Curtis White (Steve Tilford Foundation Racing) and Caroline Mani (Groove Auto Off-Road Racing) will lead a group of international riders in the Trek US Cyclocross Series (USCX) season opener, the Blue Ridge GO Cross in Virginia ( hosted by Fat Tire), will lead a group of international riders.

Both elite riders have finished high on the 2023 ProCX calendar, USA Cycling's cyclocross national series, throughout the season. White is a two-time USCX champion, Mani won the women's overall in 2022 and finished second last year, earning the top prize of $15,000 after eight races.

In 2024, USCX will again offer $15,000, which will be split evenly between the top elite women and men over four consecutive weekends culminating with the Trek CX Cup in Waterloo, Wisconsin on October 5-6. USCI points will be awarded to all USCX UCI points will be awarded to the elite category in all USCX events as C1 on Saturday and C2 on Sunday. USCX points will also be awarded to the amateur category.

Last year's USCX was also held at Fallon Park in Roanoke, Virginia, with Canadian Magali Rochette and Swiss Loris Rouillet winning both days. Rochette was absent due to the Chequamegon MTB Festival.

Mani, who was second in last year's GO Cross, was joined by Manon Bakker (Fenik-Deceuninck Devo) of the Netherlands, French champion Hélène Clausel (UVCA Troyes) and Canadian Sydney McGill (Cervelo Orange Living), U23 Pan American Champion Lauren Zoner (Competitive Edge Racing) will compete.

White had two fourth-place finishes in Roanoke last season. He will be joined by Swiss up-and-comer Alexandre Bingelli (Elite Foundation Cycling Team) and US Cyclocross National Championships silver medalist Andrew Strohmeier (CDX TREK Bikes), Nationals bronze medalist US riders, including Scott Funston (Cervélo Orange Living) and US Cyclocross Single Speed Champion Kelly Warner Jr (Groove Auto Off-Road Racing).

Cycling Canada has announced its national team selections for the Grand Prix Cyclistes de Quebec and Montreal on September 13 and 15 and the Tour de Gatineau on September 20 and 21.

Veteran James Piccoli will conclude his 10-year road cycling career in front of family and friends at two UCI men's one-day races this weekend. Piccoli spent three seasons at the WorldTour level with Israel Premier Tech and competed in the Vuelta a España twice. Montreal native Piccoli last raced in his home country in 2019 with the U.S.-based Continental team, finishing 22nd in the GP de Quebec.

Each year, the two Grand Prix races welcome a Canadian national team as a guest team, allowing young talent to test their skills in the international peloton. In addition to the experienced Piccoli, six U23 riders (Quentin Cowan, Jerome Gauthier, Jonas Walton, Leonard Peloquin, Felix Bouchard, and Felix Hamel) participate.

On the women's side, Kiara Ryrick (Boneshaker Project presented by ROXO) returns to the Tour de Gatineau, where she finished fourth last year. The pair represented Canada in the Nations Cup track event in Milton, Ontario, this year.

Rounding out the six-woman Team Canada rider team in Gatineau are Nelle Barraclough, Jenaya Francis, Florence Norman, and Katya Verkerk.

Round four of the six-round Lifetime Grand Prix will be held Saturday at the Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival (sponsored by Trek) in northern Wisconsin. Defending men's champion Alexey Vermeulen (ENVE-Factor) returns and will be looking for a top finish in the Grand Prix series, currently led by Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz Bicycles).

“I'm feeling good and Chequamegon is like a home race for me. I grew up in the Midwest, so I always look forward to competing here. Excitement always helps in the second half of the season, and this year I'm looking forward to the last three races of the series because I've had a lot of mental space.

“I don't think you can win the Chequamegon unless you are in the top 10 all day long. The race is never on the gas and the riders are always made to push.”

He will again face a number of top rivals, including last year's runner-up Swenson, 2022 winner Bradin Lange, who is back from an elbow injury, and 2021 winner Cole Paton.

“Chequamegon is always an open race and last year I was disappointed to miss it because of COVID. I haven't raced much this season since I broke my elbow in May, so I'm on my way back and really looking forward to racing,” Lange said.

On the women's side, seven-time winner Jenna Reinhart and recent Leadville winner Melisa Rollins will battle two Grand Prix racers who made the podium last year, Alexis Skarda and Sofia Gomez Villafane. 2023 winner Ruth Edwards, Europe as part of her Human Powered Health team at the Grand Prix Stuttgart.

“The Lifetime Grand Prix has never been more competitive. In the last few years, the race has become more open, with both men and women finishing in bunch sprints at the Chequamegon. In the women's race, Melisa (Rollins) will also do well here, as will Alexis (Skarda), who finished second in 2023,” Rinehart said.

“It could be anyone's day. I've been fighting a little bit of fatigue, but it's a short event and I know how to race, so I'm optimistic."

”We'll see what happens.

At a virtual press conference for the Lifetime Grand Prix this week, Lange and Rinehart told several journalists, including Cycling News, that the 41st running of the point-to-point MTB race from Hayward to Cable is only 39 .1 miles, but challenging, he said. Athletes cautioned against making moves on the Fire Tower climb, the longest and steepest section of the course, and said they will need power to ride the full two hours.

Follow the athletes' progress on Lifetime Grand Prix social channels and aslinkstiming.

Marlies Mejias (Blue Ridge TWENTY24, Virginia) and Marcos Mendez (Rockland Development Program) were in Doylestown, PA on Sunday for the Bucks County Classic's 20th anniversary criterium in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Sunday to close out the U.S. criterium racing calendar.

The 40-kilometer Doylestown Health Pro women's race was marked by early attacks by Automatic-ABUS Racing, Miami Blazers, and Goldman Sachs ETFs Racing, with every move reeling back from the field of 32. It was not until the final uphill pass to the finish that Mejias launched an attack and held off the Blazers duo of Skylar Schneider and Samantha Schneider by half a bike length for the win.

The lead group of six crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 16 seconds, with Andrea Saar (Goldman Sachs ETFs) finishing in seventh place, seven seconds behind. Teammate Liza Rey put Mejias in a winning position, holding off a two-rider chase by the Schneider sisters.

“Liza's incredible work led me to victory. Her determination and ability to chase down the breakaway group was very impressive and it allowed me to conserve my energy for the sprint. I'm proud of our teamwork and I was really happy to win.”

The Thompson Pro Men's race was 100km over the same technical 2.25km course.

With less than five laps to go, the attacks stopped and Project Echelon Racing and the Miami Blazers formed a lead-out. With 200 meters to go, Mendes stepped on the gas and took the win. Lucas Burgoyne (Austin Outlaws) was second and Tyler Williams (Miami Blazers) was third.