Charleston, West Virginia Chosen as Host for USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships

The city of Charleston, West Virginia, has been selected as the host for the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships for the next five years. The event, set to take place from May 15-19, 2024, will feature Junior 17-18, Under-23, and Elite athletes competing in the Road Race, Time Trial, and Criterium to win the prestigious Stars and Stripes jersey.

“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,” said Brendan Quirk, USA Cycling’s President and CEO, praising the selection of Charleston as the host city.

The addition of the Under-23 and Junior 17-18 age categories aims to elevate the UCI categories on the national stage, making the event a world-class competition for cyclists at all levels of the developmental pathway.

“It’s been 20 years since we’ve seen this level of performance by American riders in the European peloton. 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,” continued Quirk, emphasizing the significance of the event in boosting American cycling.

The 2024 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships is expected to draw top-tier riders, including Olympians, World Tour professionals, and rising stars, just two months before the Summer Olympic Games. In fact, the winners of the Elite Men’s and Women’s Time Trial events at the championships will automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“Our goal for the qualifier in Charleston is to closely mimic the course riders will face in Paris,” said Jim Miller, USA Cycling’s Chief of Sport Performance, outlining the plans to provide a challenging course for the participants.

Charleston and its surrounding areas will provide a beautiful backdrop for the national championships, showcasing the natural beauty of West Virginia while offering formidable roads for the athletes to compete on.

“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.

The mayor of Charleston, Amy Shuler Goodwin, expressed her excitement about hosting the championships and the city’s commitment to making it a successful event. “We look forward to working with the Charleston CVB and our cycling community in the months ahead to prepare for this national championship,” she said.

The remaining events on the 2024 National Championship calendar will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information about the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships, visit the official website.