Badger Cycling Team defends home turf in Nationals

For the second year in a row, the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships return to Madison. This year, however, the course moves to the University Research Park, just a few miles from campus. Close to 100 colleges and universities from across the country will be represented as nearly 500 elite student-athletes compete for the 18 national titles that are up for grabs.

Cheer on the Badger Cycling team as they host the 2011 USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships from Friday, May 6-Sunday, May 8. The event is free and open to the public.

The road race kicks off the championships on May 6, with a course winding several laps through Blue Mound State Park. On May 7, the team time trials are held at Trek Bicycle headquarters in Waterloo. The Badgers look to improve on last year’s team time trial finishes — eighth place for the women and 17th for the men.

The most viewer-friendly – and, arguably, most exciting — event is the criterium on May 8. Held last year on the Capitol Square, this year’s event runs around a University Research Park loop just west of Whitney Way. Beginning on Research Park Boulevard, the course continues on Charmany Drive and South Rosa Road before returning to Research Park Boulevard. The events get under way at 8 a.m. with Women’s Division II, followed by Women’s Division I (including the Badgers) at 9:15 a.m. Men’s Division II starts at 10:30 a.m., with Men’s Division I (including the Badgers) at noon.

The University Research Park is located west of Whitney Way, north of Tokay Boulevard and south of Mineral Point Road, near Madison Metro’s West Transfer Point. For more information, visit online or contact the Badger Cycling Team at 920-850-7946 or via e-mail.