The official courses and schedule for the 2013 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships in Central Oregon have been released, and they include a notable change in venue for the criterium races.

The five-day event will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 4, with a time-trial course that starts at Crooked River Park in Prineville and parallels the scenic Crooked River.

Road races will be staged Sept. 5-6 on a course along Cascade Lakes Highway.

Criteriums scheduled for Sept. 7-8 will be held on a new course in downtown Redmond, characterized by flat, fast terrain with ample room for large field sizes. In the previous two years during which Central Oregon has hosted the Masters Nationals, the criterium races were staged at NorthWest Crossing in Bend.

“We’re excited to introduce the new course in Redmond, which allows us to share a broader cross section of our community with USA Cycling and cyclists from around the country,” said Doug La Placa, CEO of Visit Bend, which helps organize the event.

The Masters National Championships include amateur bike racers age 35 and older competing within their age groups.

The event is expected to draw more than 3,500 cycling enthusiasts — including competitors, support staff, and fans — to Central Oregon in September. Over the past four years, the region has played host to eight USA Cycling-sanctioned national championships.

For more information about the event, visit www.usacycling.org/2013/masters-road-nationals.

—Bulletin staff report