The cyclocross event will include 23 races highlighted by the men's and women's elite races at the end of each day. All proceeds benefit the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. Carousel Volkswagen of Iowa City and a dozen other area businesses are sponsoring the event to raise money for the University of Iowa Children's Hospital.

"This is our third year for the Jingle Cross Rock and it has grown at an amazing rate," said race director John Meehan. "Cyclocross has caught on at a feverish pitch in the Midwest, and more high-profile events are needed to help grow this incredibly spectator-friendly form of cycling."

In cyclocross, competitors ride bicycles on a course that also requires them to carry their bicycles over barriers. In prior years, the highly successful Jingle Cross Rock race was held as a single-day event.

Organizers expanded the event to two days in 2006 in response to an overwhelming number of requests from the racers.

Eleven races will be held each day so riders will have plenty of opportunity to ride one day, two days or even multiple events in a given day. In an effort to promote women's cyclocross, race officials have also announced a total of six women's races for the two-day event, including beginners', masters', and elite women's fields.

Last year's 2005 elite men's race was a duel between 2004 Athens Olympic athlete Jason McCartney (U.S., Discovery Channel) and Steve Tilford (U.S., Verge-Shimano), with Tilford slowly pulling away by the midway point of the race.

A new face at this year's event will be Chris Horner (U.S., Davitamon-Lotto) who recently announced to race officials that he will travel to Iowa for the 2006 Jingle Cross Rock. Horner was one of only seven U.S. riders in the Tour de France this year.

"The addition of great riders like Chris Horner will be a real treat for the cycling fans here in the Midwest. I hope this year's event helps foster an unparalleled growth of cyclocross here in America's heartland," Meehan said.

In the 2005 women's elite race, Linda Sone (U.S., Hollywood Racing) took the win. This year, Sone will be challenged by returning 2004 champion Megan Elliott. Elliott will be traveling all the way from Oregon to try and reclaim her title.

University of Iowa Children's Hospital at UI Hospitals and Clinics is the state's longest-serving children's hospital. Each year, University of Iowa Children's Hospital records more than 100,000 clinic visits and some 7,000 inpatient admissions.

For more information:

Registration

Carousel Volkswagen Jingle Cross Rock

University of Iowa Children's Hospital