January 31/14 17:39 pm - Cycling Alberta Announces 2014 Calendar

Posted by Editoress on 01/31/14
 

The ABA is pleased to welcome back many returning events, as well as a few new events to the 2014 calendar.

Full 2014 calendar 

New events in 2014

Cross Country Eliminator (Royal River Valley Rumble III)
For the first time in ABA history, a Cross Country Eliminator has been added to the race calendar as a part of the Royal River Valley Rumble III, hosted by Hardcore Cycling Club .The Cross Country Eliminator (XCE) is an exciting new discipline within Cross Country Mountain Biking. First introduced at the World Cup level in 2010, it has quickly become a mainstay in high level Mountain Bike Racing, including the 2013 Canada Summer Games and National Championships. For a preview video of the XCE in action, click here.

Canmore Enduro
As a part of the Kootenay-Rockies Enduro Series, this event will represent the first ever sanctioned Enduro on the Alberta provinical calendar. Enduro race format see's riders tackle a number of stages, each with timed downhill runs - total time across all stages is combined for a final rank. Expect this race to have 2-5hrs of total riding time with 2-5 timed stages within the course that are anywhere from 1 min 30 seconds to 30mins in length.

Juventus Sprint Challenge
Bridging the gap between the ITT Provincial Championships and ever-popular Canada Day Crit is the Juventus Sprint Challenge. Expect to see a format similar to the Challenge Sprint Pro Tour in Quebec. This exciting format offers action packed head-to-head competition, and promises to be a great addition to the calendar. To see a video of sprint racing in action, click here.

Canmore Mountain Bike Festival
New for 2014, RMCC's  Canmore Mountain Bike festival offers even more excitement to the Alberta Cup XC Series. The legendary Canmore Nordic Centre will offer up some of Alberta's best singletrack for Sunday's Alberta Cup XC event. Scheduled for the August 9-10 weekend, it will also offer Whistler Canada Cup XC goers a good warmup for the series finale. Expect further event details for Friday & Saturday events in the coming weeks.

Fort McMurray Road Provincial Championships
The ABA is excited to welcome the City of Fort McMurray and the Wood Buffalo Cycling Club  to the 2014 Alberta Cup calendar with the 2014 edition of the Road Provincial Championships. Racers will be put to the test on the proposed 16km urban race circuit that will be utilized for the 2015 edition of the Western Canada Summer Games. Organizers are already hard at work to make this event a memorable one for everyone involved.

Crankmasters Team Time Trial
Having seen success at the Club Sanction Level in previous years, the Calgary Crankmasters  have upped the anty this year, adding the Team Time Trial to the Provincial Calendar. Representing Alberta's only Provincial Sanctioned team time trial, this event will be a great one-time tune up for all the clubs who accept the challenge.

New Cyclocross Events
2014 will see the addition of three new cyclocross events as a part of another jam packed season.

The "Natural CX High" organized by Natural High Cycling Club  promises to kick off the Alberta Cup cyclocross season in style with a brand new course proposed in the heart of Okotoks, AB.

Also new for 2014, Synergy's Pumphouse Cross brings us another new venue in Calgary. With the event happening the Sunday following Provincial CX Championships, this one will give all riders a shot at Cross Provincials redemption.

The Eagle Point Cross Enduro follows the cross endurance format similar to the well known Paris to Ancaster or Kettle Cross events. This will be the first time an ABA event has made use of the beautiful venue that is the Pembina Nordic Club in Drayton Valley.

2014 Provincial Championship Events

The 2014 season also marks:

• The 2014 Alberta Summer Games, in Airdrie Alberta. Cycling events scheduled from July 25-27, 2014
• The return of the Trailblazers Youth Racing Series . Full calendar posting on March 7, 2014
• BMX Canada Cup returns to Alberta with stops 1 & 2 in Calgary, and stops 3 & 4 in St. Albert

If you have any questions concerning the 2014 Race Calendar, please contact Josh Peacock, Lead Sport Coordinator, at josh@albertabicycle.ab.ca or (877)646-2453.

Happy racing!

Courtesy ABA

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