FEBRUARY 25, 2025 -- (Omaha, Neb.) Today, the Omaha Sports Commission (OSC) announced Omaha as the newest host for the USA CRITS national cycling race to be held in Omaha on Saturday, May 17, 2025. The new, national event, the Aksarben Tirc, will be free to the public and will welcome more than 500 female and male athletes, and attract 3,000-plus fans, family, friends and sports enthusiasts.

OSC was joined by leadership from the national and local cycling community, as well as one of the top cyclists in the U.S. and Visit Omaha leadership, for the announcement at Aksarben Village, honoring and highlighting the long tradition of sports in the Aksarben-area of Omaha.

“In just more than 2 months, Omaha will be showcasing our amazing sports community and city on the national stage, and we are thrilled to host this national cycling event and show the cycling world how much we love our sports here in the Omaha-area,” said OSC Executive Director and President, Lindsay Toussant Brown.

OSC is a non-profit dedicated to supporting Omaha as one of the premier sports communities in the U.S., bringing sports events to the area and increasing the image of the city as a sports destination. OSC is excited to bring a new kind of racing to the Aksarben area with a national level criterium, or “crit” in cycling terms, featuring the top cyclists in the U.S. The Aksarben Tirc will be part of the national USA CRITS series and will attract a wide fan base and include activities throughout the day for the whole family.

Ty Magner, Pro Cyclist for LEG19N of Los Angeles and 5x National Champion, said “If you’ve never seen a professional bike race up close, criterium racing is by far the most entertaining version. You see the riders leaning through corners and hear the sounds of the bikes straining and riders breathing. You’ll feel the excitement as if you were racing yourself, even just watching from the side.”

The Tirc is a criterium, or “crit,” which is a short-loop bike race on a closed road. This high energy event will be unique to the area and one that OSC will own, operate, and plans to have here year after year as a signature sports and entertainment event for the Omaha community.

Thad Fischer, Executive Director for USA CRITS and Race Director for the Aksarben Tirc, shared, “This is going to be a race you will want to experience firsthand on May 17. A criterium bicycle race is a mass start, multi-lap event contested on a closed course where laps are typically a mile or less and include 4 to 6 corners. Racers do a predetermined number of laps or race for a predetermined amount of time - usually 30 to 90 minutes. It’s fast, exciting to watch, and often described as NASCAR racing on bicycles.”

“I am thrilled that Douglas County, Omaha will be hosting this national cycling race, the Aksarben Tirc, in 81 days on Saturday, May 17,” said Douglas County Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson. “This is such exciting news for cycling enthusiasts and for our community! Everyone from locals to national visitors - get ready to experience the thrill of competition and the beauty of Omaha's outdoor scenery!”

For more information, please visit the OSC website at https://omahasports.org/aksarben-tirc