April 05, 2017 (Ottawa-Windsor, ON) – The Ontario Cycling Association is pleased to announce a number of new racing initiatives in addition to the Ontario Cup Road Series for 2017. Brand new for this year, we will be launching the Ontario ITT Series and well as the Ontario Criterium Series. The Ontario Cup Road Series is also jam-packed with a number of returning classics in addition to a few fresh courses.

The Ontario ITT Series will feature three events across the province all which will run with traditional Regional categories (ability based). The events will also be open to U17, Para and OCA club members without a racing licence. Riders will earn points towards an overall winner at the end of the series. These overall series winners will earn Ontario Cup points that will count towards their 2017 standing.

The Ontario Criterium Series will stretch from Ottawa all the way down to Windsor making stops in Markham and Kitchener along the way. This brand new series will highlight the best Criterium racing that Ontario has to offer. Included in the series is a double header which will feature the Nationally sanctioned Kitchener Twilight Grand Prix and the brand new Fieldstone Provincial Championship Criterium. New for 2017, the Provincial Championship Criterium will run ability based categories NOT age based. This means that riders will compete for the Provincial Championship title against the riders that they’ve raced against all season.

All of the races included in the series will be run with ability categories just like the Ontario Cups. Double series points will be offered to riders that addend the Preston Street Criterium and/or the Tour di via Italia. Over $50,000 in prize money will be up for grabs over the course of the series. That doesn’t include a purse of over $4,000 for the overall series winner which will be given out at the end of the series in Windsor. More information will be out in the upcoming weeks however mark the dates below in your calendar (please see the tech guides of each event for specific information)!

The Ontario Cup Road Series will kick off with the traditional Good Friday Road Race. Members will have the opportunity to compete in 8 events across the province comprised of five Road races and three Criteriums. As mentioned above, those that prefer ITT’s will have the opportunity to gain O-Cup points if they compete in the Ontario ITT Series. Provincial Road Championships will take place in June at the KW Classic, the Provincial Criterium Championships will take place in Cambridge at the Fieldstone Criterium and last but not least, the Provincial ITT Championship will take place up in Wiarton on the beautiful Bike the Bruce course.

Be sure to check back on the OCA website here for the most up to date information when it comes to the events listed above.

Have a great season!