Racers take a turn from 8th Street onto Market Street during the Men's USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships in Chattanooga in this 2013 file photo.Riders at the 2014 USA Cycling Road Race Championships this may will have a new challenge this year.
The race in its second of a three-year run in Chattanooga was welcomed back by Chattanooga mayor Andy Berke on Wednesday at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
The route, announced today at ExpoChattanooga will add a climb up a very steep section of Kent Street in North Chattanooga with grades of up to 20 percent.
The new section will take riders off Frazier Avenue to a left hand turn onto Woodland Avenue before turning right onto Kent for the climb. The race will then turn right onto Forest Avenue before returning to Frazier Avenue.
"We wanted to add some spice to the race this year," said Rob Borland, chief marketing officer for USA Cycling. "The addition of Kent Street provides a new challenge."
No other changes were made to the route from 2013, and the time trial route at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant will remain the same.
Other changes were also announced to the prize money and fan events.
See Thursday's Times Free Press for more on this story.