If you're working on your income taxes this weekend instead of bicycling, you might want to flip on the TV for the inaugural US Open Cycling Championships on NBC on Saturday or the Tour of Flanders on Sunday on the Versus (OLN in Canada) cable network.
NBC is televising the road race championships from Virginia from 2:30 to 5 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT) on Saturday. Coverage of the Belgium's Tour of Flanders spring classic runs from 7 to 8 pm. Sunday (ET) as part of Versus' Cyclysm Sunday series.
It is quite a coup for the US Open to get same-day coverage on network television. Cable sports stations rule the roost for cycling in the US and abroad; the last time network TV offered same-day domestic cycling coverage was 1996, an organizer told VeloNews.
Big purse
The US Open Cycling Championships is part of the UCI Americas Tour and the new USA Cycling Pro Tour. Twenty-one men's teams will compete — 16 from the US, 4 from Canada and 1 from Mexico — for a $30,000 purse. A women's race features $10,000 in prize money.
The 112-mile men's race begins in Williamsburg and ends after eight circuits around Richmond. TransAmerican cyclists might recognize the scenery in the early part of the race, as the cyclists ride along Route 5, passing James River plantations and the Charles City Courthouse.
The 5.5-mile circuit around Richmond includes a steep climb on cobblestones in Libby Hill Park.
Commentators
NBC's commentators for the race will be Al Trautwig, Bob Roll, Frankie Andreu and race director, John Eustice, all familiar names from OLN's coverage of the Tour de France in years past.
In its pre-race coverage, VeloNews touts Henk Vogels (Australia) and Ivan Dominguez (Cuba) on the Toyota-United team as among the favorites. Dominguez, the “Cuban Missle,” has a number of victories this year, including Stage 7 of the Tour of California.
Not racing but attending the race will be 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, who is taking the year off to fight doping charges.
You check out the other teams competing at the VeloNews pre-race wrap or at the US Open Cycling Championships website. You'll also find results there on Saturday if you can't wait to watch them on TV.
On Sunday, top pro teams will compete in the 166-mile Tour of Flanders, which also features its own set of tough, cobblestoned climbs.
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