2009 USA Crits & USA Crits Speedweek

America has a rich history of criterium racing, a unique form of cycling that stresses high-speed races contested amidst a thriving urban atmosphere. Criterium racing’s has been the consistent backbone of American cycling since the 20’s when cycling was king. Although an unrecognized discipline by the world governing body of cycling, criterium racing brings a unique set of skills to the sport and as such needs its own ranking and points system.

USA CRITS has been developed to feature these riders and to offer venues, teams and riders the ability to excel in a unique discipline of cycling. Because criteriums are historically run on short laps through city streets, they offer spectators the opportunity to watch Olympians, world and national champions up-close as they ride at top speed for up to two hours. This has made the criterium format the most spectator-friendly form of cycling. When staged according to time-honored traditions, these races often draw more than 30,000 fans per event.

The races that form the USA CRITS series have the ideals that have made criterium racing an American legacy: Challenging courses that showcase arts and entertainment districts; a large and growing base of spectators; broad community support; and strong marketing opportunities for sponsors