Tags
Cycling, Fitchburg, History, New Engalnd, Non-Profit, Stage Racing, UCI, USA Cycling
Hi everyone!
If you’ve been following our facebook or twitter feed, you may know a little bit about what is going on with the 2012 Longsjo Classic. The website, longsjo.com, is being updated (though slowly) with the current information. We’ve gotten some emails asking for updates, and I’m going to use this post to not only introduce people to the new blog, but to let them know what we’ve been working on.
1. The Longsjo is 100% back on.
No one wanted to let last year’s cancellation be the end of the Longsjo. The Longsjo is different than a lot of other events, in that it’s a memorial event to an incredible athlete and human being, Art Longsjo. That makes the race something more than just a black and white thing, it makes it a type of entity. That makes it really hard to pull the plug and move on, even when doing just that is, in theory, easier than putting on a race of this size, in this region, and in this economy.
2. Changing things up a little bit
We needed to find some new excitement, and some new partners this year. Immediately after the cancellation last June, representatives from the cities of Leominster and Worcester called and offered to help. What was amazing is that they both asked if there was a way is they could help right away. We were floored. Changing the direction that late in the game wasn’t something we could handle at that point, but you don’t forget that offer. As we moved forward with plans for 2012, we knew Leominster and Worcester were going to be a part.
3. No NRC in 2012
We’ve struggled the last couple years, and with the cancellation in 2011 USAC figured it was best to leave us off of the National Race Calendar in 2012. We’re not worried about it. Racing is racing, the prize list isn’t going to change all that much, and if we prove ourselves, we might re-apply in 2013.
4. The stages and categories
For 2012 we will have four days of racing for Men Pro1/2, Women Pro 1/2, and Juniors (June 28-July 1). We will have three days of racing for Masters 40+, Women 3/4, Men 4, and Men 3 (June 29-July 1)
The stages are as follows:
Thursday June 28, Rollstone Bank and Trust, Leominster Twilight Criterium (M 1/2, W 1/2, Jrs.)
Friday June 29, Fitchburg State University Hill Climb (We’re still looking for a catchier title) Mass Start Hill Climb to the summit of Wachusett Mountain State Reservation (all categories)
This is going to be a brutal hill climb. We’ll be starting a short distance from the base of the mountain, and then heading up to the very top, where the race hasn’t gone since 2008. We’ve been working on this for a while, and it’s going to be epic. Except for M1/2, W1/2, and juniors, your start line position is going to be based on when you register. If you know you’re going to be racing, sign up early. If you wait, you’re going to have to make your way through the field on your way up the climb. Each field will start separately. We will have a couple Cat 5 fields for this event. There is no TT, so that means you only have to bring one bike.
Registration opens at 6pm EST on Thursday March 15th on BikeReg.
Saturday June 30. Road Race (sponsor info is in the works…good stuff)
The Masters, Women 3/4 and Men 3 and Men 4 will race the traditional 11.4 mile circuit in Princeton and Westminster with the finish once again in Princeton center.
The Men Pro 1/2, Women Pro 1/2, and Juniors are going to start in Worcester in front of the Major Taylor statue at the Worcester Public Library, ride neutral through the city, and then begin racing up into Princeton, where they will join the traditional course. Those fields will be under full rolling enclosure, and will finish in Princeton center. Here is a PDF of the story that ran in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.
Sunday July 1, Workers’ Credit Union Downtown Criterium, Fitchburg, MA
This is the stage most people think about when they think about the Longsjo. It is here to stay, and isn’t going anywhere.
All seven fields will be racing this stage, as well as at least one Cat 5 field.
5. The Prize List
Even though we’re not on the NRC in 2012, we’re only going to lower the prize list for the Men Pro 1/2 to $20,000. We’re confident in this number, and we expect to draw a full field of riders.
The Women Pro 1/2 are a slightly different story, though we feel a still fair option. The prize list for the Women P 1/2 will break down like this:
If we get up to 50 riders the prize list will be $10,000
If we get at least 75 riders, the prize list will be $15,000
If we get at least 100 riders, the prize list will be $20,000
6. Registration
As we mentioned earlier, registration will open on Thursday March 15 at 6PM EST.
There will be 50% refunds only until June 1. You can transfer your registration to another rider (finances handled entirely by you) ONLY ONE TIME. By that we mean that if the new rider cancels, that registration is ineligible for a refund or another transfer. More details about this will be on the forthcoming flyer and on Bikereg.
On a marketing note, we’re looking for some guest bloggers to contribute to this forum. Essentially, your posts can be about anything Longsjo or cycling related. We’d like to avoid having the same person write all the time, and keep things fresh.
That answers a lot of the questions that people have been sending in. We continue to ask for a little more patience with the website. It will be updated soon. Feel free to ask us any questions you have either through Facebook or Twitter @longsjo_news. See everyone in June!