USA Cycling nationals will be in Trexlertown – Allentown Morning Call

For the first time since 2003, the Valley Preferred Cycling Center will be hosting the USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships.

The velodrome in Trexlertown last hosted the junior national championships in 2013, but last hosted the elites in 2003. This time out, the world-famous Concrete Crater will host both the junior and elite events.

The 2016 USA Cycling Elite and Junior Track National Championships will be held July 25-31, 2016.

“Well, this is the bicycle racing capital of the world,” VPCC executive director Marty Nothstein said in a telephone interview. “We pride ourselves in putting on world caliber events like nationals and UCI events. We pride ourselves on putting on great racing.”

The nationals fall just two weeks before track cyclists will compete in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Aug. 11-16. While that means that the very top of the USA pool will be working toward Rio and not nationals, the nationals will have plenty of top-tier cyclists due to a minimum number of Olympic qualifying spots.

In addition, thanks to the strongest developmental programs in the country, the VPCC annually produces some of the best junior-aged track cyclists in the nation.

The 2015 junior and elite nationals in Carlsbad, Calif. ran concurrently for the first time, so the 2016 nationals will be a continuation of that format.

“This is important for our local and regional riders, to race for national championships on their home soil,” said Nothstein, who owns 35 national titles, as well as Olympic gold and silver medals, in addition to three world championships. “To have the elite and junior nationals beck here in T-town is very special and I’m counting down the days. I can’t wait for our riders to do battle and show the rest of the nation how we do it here in T-town.”

The VPCC is coming off its 40th anniversary season and served as the summer training camp for a variety of international teams, including New Zealand and Canada.

Cyclists who make the Valley Preferred Cycling Center their home own a long-standing tradition of performing well at nationals and internationally.

“Riders from T-town have consistently represented us very well at national championships,” Nothstein said. “Our riders are winning national titles year-in and year-out. For them to be able to race for national titles in front of family and friends is special for them and I expect our riders to be geared up for the event and show the rest of the country why T-town is such a special track.”

gary.blockus@mcall.com

Twitter @gblockus

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