The city of Charleston, West Virginia, is set to become the epicenter of American professional cycling as it will proudly host the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships for the next five years. This thrilling event will bring together elite and up-and-coming cyclists from across the nation to compete for coveted national titles in 2024-2028, starting with the first event on May 14-19, 2024.
“After seven successful years in Knoxville, we are thrilled to start a new tradition with Charleston. We vetted several different venues and were extremely impressed by the challenging terrain and beauty of West Virginia’s capital city, as well as the capability of the local organizing committee led by the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau,” said Brendan Quirk, USA Cycling’s President and CEO.
The Pro Road National Championships will continue to feature the professional Road Race, Time Trial and Criterium, with the addition of the Under-23 and Junior 17-18 age categories in an effort to elevate the UCI categories on the national stage, creating one world-class cycling event.
“It’s been 20 years since we’ve seen this level of performance by American riders in the European peloton,” continued Quirk. “This makes it the perfect time for USA Cycling to really invest in Pro Road Nationals and make it the ultimate week of road racing for American riders at all levels of the developmental pathway - Professional, U23, and Junior 17-18.”
The 2024 event is expected to draw top-tier riders, including Olympians, World Tour professionals, and rising stars just two months prior to the Summer Olympic Games. The winner of the Elite Men’s and Women’s Time Trial events at the 2024 Pro Road National Championships will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games set to be held July 26 – August 11.
“Our goal for the qualifier in Charleston is to closely mimic the course riders will face in Paris. The 2024 Olympic Time Trial Course is 32.4 kilometers in length and is predominately flat,” said Jim Miller, USA Cycling’s Chief of Sport Performance.
Athletes will vie for gold on the formidable roads and picturesque landscapes of Charleston and its surrounding areas, providing the best-in-class racing while showcasing West Virginia's natural beauty.
“This event is an exciting opportunity to showcase our city. It's going to take a group effort and, so far, the cycling community has responded with incredible enthusiasm,” said Tim Brady, President/CEO of the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We also couldn't host championships of this magnitude without the support of the City of Charleston and our number one advocate, Mayor Amy Goodwin.”
“We are thrilled to welcome the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships to Charleston – starting in the Spring of 2024 – to experience our Capital City’s natural beauty and vibrant communities,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “We look forward to working with the Charleston CVB and our cycling community in the months ahead to prepare for this national championship.”
The remaining 2024 National Championship calendar will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information about the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships, please visit https://roadnats.usacycling.org/pro-road
ABOUT CHARLESTON (charlestonwv.com)
At the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau, our mission is to positively impact the economic and social prosperity of our community by attracting visitors and events that directly support jobs and local businesses and generate economic and cultural impact.
