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Pro cycling returns to Charleston: Here are road closures, events, things to know

By Sophia Mastice
For HDMedia

USA Cycling is coming back to the capital city for its third year. Events will be held across Charleston from Tuesday through June 21 as the national cycling organization hosts its Pro Road National Championships.

The top races have been held in Charleston since 2024 and scheduled to continue here until 2028, when it will also be a qualifying event for the U.S. Olympic team.

The event has a large economic impact on the city. In 2024, it brought in $4.6 million, and $6.9 million in 2025. Charleston area businesses, hotels and restaurants are among those benefitting from the races, according to the economic impact report released by Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau in July 2025, which also indicated that year’s USA Cycling event supported more than 1,000 jobs and generated $591,000 in local taxes.

Gazette-Mail File Photo | Cyclists in the Women’s Elite Criterium turn the corner onto Quarrier Street from Summers Street during USA Cycling’s Pro Road National Championships on May 23, 2025.

Race Schedule

This year’s USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships will include individual time trials, downtown criterium races, and road races. The competition includes race classes for elite racers (ages 19 or older), U23 (19-22; who are eligible to be both elite and U23), and junior (ages 17-18). All of the classes include male and female divisions. 

Find a full schedule of this year’s races at bit.ly/4xs2taw. Check out the course maps at bit.ly/2026CyclingMaps.

Road closures 

A number of road closures in downtown Charleston are expected to coincide with the event:

  • Sunday, all day: USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships event prep, Kanawha Boulevard from Clendenin to Hale streets.
  • Monday, all day: Event prep, Kanawha Boulevard from Clendenin to Hale streets.
  • Tuesday, 6 a.m.-5 p.m.: Individual time trials, Kanawha Boulevard from Stockton Street to Daniel Boone Park
    • A single westbound lane of Kanawha Boulevard (on north side) will remain open from Pennsylvania Avenue to Clendenin Street for business access.
    • Full closure from Clendenin to Brooks streets
    • Westbound lanes from Brooks Street to Wertz Avenue will remain open.
  • Wednesday & Thursday, all day: Downtown criterium races. Kanawha Boulevard from Clendenin to Hale streets.
    • 9 a.m.-noon: Rolling/intermittent closures on Court, Lee, Quarrier, Hale, and Summers streets.
    • 5 p.m.-midnight:
      • Kanawha Boulevard East closure extended from Pennsylvania Avenue to Leon Sullivan Way
      • Virginia Street East from Goshorn to Dickinson streets
      • Quarrier from Goshorn to Capitol streets;
      • Lee Street East from Court to Capitol streets
      • Court Street from Kanawha Boulevard East to Virginia Street East
      • Court Street from Virginia Street East to Lee Street East (northbound lanes only)
      • Laidley Street from Kanawha Boulevard East to Lee Street East (except those with prior arrangements)
      • Summers Street from Kanawha Boulevard East to Lee Street East
      • Capitol Street from Kanawha Boulevard East to Lee Street East
      • Hale Street from Kanawha Boulevard East to Lee Street East

Note: As of Sunday morning, street and road closures for Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s road races have not been released. For information on alternate area access and parking, visit charlestonwv.gov/trafficinformation.

Other events during race week

  • Tuesday, 7 p.m.: American Flyers Movie Night, Floralee Hark Cohen Theatre, located inside Taylor Books at 230 Capitol St.
  • Wednesday & Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: V100 Block Party, at the corner of Hale Street and Quarrier Street. 
  • Friday, noon: Juneteenth Celebration, at City Center at Slack Plaza.
  • Friday, 3:30 p.m.: CAMC Foundation Miles for Minds, at Haddad Riverfront Park.
  • Friday, 5 p.m.: Rolls on the River, at Haddad Riverfront Park.
  • Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Live on the Levee, 6:30 p.m., at Haddad Riverfront Park.
  • Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.: Family Care Events, at Riverview Park.
  • Sunday, 8 a.m.: Bridge Road Bike Bash, at the Bridge Road Shops in South Hills.

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