During its thirty-year history, the New England Classic has changed and evolved – a lot! In fact, the first year of this event in 1992 saw a route that encompassed all six New England states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
That seemed pretty cool, but we quickly realized that in order to accomplish that goal, we were giving up some of the best scenery – and best roads for cycling – in New England. That’s why we now have a route that includes Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.
The route has sometimes changed out of necessity (such as major road construction projects), but also to create new adventures, to keep it fresh, and most important, to meet the needs and desires of our riders. This year, we’re instituting a few changes we know you’ll like.
To keep the total mileage ambitious but manageable at about 550, we will not go quite as far north in Vermont. This means portions of the route will follow the beautiful Connecticut River. As a result, we have new accommodations for nights four and five this year: the lovely Fireside Inn & Suites in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, and the fantastic Killington Grand Resort in Killington, Vermont.
Finally, we know that some NEC riders want every possible mile they can get – and others would be happier with a rest day somewhere in the middle. We will accommodate that need and provide an optional off day mid-week for cyclists who want just a bit more relaxation.