Gran Prix Beverly Cyclocross Set To Return For 2022

BEVERLY, MA — Hundreds of racers, including members of the U.S. National team, are expected to ride into Beverly this September as part of the Gran Prix Beverly Cyclocross.

The event returns to Lyons Park and Dane Street Beach for a second year on Sept. 10 from noon to 6 p.m.

"While we have over two decades of experience in putting on over 30 bike racing events, last year's Gran Prix Beverly Cyclocross was sort of a test event," Promoter Paul Boudreau of Beverly said in a statement to Patch. "Now that we know a quality event can be held at the venue, we'll make some changes to improve the experience."

Boudreau said tweaks to the seaside course will be made to more evenly distribute the features.

"When looking at Lyons Park and Dane Street Beach, I knew we had an amazing venue," Boudreau said. "I asked two friends — one a cyclocross national champion, the other a designer who has worked on several national championship courses – to look at the venue with a critical eye.

"Both agreed that the venue is spectacular."

Beverly's Soall Viet Kitchen takes over as the event's title sponsor.

"There's so much heart that goes into putting one on and to race in one," said Nguyen, a Beverly resident, who was a food vendor last year. "As a spectator, I felt the love, the spirit and the community behind it and thought: 'We need to do more to support this.'"

Beverly native Jesse Anthony, a 7-time national cyclocross champion and currently the mountain bike and cyclocross director for USA Cycling, is among the national team members expecting to participate in this year's event.

“Every time I get the chance to ride back at home, I'm reminded how fortunate I was to grow up in a place with so many fun, quiet and beautiful places to ride," Anthony said. "Additionally, there is such a strong cycling culture in that area, and the local clubs and riders were incredibly supportive to me in my development years.

"We're bringing the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Team athletes to the Beverly Gran Prix in order to immerse them in the passionate, energetic environment of New England cyclocross."

The Gran Prix Beverly Cyclocross is adding several new race categories, including junior, single-speed, and citizen events.

"The citizen's category race is for anyone who has never raced before," Boudreau said. "It will be a shorter race to give people a taste of what cyclocross is all about.

"We're looking for all types of people to try this race. If you only ride indoors on a Peloton, only ride around town, the citizen's race is for you."

The Gran Prix Beverly Cyclocross boasts seven categories, including Amateur Men (noon), Citizen's Men and Women (1 p.m.), Junior and Singlespeed (1:30 p.m.), Masters Men (2:30 p.m.), Women (4 p.m.), and Elite Men (5 p.m.).

A special Kids Parade/Race will be held at 3:30 p.m.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)