Exciting times are coming for USA cyclocross fans - the cyclocross world championship is returning to USA soil in January 2022, with Fayetteville, Arkansas hosting.
Please bookmark, this page will be updated with additional information that emerges as the event date gets closer. Here's what we know so far:
When is the 2022 cyclocross world championship?
January 29 and 30, 2022 are the race days. Course inspections and media events will be held in the days prior to the Elite races. For the "full experience" fans who are visiting in-person may wish to arrive several days earlier, but the actual races are on Saturday and Sunday, 3 on each day. (Elite Men, Elite Women, U23 Men, U23 Women, Junior Men, Junior Women)
Who can race?
This is an elite-only event for the world's best cyclocross athletes. Unlike some smaller races, there won't be any opportunities for amateurs to race this time.
Which Americans will be in this race?
Final selections won't be made until the weeks prior to the event and are based in large part on race results during the upcoming Fall, 2021 and Winter, 2022 cyclocross season. Here are some of the athletes likely to make the USA team based on prior years: Curtis White, Kerry Werner, Gage Hecht, Clara Honsinger, Rebecca Fahringer, Katie Compton, Madigan Munro, Kaitie Keough.
Compton, a legend of USA cyclocross, has already announced her retirement and the 2021/22 season will be her last, making Fayetteville possibly her last opportunity to shine on the world stage and say a proper goodbye.
Who is favored to win?
This event is a whole road, MTB, and cyclocross season away, so it's too soon to make any predictions, but a few are obvious: Lucinda Brand will look to defend the rainbow jersey she won in Ostende, while 'cross superstars Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel were the class of 2020/21 and will likely feature heavily next season.
Where is the 2022 cyclocross world championship?
The 2022 cyclocross world championship takes place at Centennial Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas - USA. The course is being purpose-built for cyclocross racing under the direction of Brooks Watts and the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation department.
Fayetteville is a University town of about 75,000, with students making up about 1/3rd of that.
The final course map is already available, and will be the same course used for FayetteCross this Fall, part of the World Cup series, a final tune-up and test to suggest any final adjustments prior to the World Championships.
Who is promoting the 2022 cyclocross world championship?
Experienced race director Brook Watts is in charge of course design. He's backed by Experience Fayetteville, the convention and visitors bureau for the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
How to stream the Fayetteville 2022 cyclocross world championship
For viewers in the USA who are unable to attend in person, the GCN+ service (GCN race pass) has the streaming rights.
For viewers outside the USA who live in a country where the UCI has sold the broadcast rights, streaming and cable/satellite partners will be released closer to the event date.
For viewers who live in a country where no entity has purchased or licensed the broadcast rights, the races will be streamed live on the official UCI YouTube channel. These streams will be blocked in other regions.
If I want to travel to the 2022 cyclocross world championship in Fayetteville, how do I get there? Where should I stay?
Fayetteville, Arkansas is serviced by Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in nearby Bentonville and major airlines fly there from hubs across the United States.
Lodging options include hotels, motels, camping, RV parks, short-term rentals like airbnb. For fans who want to be close to the action, the official event hotel will be announced later this Spring.
It's possible to easily ride bicycles to the event venue from the surrounding community.
What about ticket sales?
Ticket sales will be announced in Summer, 2021, well in advance of race day. The organizing committee expects between 10,000-20,000 fans to watch in person.