After a winter and early spring season that has been challenging, it appears the weather gods will finally be smiling upon the University of Nevada Cycling Team this weekend when the team plays host to the West Coast Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships. In addition to the University’s team, competition will include collegiate powers such as Stanford, University of California, Davis, and University of California, Berkeley.

Forecasters are calling for temperatures that should reach into the 70s this weekend, which is good news, according to team president Cody Deane.

“Our road season effort is always hampered by the weather, so the ’08 season hasn’t had much going on,” Deane said. “It’s an honor to be hosting the WCC championships, with some really great teams competing, including the 2007 national road champions, Stanford, the 2006 road champion Davis, as well as (former two-time national champion) Cal.”

Three races will be held this weekend, including one event that will be held on the University campus. It is the first time the University has played host to the championships since 2005, said Deane.

The championship road race will be held on Saturday, April 26, at Red Rock Road north of Reno. Men’s A riders will ride 88 miles, with men’s B and women’s riders tackling 69 miles. Races begin at 9 a.m. A team time trial will be held around White Dry Lake near Cold Springs, starting at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 27.

A criterium on the north University campus will start begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday, April 27, with a series of United States Cycling Federation division races, followed by collegiate races beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Nevada was led at last year’s championship, held at UC-Davis, by Chris Carlson, who finished fifth in the highly competitive men’s A field.

Carlson, of Las Vegas, returns this year, as well as top teammates Deane, of Sandpoint, Idaho, a two-time men’s omnium and men’s cross country champion during the fall mountain biking season; and Marian Jamison, of Quincy, Calif., the women’s cross country conference champion in mountain biking.

Deane added that in addition to Carlson in the men’s A road race and Jamison in the women’s A road race, “Andrew Valestrino should do well in the men’s B category.”