Meet the ‘Jeff Cup’
March 22, 2011The Jefferson Cup Road Race (known affectionately as the Jeff Cup) started out over 20 years ago as a small spring training race-100 participants with an A and a B race. The race has grown into its current status as the first “must do” race of the season with over 600 participants in 9 fields coming from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
The course went through several different iterations in a variety of locations before settling on the current course rolling through old Virginia estates and vineyards close to Thomas Jefferson’s famous home, Monticello. Some traditions have remained over the years however; the winner receiving the Jefferson Cup, the chocolate bikin’ bunny and the almost certainty of cold, windy, damp spring weather.
The race has seen many top racers, including local rider Ben King (North Garden, VA) current US Pro road champion, who rode the Jeff Cup as a junior. Last year’s winner, Joe Dombrowski was still a 17-yr old category 3 who moved up to cat 1 by the season’s end and is currently racing for Trek-Livestrong. Andrea Dvorak, a seasoned professional womens racer with Colavita D’Asolo Pro Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light, raced the Jeff as one of her first races as a college sophomore cat 4. The race presents a chance for many young up and coming racers to strut their stuff and gives all the racers the experience of a top level road race with full motor support and rolling enclosure.
This year’s race is shaping up as a battle between the traditional powerhouse teams XO Communications/Battley-Harley Davidson, Kelly Benefits, National Capital Velo Club and relative newcomer Haymarket Bicycles (who produced last year’s winner). The added attraction of the chance to be a part of the Nature Valley Pro Ride will ensure an exciting race with lots of fast and furious action.
