Update 1/11/15: Due to excessive rainfall overnight, USA Cycling‘s Cyclo-cross National Championships event has been cancelled on Sunday over concerns for the turf and root zone exposure.
The 2015 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships will take place in Zilker Park between Wednesday Jan. 7 through Sunday, Jan. 11. This is the first time since the 1970’s that this high-energy competition has come to Austin. So for many of us, it’s the first time we get to check out an event like this. It’s free and open to the public, but we weren’t exactly sure what to expect, so we got the lowdown from the event organizers. Sounds like it’s an exciting, family-friendly event!  Here’s the scoop:
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Photo by Eddie Clark. From the USA Cycling website.

— What is Cyclo-cross racing? It’s kind of a hybrid road bike/mounting bike/running race. It’s an endurance event where competitors will race over a variety of terrain in Zilker Park — hills, grass, even stone steps. (For more info about cyclo-cross racing, you can visit the USA Cycling website.)

— Is it free for spectators? Absolutely! Everyone is invited to come and check out this exciting event.

— Is it family friendly? Yes. Kids of all ages can enjoy the excitement of the races.

— Will there be food and drinks? There will be several food trucks on site, and families are also welcome to pack their own snacks. Also, for grownup, there will be a designated Beer Zone,  where Sierra Nevada Brewing Company will be sold ($5) from noon – 5 p.m. on Jan. 9-11. All proceeds from the Beer Zone will benefit the Austin Sunshine Camps.

— What’s the best way to get there?

  • General Parking is next to the course (see map below) for $10/day.
  • Ride your bike! Spinlister will be ready at the CX Nats free bike valet.
  • Take the bus! The Cap Metro #30 stops right in front of Zilker.
  • Please do not park in the neighborhoods surrounding Zilker or you will be towed.
Here’s an event map: (You can click on it to take you to a bigger version.)
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— When is the event?
For the full race schedule, click here. You can watch races on Wednesday, Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 8 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 9 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 10 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 11 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Check it out!