A quartet of U.S.-based UCI cyclocross events have teamed up to launch the USCX Cyclocross Series this fall, highlighting eight pro races for elite men and women and nine amateur races for junior men and women in the 17-18 age category.

The Rochester Cyclocross in Rochester on September 25-26 will kick off the USCX Cyclocross Series, followed the next weekend by the Charm City CX in Baltimore on October 2-3, October 15-17 in Iowa City. Jingle Cross will be the site of the junior event; the series will conclude with the Kings CX in Cincinnati on October 23-24.

All four events are designated by the UCI as elite and junior (17-18 year olds) races and will include C1 and C2 events for the pros. The Jingle Cross is also the final race of the UCI World Cup America, which will be held October 10-17.

The new series will offer points rather than prize money, which was last offered in the 2017 Sho-Air US Cup-CX series. That year, a supplemental crowdfunding campaign with sponsor Sho-Air split the $30,000 prize money evenly between men and women, with the winner receiving $12,500 each. Races in Cincinnati and Baltimore were also part of this series.

"Winning the CX Cup was huge for me. That check really meant a lot to me in my normal life," said Stephen Hyde, a three-time men's winner of the US Cyclocross title. He now races for the Steve Tilford Foundation Racing team and is proud to have won the big money four years ago." I'm glad the series has been put together and really appreciate whatever it is. I'm glad this series is being put on and I'm really grateful for whatever happens.

"It's hard to find cash sponsors. So that's not a criticism. But at the end of the day, a "pro" is someone who makes a living racing motorcycles. That's over and done with. You can get as many free tires and sunglasses as you want, and you can still make an impact.

"So I certainly show up and race to win. But I don't put anything ahead of what makes the most sense for me to grow and develop as a rider, unless it pays to be there. It's that simple."

In addition to the UCI-designated races, there are a total of 18 amateur categories throughout the series, from masters and open divisions to junior races for 13- and 14-year-olds, with points awarded to the overall winner.

"Racers, teams, spectators, and sponsors have been asking for this for years. This series is for professionals as well as many amateur categories, masters and juniors."

The series will use a points-based tally to determine the overall winner, which will be awarded after the final event on October 24 at Kings CX. Athletes must register separately for each event, and each race will be tallied and series status posted at the end of each weekend's racing.

The top prize winner of the US Cup-CX series is Kaiti Keogh (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), who noted that the US needs a series of races to provide much needed spotlight for the sport.

"This series would be a great showcase for top riders. I think it's really great that the series also offers races for amateurs. However, there are still many unknowns, such as media exposure and prize money. The organizers say they will announce more details soon," said Keogh.

There have been several attempts over the decades to recognize cyclocross racers in the U.S. national or broadly regional series, dating back to the New England Points Series in the 1980s. The USGP and Northeast Cyclocross Series then took root in the early 2000s, and while the USGP ended in 2012, the NECX remains a UCI-sanctioned race from New York to Massachusetts.

"It is exciting to see the series forming again on a national stage. The recognition of junior + amateur in addition to pro is a great step forward, and I look forward to seeing more young and new riders participate," said Ellen Noble, who finished third overall in the 2017 SHO-AIR US Cup - CX Series for women." Growing up in New England, the NECX Series (and several other names) was a great motivator for me as an amateur and as a professional." "I hope this series will have a similar impact."

All eight of USCX's elite races are part of USA Cycling's Pro CX calendar, another points-based race for pros that runs for 19 days in nine states, from Virginia on September 18 to North Carolina on November 21. However, the Pro CX is only an accolade for professionals.

"I love the series. People really like to follow the story and I think that's what gets people interested and makes them want to get involved in the sport, and I think the fact that there was that kind of prize money in 2017 really showed that. But I didn't get the $12,500 because I came in second, Stevie did, but it still didn't feel good to get paid. For us pros, that's a huge incentive," said Kelly Warner (Kona Maxxis Shimano Cyclocross Team). [As you know, cycling is not a big money-maker, so every little bit helps, and chasing prize money is something that piques the interest of top athletes and influences their season schedules.

"It's great that this series is making its way down to the juniors. For juniors who don't have the means to attend every race on the calendar, it gives them direction on which races to devote their resources to. For masters racers, I think it will help promote racing in their respective regions."

In 2020, the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic put the majority of cyclocross races on hiatus, with only a handful of elite riders choosing to endure the rigorous travel protocols to compete in Europe. uscx is committed to providing athletes of all levels for a new spark in the fall races.

Noble added that he hopes that the new spark will be the catalyst for future prize money.

"We hope that the first year of this series can be seen as a proof of concept for possible future sponsorship of this series. We look forward to being a part of it."

He added, "We are very excited to be a part of this.

Scott Page, executive director of Rochester Cyclocross and partnering with Meehan to launch the series, said that as part of the event selection process, the topography of the course, the reputation of each established event, and the practicality of traveling between venues He noted that the process includes an evaluation of geographic location to ensure that the event is "practical to travel between venues.

"Our overall goal is to produce a world-class event that showcases the great sport of cyclocross.

Organizers said they will focus more on C1 events than C2 UCI races; the points awarded to men and women in UCI Junior 17-18 races count equally.

Safety protocols for COVID-19 coronavirus will be established at each venue, per state requirements and guidance. More information on this series and a link to conference registration can be found at uscx.us.