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Entries for CrossVegas open on August 1st. Categories include Elite Men, Elite Women and the Wheelers & Dealers race for bicycle industry members attending Interbike.
The 2009 event will take place on the evening of Wednesday September 23rd following the first day of the Interbike show. Heading into its third year, CrossVegas has become a fixture on the U.S. cyclocross calendar attracting almost 10,000 spectators to the stadium setting of Desert Breeze Soccer Complex in Las Vegas.
Exclusive online registration will be at BikeReg.com. Registration is limited for each category to 100 racers and is expected to fill rapidly.
In addition to competitor registration BikeReg.com will offer general admission ticket sales for the event. An admission of $8 per person has been created this year to cover the expense of fencing mandated by park authorities.
“We’re victims of our own success,” explained CrossVegas co-promoter Brook Watts.
“There have been serious traffic hazards created by fans parking in adjacent businesses and jaywalking major thoroughfares. As a result the fencing was required to mitigate the traffic issues as well as control fans hauling in prohibited beverages.”
Food and beverages sales, including beer, are available at CrossVegas beginning at 6:00 pm. In addition, Interbike will again provide a free shuttle bus throughout the night from The Sands Convention Center.
“It’s the best bargain in Vegas,” said Watts. "What else can you do in Las Vegas for eight bucks?”
There will also be a bike ride to the event, a ‘mobile social’, organised by Bikehugger.com.
The Wheelers & Dealers presented by Mountain Bike Magazine offers divisions for Men, Women, Media, Manufacturer, Retailer, Distributor and Advocacy.
New this year will be Wheelers & Dealers number pickup at the CrossVegas booth at Interbike on Wednesday allowing racers a chance to avoid the rush at race time. In addition, the Wheelers & Dealers start time has been bumped to 7:00 pm to give show attendees more time to get to the event after the show ends.
Last year the Wheelers & Dealers race was a who’s whom of the industry including Clif Bar founder, Gary Erickson; Dave Lawrence of Shimano; and Ben Capron of Specialized.
BikeBiz executive editor also rode the event. Slowly. But he was chuffed to be at the same race as Lance Armstrong, even if the 7-times Tour de France winner, hadn’t shaved his legs for the occasion.
Reid said: "For the rest of my born days I will brag I was the fastest British finisher in my race on the famous night when Lance Armstrong kick-started his comeback. OK, I was the only British entrant, but I’m not always strong on details."
Another British link to the event is that UK based cycle clothing company Schlamm is to be the ‘Official Race Merchandise Supplier’ of CrossVegas.
Schlamm will provide official clothing to all event staff, race marshalls and credentialed photographers, in addition to presenting a range of race merchandise that will be available before the event online, and at the event.
“CrossVegas has rapidly grown into the place to be at the start of the cyclocross season, and a great place for all the Interbike show-goers to catch up after a hard day’s work and watch the stars of the sport beat the hell out of each other for an hour,” said Schlamm director Simon Burney, author of the ‘bible’ of cyclocross racing.
“Schlamm is delighted to be associated with this prestigious race, and whilst Vegas doesn’t typically have the ‘cross weather that our line of clothing was intended for, this will be a great place for us to start our winter season and remind people that it will get colder and wetter pretty soon after.”
Burney’s co-directer is Dan Ellmore, formerly CEO of Impsport.
