FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2024
Team Competition Added to Natchaug Epic
Quinebaug Cup Offered to Top Male and Female Teams
THOMPSON, Conn. – Organizers of the Natchaug Epic Presented by Specialized will offer a new trophy, the Quinebaug Cup, to the fastest teams in the gravel fondo event held March 24. There will be a separate trophy for men’s and women’s teams.
“We realized that our gravel fondo format encouraged clubs to ride together,” said Richard Fries, co-founder of the event. “Simply riding together between the timed segments became the obvious tactic. By offering an incentive for teams, that strategy may prove even more powerful. And while a team’s fastest rider may show up in the individual results, this competition is about the depth of your team.”
Each segment will matter. For men’s teams, the times of the four fastest riders will be factored. For women’s teams, the times of the three fastest riders will be factored.The aggregate times of each segment will be used to tabulate the overall results. The overall standings of individual riders may not necessarily reflect the team standings. For example, a rider who posts a strong result in early segments but later fades in the standings could still contribute to the team’s overall time. Some segments may favor a club’s climbers while other segments may better suit a rider’s technical skills.
“The competition is designed to favor a club with a larger team with a diverse range of skills and abilities,” said Fries. “A complete team will be able to overcome a single rider having a mishap or meltdown. To succeed at the Natchaug Epic, one must be a complete cyclist. To succeed as a team, a club will need a deep bench.”
Other key elements of this team competition are as follows:
- This only applies to the 83-mile Epic category.
- There is no special registration required; simply designating a team/club affiliation with registration will be used for team tabulation.
- There are no limits to the size of a team from which the timed riders may be drawn.
- All riders factored into the scoring must complete the full course by 3 p.m.
- Teams are responsible to ensure their riders are registered properly with their team assignment.
- A rider’s jersey must match the team with which they are registered.
- Composite teams with mismatched jerseys will not be eligible.
- Teams must wear a jersey that clearly designates every rider’s affiliation.
For more information, read the Event Notes on www.bikereg.com/natchaug-epic.
The fifth edition of the Natchaug Epic Presented by Specialized will be held Sunday, March 24, 2024, at the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Thompson, Conn. Community partners include the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program, The Last Green Valley, Best Buddies Connecticut, the Wyndham Land Trust and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. For more information visit www.bikereg.com/natchaug-epic. Follow Natchaug Epic at: https://www.facebook.com/NatchaugEpic and https://www.instagram.com/natchaugepic/