johnny Clarke, Australia
Andzs Flaksis, Latvia
Bryan Gómez, Colombia
Clever Martinez, Venezuela
Alfredo Rodriguez, Mexico
Kent Ross, USA
Frank Trevieso, Cuba/USA
Photos: NCL