The North Carolina Grand Prix (NCGP) will proceed as planned this fall in Hendersonville, NC following area-wide impacts due to Tropical Storm Helene. The event hosts cyclocross racing Nov 23-24, 2024 for all ages and categories, vendors, and features one of the last stops of USA Cycling’s National Cyclocross Calendar. The NCGP is hosted by North Carolina Cyclo-Cross (NCCX) and presented by Hunter Subaru. The NCGP is also the final stop of the 2024 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Series.
“NCCX is excited to be able to welcome racers back to Jackson Park for the 19th edition of the NCGP this year. Thank you to Henderson County staff for their work to safely reopen Jackson Park following damage from Tropical Storm Helene,” says Tim Hopkin, Founder/Promoter of the North Carolina Grand Prix. “While historical flood levels were reached in the park, course features and infrastructure are unaffected and the NCGP course will remain a test of fitness and skill for racers.”
Registration is open on BikeReg for UCI, open, junior, and collegiate categories. Early registration discounts are available through midnight on Thursday, Nov 21, 2024. All UCI categories must pre-register by Thursday. Late/day of registration is available for open, collegiate, and junior categories only. Team parking reservations and vendor spaces are available. Collegiate teams may request complimentary parking via email. Racing will start at 8:10 a.m. on both race days, with the featured UCI Elite Women starting at 1:15 p.m. ET and the UCI Elite Men starting at 3:25 p.m. ET. The NCGP will also feature the UCI Jr 17-18 Women and Men categories at 10:05am ET and 11:00am ET.
The event is free for spectators to watch and support local vendors like the popular Flat Rock Village Bakery, and more. Jackson Park, located at 708 Glover St. in Hendersonville, will remain open all weekend for public use, but there will be no through traffic during the event. The best entrance into Jackson Park for the event is from the Glover St. entrance located off Spartanburg Hwy.
“We are grateful to see large-scale special events coming back into our community after Hurricane Helene and the immense amount of cleanup work that followed,” said Michelle Owens, Director of the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority. “This event is one that our TDA board chose to offer grant funding to because of the visitors it brings into our accommodations and businesses to participate in outdoor recreation – something our community desperately needs right now. Western North Carolina is known for mountain biking, and we think this event showcases that we are a great spot for all kinds of bicycle riding and racing.”
Race presenting sponsor Hunter Subaru has been a long time supporter of cyclocross in the region. Despite sustaining their own storm damage, Hunter Subaru remains committed to building back stronger and remaining active in the community through event support, volunteering, and improvement projects.
Cyclocross is a fast-paced, spectator-friendly cycling discipline that combines road and mountain bike aspects, requiring riders to switch terrains and at times dismount and run or carry their bikes. Racers range from junior riders to master’s categories, and novice-expert races are offered.
The North Carolina Cyclo-Cross Series was founded in 1997 and consists of 12 races each season across North Carolina. The full schedule and racer information can be found on the NCCX website at www.nccyclocross.com.
Photo Credit: Jamie Arkfeld
