USA Cycling Collegiate Nationals Come to Fort Collins

This just in from the Colorado State University Cycling Team and Cycling News:

Fort Collins wins bid to host US Collegiate Nationals

The 2008 and 2009 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships will head to Fort Collins, Colorado, where they will be hosted by Colorado State University. Approximately 500 collegiate races are expected to vie for 18 national road titles from May 9-11, 2008.

The event will kick off with a team time trial in nearby Buckeye, just north of Fort Collins. On day two a road race will be contested on a circuit between Horsetooth Reservoir and Masonville before a final day's downtown criterium. The Colorado State Rams were recently named USA Cycling Collegiate Club of the Year.

Friday, May 9: Team time trial
Saturday, May 10: Road race
Sunday, May 11: Criterium

Also, the local newspaper, The Coloradoan, quotes the planners explaining why they decided to modify the popular local route of the Colorado Cycling Festival held in June, which included a Rist Canyon climb and descent (18% grades at 9,000' altitude):

While cyclists from, say, Florida, are as fit an any from Fort Collins, they just aren't used to riding down hills, Taylor said.

USA Cycling was "worried it was too challenging for people who had never ridden up a mountain, let alone down one," he said. "In Florida, their idea of a hill is an overpass."

Oh, but they have nasty winds to contend with, right Floridians? :-D

Congratulations Rams, the 2007 Collegiate Cycling Team of the Year!