Back in 2007 the U.S. Open Cycling Championships was something that had not been seen since the Tour DuPont in 1994: a UCI-sanctioned, 1.1 professional bicycle race on national network television.  The race began with musket fire from costumed Colonial Forces in a blinding snowstorm in Virginia’s historic capital of Colonial Williamsburg.  Through the snow, under the watch of carefully orchestrated helicopter coverage, teams raced across historic countryside and into Virginia’s modern-day capital city of Richmond.  Once in Richmond, several laps of a circuit including the cobbled Libby Hill ~ unearthed by race director, John Eustice ~ led to a thrilling finish and marked what we and the cycling world thought was the inauguration of an annual, landmark event on pro cycling’s global stage.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Scheduling difficulties with Richmond and the instability of the Tour of Georgia’s start date made it impossible to reschedule for 2008, though the UCI and NBC were ready to go and the cycling world was anticipating.

In the build-up to the race we took professional cyclists into schools in the greater-Richmond area to visit with kids.

So inspiring was the reaction of those kids that it set the course for the establishment of the U.S. Open Cycling Foundation. Our mission is to help people achieve a healthy life through bicycling for fitness, fun and transportation.

Since 2008, we have engaged thousands of youth and tens of thousands of adults to help them ride better and smarter. Employers, schools, municipalities and individuals reap the health, environmental and economic benefits of bicycling with the assistance of U.S. Open Cycling.  We’ve been invited to bring bicycling education in health and physical education curricula for an area school system and look forward to beginning work with youth who are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes to get them living actively and staying healthy.

We are also working hard and looking forward to the return of our race ~ which the federation has asked us to rename “The U.S. Open of Cycling.”

Get involved!  Your tax deductible donation will assist the U.S. Open Cycling Foundation in helping Americans make our country healthier, cleaner and more sustainable through bicycling.   For every $5.00 you donate at usopencycling.org, we’ll send you one 5″ x 3″ vinyl “Bicycle Safe Vehicle” sticker appropriate for placement on your car’s rear window.   To learn about bringing the programs of the U.S. Open Cycling Foundation to where you live, call us at  401-484-1161.

Thanks!  And congratulations Richmond!