The Home Depot Center Velodrome will host the second installment of the USA vs. Canada Showdown Series tonight January 22 at 6 p.m. The series will pit national team riders from the U.S. and Canadian National Teams in both sprint and endurance races in a free-to-the-public evening event.
The U.S. and Canadian National Teams are in training residency at The Home Depot Center Velodrome, and the racing series will provide an opportunity for the teams to augment their training programs in a competitive and spirited environment. The national team race lineup includes men’s and women’s sprint competitions. Other races during the evening include an invitational points race, Madison and exhibition kids racing.
USA national team riders expected to participate include sprint Olympians Giddeon Massie and Michael Blachford, along with eight other U.S. National Team riders to contest the men’s and women’s sprint competitions. Canada’s Stephane Cossette returns to racing after a major accident. He will be joined by Commonwealth Games medalist Travis Smith, and five other members of the Canadian National Team. The two-hour exhibition is free to the public.
The Home Depot Center Velodrome and Event Center is part of the campus’ 125-acre multi-sport facility that is an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site and home to USA Cycling’s National Track Cycling Team. The 2,450-seat indoor Velodrome boasts a 250-meter track and infield that features two indoor basketball courts and five volleyball courts. In addition to track cycling, the center hosts basketball, volleyball and tae kwon do tournaments, youth sports clinics, and was transformed into an indoor skateboard park for the 2006 X Games.
