Four-Day Regional Cycling Event June 29 - July 2, 2022

BOTETOURT COUNTY, VA – June 2, 2022 - Leaders of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Botetourt County and the City of Roanoke announced today that USA Cycling is bringing their 2022 and 2023 USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships to Virginia’s Blue Ridge (VBR) June 29 – July 2, 2022. Several hundred athletes from all over the country will be competing for a chance to win national titles in the road race, individual time trial, and criterium.

“Botetourt County is thrilled to be a part of this esteemed event that will bring visitors and activity to the region,” said Chairman Dr. Richard Bailey, of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors. “We are known for outdoor recreation and stunning scenery.  From the mountains to the river to our scenic county roads, we are a destination for those seeking adventure. These athletes will have the opportunity to experience Botetourt County’s beauty and the rolling landscape for three days of racing.”

During the week racers will compete in age groups from 11 to 22 years of age in three different races. On Wednesday, June 29, racing kicks off with the Individual Time Trial in Botetourt County on U.S. Route 11, basing operations at the Troutville Elementary School. Distances include, 6 miles, 14 miles, 17 miles and 19 miles.  

On Thursday, June 30th and Friday, July 1st the road races will begin at the Botetourt Sports Complex and traverse the county with age dependent challenging 23-mile and 7-mile courses. The top athletes will climb just under 9,000 feet throughout their races.

The four-day event concludes on Saturday, July 2, with a sprinters’ race or criterium. The race will take place in Downtown Roanoke. Racers will tackle a unique, broad, five-corner course that will test all riders. The races will kick off at 8:00 a.m. and run until 7:15 p.m. With speeds approaching 30 mph on a technical course this event is like a Formula 1 car race on bicycles.

“We are building on our resume as a premier cycling destination,” said City of Roanoke Mayor, Sherman Lea. “We are excited to host the USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships not just this summer, but next summer, too!”

“We are honored to be planning and preparing to host the inaugural 2022 USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships in Virginia’s Blue Ridge and the opportunity to showcase the vibrancy of the region,” said Landon Howard, President of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge. “VBR is excited to welcome these amateur athletes – and their friends and families to our area and we look forward to cheering them on later this month.”

“USA Cycling is incredibly fortunate to work with such a great partner who is committed to a long-term relationship with the Amateur Road National Championships. The VBR staff has put together challenging courses for our participants and we can’t thank them enough for all their work to pull off the event this year,” said Tara McCarthy, USA Cycling’s Director of National Events. 

For more information about lodging, things to do, volunteering, road impacts go to www.VisitVBR.com/usa-cycling

Use this link to view course maps - https://ridewithgps.com/events/172913-2022-usa-cycling-amateur-road-national-c 

For more information about the race, contact Tara McCarthy, Director of National Events for USA Cycling at tmccarthy@usacycling.org

ABOUT USA Cycling (usacycling.org)
USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, and BMX. USA Cycling’s mission is to champion accessibility, participation, and excellence in the sport of cycling to make more Americans healthier, happier, and better on two wheels while achieving sustained international racing success. USA Cycling supports cyclists at all levels, from those just beginning in the sport and participating in fun rides to international caliber racers. USA Cycling has a membership of 100,000, annually sanctions over 2,500 events. 

ABOUT Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge (VBR) – Visit VBR is the official destination marketing/management organization for the region including the cities of Roanoke and Salem and the counties of Botetourt, Franklin and Roanoke. Visit VBR supports a vital and growing component of the local economy generating jobs and economic impact. www.VisitVBR.com

Header photo courtesy of Weldon Weaver