USA Cycling officially announced that Asheville, North Carolina submitted the winning bid to host the 2016 national cyclo-cross national championships. The other candidates: Boulder, Colorado and Austin, Texas, were awarded the 2014 and 2015 championships respectively. Due to the high quality of bids, Asheville will be hosting the national championships for just one year instead of two.

In a press release USA Cycling’s Managing Director of National Events Micah Rice explained why it was for just one year.

“The decision to award one-year contracts for the championships will also help foster cyclo-cross racing in three distinctively different parts of the country.”

The cyclo-cross championships are going to be held on the Biltmore Estates. Built in 1895, the Biltmore Estates sits on 8,000 acres which includes a vineyard and an equestrian center.

In late January USA Cycling’s National Events Director Kelli Lusk visited Asheville and took a tour of the Biltmore grounds.

Tim Hopkin, one of the race promoters, describes the venue.

“The infrastructure (at the Biltmore Estates) is all right there in a confined area,” says Hopkin. “It’s on a beautiful piece of land and they’re (the Biltmore) excited to host it.”

Hopkin, considered the father of cyclo-cross in the Southeast, along with accomplished cyclo-cross racer Will Black, will be part of the course design team.

“Asheville is pleased to be chosen as the host for the 2016 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships,” said Ben VanCamp, Asheville-Buncombe Regional Sports Commission senior advisor to USA Cycling. “We are looking forward to showcasing our strong and supportive cycling community.”

The race promoters and the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau are hoping that competitors will stay in the area for several days and take advantage of the many restaurants and retail that the area provides.

Lately the Southeast has been the focus of cyclo-cross. The UCI Masters Cyclo-Cross World Championships were just held in Louisville, Kentucky and will host them again in 2013 along with the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships.