Oakland, CA - This being the start of the July 4th weekend, where better place to race than in Massachusetts, the birthplace of the revolution? No matter that an Australian, NRC leading Rory Sutherland, will lead OUCH Presented by Maxxis in the 50th edition of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic. As a Boston-area native and resident, this is still team captain Tim Johnson’s race.

“Fitchburg has been a New England mainstay for the last 50 years and was my first stage race ever,” Johnson said.

To help celebrate the milestone, Johnson invited a few of the OUCH Presented by Maxxis boys over for the weekend. In addition to Sutherland, Roman Kilun also ventured over from the West coast, while Cam Evans comes from Vancouver to make his return to NRC racing following a harrowing crash at the Tour of the Gila in May. Patrick McCarty also makes the trip East for the weekend. Bobby Lea and Jonathan Chodroff make the short trips for their respective East coast home bases for the race.

“It's going to be cool to bring a few of the OUCH – Maxxis boys home for the weekend,” Johnson added.

The four-day, four-stage race opens today with a 14.3km individual time trial, to which Chodroff returns as the defending champion. Racing last year as an elite amateur, Chodroff beat a strong pro field, and gave a preview of what was to come when he later won the elite national time trial championship.

The race continues Friday with the Wachusett Mountain Road Race, covering 10 laps of a hilly 11-mile circuit. The July 4th fireworks will come on the Fitchburg State College circuit race, 75-miles on yet another hilly circuit which the peloton will cover 24 times. The race finishes Sunday with the 50-minute Worker’s Credit Union Criterium in downtown Fitchburg