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Haute Route Cycling Series launches three new U.S. events in 2018

  • Ron 

Following the final event of the 2017 Haute Route Cycling Series around Mont Ventoux last weekend, Switzerland-based OC Sport announced a full calendar of 11 events for the 2018 season, including three new events in the U.S. The company’s commitment to the U.S. market reaffirms Haute Route’s position as the preeminent global multi-day event series for amateur athletes. Staying true to the hallmarks of every Haute Route, each U.S. event provides amateur riders with the authentic pro experience on and off the bike.  Athletes experience the best roads in the country and are fully supported with premium services typically reserved for the pro peloton.

The 2018 season will open with the inaugural three-day Haute Route San Francisco (April 20-22), a three-day event that will give riders the opportunity to experience the Bay Area’s fierce local cycling culture, breath-taking views and appreciate iconic landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge. The season will continue in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina with the three-day Haute Route Asheville in May (May 18-20). There, the peloton will be immersed in the region’s unmistakeable mountain vibe and awe-inspiring scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi.

The final new three-day event on North-American soil next year will be the Haute Route Utah (September 14-16), which will be held in Cedar City in September. Combining stunning red rock scenery and charming back roads over coveted high plateaus and summits, Utah promises three remarkable days of cycling.

The new three-day events build on Haute Route’s first seven-day U.S. event launched in 2017, the Mavic Haute Route Rockies. This event returns for a second edition in Colorado from June 23-29, 2018 and will once again feature the iconic hard packed dirt roads, high altitude passes and beautiful panoramas that make Colorado the heartland of American cycling.

Additional new global events include the Maserati Haute Route Norway and a revamped three-day Haute Route Dolomites and Haute Route Stelvio.

Full 2018 Calendar:

  • SAN FRANCISCO April 20th to 22nd
  • ASHEVILLE May 18th to 20th
  • STELVIO June 8th to 10th
  • MAVIC ROCKIES June 23rd to 29th
  • ALPE D’HUEZ July 13th to 15th
  • MASERATI NORWAY August 3rd to 5th
  • PYRENEES August 18th to 24th
  • ALPS August 26th to September 1st
  • DOLOMITES, 3 days in September
  • UTAH September 14th to 16th
  • VENTOUX October 5th to 7th

Haute Route 2018

Both of Haute Route’s flagship events in the Alps and Pyrenees will see rejuvenated courses next year. The Alps, from August 26 to September 1 returns to its North to South route, departing from Megève to reach Nice with a host of world-renowned Alpine cols in-between. The Pyrenees, from August 18-24, will both start and finish in Pau, while also visiting a number of host towns throughout the week, allowing riders to discover the raw beauty of this mountain range.  These seven-stage long, timed and ranked events are the pinnacle of the 2018 Haute Route calendar, and will allow hundreds of amateur riders from across the globe to fulfill their cycling dreams in iconic mountain ranges.

Returning for a second edition in 2018, the three-day events in Alpe d’Huez, from July 13-15, and Ventoux from October 5-7, will once again showcase two of the most storied climbs in the history of cycling. The much-awaited Maserati Haute Route Norway will take place from August 3-5. Riders will experience an extraordinary setting for cycling in the Stavanger region. Snaking through the Norwegian fjords and drinking in the deep-rooted cycling culture, riders will undoubtedly be captivated by the Haute Route’s first Scandinavian adventure.

In order to visit the most legendary climbs in Italian cycling, the Haute Route Dolomites will take on a new format in 2018, splitting into two separate three-day events. Taking place in September, the three-day Haute Route Dolomites will trace a sensational route through the highly recognizable jagged rock faces and demanding climbs of the region. In addition to this, the new three-day Haute Route, Stelvio will be hosted in Bormio from June 8-10. As one of the most recognizable and respected climbs in cycling, the Stelvio has been much in demand by the Haute Route peloton and Bormio provides the perfect location for the new three-day Haute Route event.

Brand new in 2018, riders have the option to either ride the Haute Route as a solo rider or as a duo (team of two cyclists). Riders registering as a Duo will not be included in the individual standings; Duo rankings will be established based on the time of the second member of each Duo team to cross the finish line every day.

Registration:

Registrations are currently open to the general public for the Mavic Haute Route Rockies and Haute Route Alpe d’Huez.

Alumni riders currently have access to an exclusive seven-day registration phase for the Haute Route Alps, Pyrenees, Ventoux, Maserati Norway, San Francisco, Asheville, Utah, and Stelvio.

Registration to all these events will open to the general public on Thursday, October 19.

All riders can also pre-register for the three-day Haute Route Dolomites. All details are on www.hauteroute.org.

Tags: adventure, Asheville, bike, Cedar City, Colorado, cycling, Landforms, Mavic, Mont Ventoux, North Carolina, Norway, Outdoor recreation, San Francisco, sports, Switzerland, United States
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