Fitchburg Longsjo Classic
Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, also known as the Longsjo Classic, was an annual bicycle race held in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. The race began in 1960 as the Arthur M. Longsjo Jr Memorial Race, in honor of Art Longsjo.
History
[edit]The race was founded in Fitchburg, Massachusetts in 1960,[1][2][3] as the Arthur M. Longsjo Jr. Memorial Bicycle Race., in memory of Fitchburg native and resident Art Longsjo. In 1956 Longsjo competed in the Winter Olympics as a speed skater and at the Summer Olympics as a cyclist, making him the first American to compete in Summer and Winter Olympic Games in one year. In 1958, Longsjo Perished in a car crash in Vermont, while driving home after winning the 180-mile long Quebec-Montreal Road Race. In 1960, local civic and business leaders in the city and Art Longsjo's widow Terry Longsjo organized the first race, with input from Longsjo's racing friend Guy Morin. In 1980, a new race organizing committee formed, which renamed the event the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic.[4][5] The race was one of the leading bicycle competitions in the United States during this time, as evidenced by the well-known riders on the winners' list.
In 1991, the race expanded to a four-day stage race format, which continued through 2010. Stages included a time trial, a circuit race on a 3-mile loop in the Fitchburg State University area, a road race in Princeton and Westminster that finished atop Mount Wachusett, and the traditional downtown Fitchburg criterium. As a stage race, the event was one of the largest pro-am bicycle stage races in the country and part of the various national calendar races of the period.
In 2011, the race was planned to be changed from a four-day event to one day, due to financial and organizational difficulties,[6] but was cancelled due to a building fire on the downtown racecourse.[4] The fire occurred on June 13 at the Johnsonia Building; the race was not able to occur due to many of the streets that were in the race's pathway being closed. A 2012 multi-stage event was planned; however, the race was cancelled on June 11.[7]
In 2013, the race was revived by the newly created Art Longsjo Foundation as a two-day event, with a criterium in downtown Leominster in addition to the traditional Fitchburg race. A criterium in downtown Worcester was added to the event from 2014 through 2016.[4][2] 2017 and 2018 included downtown races in Leominster and Fitchburg. In 2019, only the downtown Fitchburg race was held. On March 18, 2020, the Art Longsjo Foundation announced the end of the event, citing the difficulty of procuring sponsorship money from local businesses, as well as the sharp decline in riders entries over the last 5–10 years, as seen throughout the US.[8]
Past winners
[edit]The following gives Fitchburg Criterium winners for 1960–1990, stage race winners for 1991–2010, and day winners for 2013–2019.
Women
[edit]- 1977 – Connie Carpenter Boulder, CO
- 1978 – Sue Novara-Reber Flint, MI
- 1979 – Mary Jane Reoch Philadelphia, PA
- 1980 – Beth Heiden Madison, WI
- 1981 – Carol Varnier Montreal, Canada
- 1982 – Pam Deem Pomona, CA
- 1983 – Betsy Davis Elizabeth, NJ
- 1984 – Liz Larsen Exeter, NH
- 1985 – Jeanne Golay Gainesville, FL
- 1986 – Barbara Gradley Westwood, NJ
- 1987 – Beth Mills Plymouth, MA
- 1988 – Jessica Grieco Emerson, NJ
- 1989 – Lucy Tyler Largo, NJ
- 1990 – Susan Elias Readfield, ME
- 1991 – Stephanie Roussos Amherst, MA
- 1992 – Karen Mackin Troy, NY
- 1993 – Rebecca Twigg Flagstaff, AZ
- 1994 – Jacqui Nelson Wellington, New Zealand
- 1995 – Kathy Watt Australia
- 1996 – Lynn Nixon Australia
- 1997 – Giana Roberge Saratoga Springs, NY
- 1998 – Dede (Demet) Barry Boulder, CO
- 1999 – Lyne Bessette Quebec, Canada
- 2000 – Lyne Bessette (2) Quebec, Canada
- 2001 – Lyne Bessette (3) Quebec, Canada
- 2002 – Lyne Bessette (4) Quebec, Canada
- 2003 – Katie Mactier
Australia
- 2004 – Sue Palmer-Komar Ontario, CAN
- 2005 – Sue Palmer-Komar (2) Ontario CAN
- 2006 – Sarah Ulmer
New Zealand
- 2007 – Genevieve Gauthier Montreal, CAN
- 2008 – Catherine Cheatley
New Zealand
- 2009 – Evelyn Stevens
United States
- 2010 – Catherine Cheatley
New Zealand
- 2013 – Amy Miner (Leominster)
United States
- 2013 – Ellen Noble (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2013 – Amy Miner (Omnium)
United States
- 2014 – Amy Cutler (Leominster)
United States
- 2014 – Amy Cutler (Worcester)
United States
- 2014 – Amy Cutler (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2014 – Amy Cutler (Omnium)
United States
- 2015 – Laura Summers (Leominster)
United States
- 2015 – Emily Underwood (Worcester)
United States
- 2015 – Emily Underwood (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2015 – Leslie Timm (Omnium)
United States
- 2016 – Ellen Noble (Leominster)
United States
- 2016 – Ellen Noble (Worcester)
United States
- 2016 – Amy Cutler (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2016 – Ellen Noble (Omnium)
United States
- 2017 – Regina Legge (Leominster)
United States
- 2017 – Colleen Gulick (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2018 – Ellen Noble (Leominster)
United States
- 2018 – Ellen Noble (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2019 – Emma White (Fitchburg)
United States
Men
[edit]- 1960 – Guy Morin
Canada
- 1961 – Arnie Uhrlass
United States
- 1962 – Richard Centore
United States
- 1963 – Rob Parsons
United States
- 1964 – Paul Ziak
United States
- 1965 – Franco Poutenzieri
United States
- 1966 – Sam Watson
Ireland
- 1967 – Guiseppi Marinoni
Canada
- 1968 – Robert Simpson
United States
- 1969 – Jocelyn Lovell
Canada
- 1970 – Doug Dale
United States
- 1971 – Bobby Phillips
United States
- 1972 – Giuseppi Marinoni (2)
Canada
- 1973 – Steve Woznick
United States
- 1974 – Bill Shook
United States
- 1975 – Wayne Stetina
United States
- 1976 – Tom Doughty
United States
- 1977 – Wayne Stetina (2)
United States
- 1978 – Wayne Stetina (3)
United States
- 1979 – Tom Schuler
United States
- 1980 – Bruce Donaghy
United States
- 1981 – Steve Pyle
United States
- 1982 – Alan McCormack
Ireland
- 1983 – Louis Garneau
Canada
- 1984 – Russ Williams
United Kingdom
- 1985 – Jeff Slack
United States
- 1986 – Patrick Liu
United States
- 1987 – Roberto Gaggioli
Italy
- 1988 – Graeme Miller
New Zealand
- 1989 – Jeff Slack (2)
United States
- 1990 – Tom Post
Netherlands
- 1991 – Davis Phinney
United States
- 1992 – Lance Armstrong
United States
- 1993 – Davis Phinney (2)
United States
- 1994 – Frank McCormack
United States
- 1995 – Mike Engleman
United States
- 1996 – Tyler Hamilton
United States
- 1997 – John Peters
United States
- 1998 – Frank McCormack (2)
United States
- 1999 – Bart Bowen
United States
- 2000 – Henk Vogels
Australia
- 2001 – Eric Wohlberg
Canada
- 2002 – Chris Horner
United States
- 2003 – Viktor Rapinski
Belarus
- 2004 – Mark McCormack
United States
- 2005 – Jonathan Page
United States
- 2006 – Shawn Milne
United States
- 2007 – Jake Rytlewski
United States
- 2008 – Kyle Wamsley
United States
- 2009 – Zachary Bell
Canada
- 2010 – David Veilleux
Canada
- 2013 – Allan Rego (Leominster)
United States
- 2013 – Peter Goguen (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2013 – Bobby Bailey (Omnium)
United States
- 2014 – Cole Archambault (Leominster)
United States
- 2014 – Isaac Howe (Worcester)
United States
- 2014 – Isaac Howe (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2014 – Cole Archambault (Omnium)
United States
- 2015 – Sam Rosenholtz (Leominster)
United States
- 2015 – Marloe Rodman (Worcester)
United States
- 2015 – Kai Wiggins (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2015 – Kai Wiggins (Omnium)
United States
- 2016 – Curtis White (Leominster)
United States
- 2016 – Bobby Bailey (Worcester)
United States
- 2016 – Charles Huff (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2016 – Curtis White (Omnium)
United States
- 2017 – J. C. Brookshire (Leominster)
United States
- 2017 – Joshua Anderson (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2018 – Ryan Dewald (Leominster)
United States
- 2018 – Curtis White (Fitchburg)
United States
- 2019 – Curtis White (Fitchburg)
United States
References
[edit]- ^ O'Malley, Kevin (July 5, 2008). "At the peak of his game". Telegram & Gazette. Paul Provost. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Burke, Amanda (July 2, 2018). "Longsjo Classic a boon for Twin Cities residents, businesses". Sentinel & Enterprise. Mark O'Neil. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ "Longsjo Classic cycling race will return to Fitchburg this summer". The Lowell Sun. Mark O'Neil. December 23, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Art Longsjo: The man who inspired the Longsjo Classic". Sentinel & Enterprise. Mark O'Neil. June 26, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Nye, Peter Joffre. "FITCHBURG LONGSJO CLASSIC'S TRIBUTE TO WINTER AND SUMMER OLYMPIAN ART LONGSJO". USA Cycling. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Conti, Mark (June 26, 2011). "Cycling: Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic may be difficult to save". Telegram & Gazette. Paul Provost. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Longsjo Classic official website
- ^ "Longsjo Classic Won't Roll Out Again". sentinelandenterprise.com. March 18, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- 1960 establishments in Massachusetts
- 2020 disestablishments in Massachusetts
- Defunct cycling races in the United States
- Cycling in Massachusetts
- Sports in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
- Leominster, Massachusetts
- Men's road bicycle races
- Princeton, Massachusetts
- Recurring sporting events established in 1960
- Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2020
- Sports in Worcester, Massachusetts
- Sports in Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Tourist attractions in Worcester, Massachusetts
- Tourist attractions in Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Westminster, Massachusetts
- Women's road bicycle races