Only two riders in the 45-year history of the Nevada City Classic have ever been able to win the Professional 1, 2 race in back-to-back years. In fact, 24 years have passed since the feat was last accomplished.

Could this be the year that streak ends?

That question can be answered before the riders even take their first lap around the course - no.

The 2005 Nevada City Classic Champion Burke Swindlehurst will not be back this year to defend his title. Swindlehurst, who is now racing with the Navigators Insurance Cycling Team, is competing at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota this weekend.

"I'm really disappointed myself, but it's out of my hands," Swindlehurst said. "I have to go where the team goes."

Swindlehurst said he assumed the Classic would again be held the day after the Tour de Nez in Reno this season. But by the time he realized the Classic was going to be held a week earlier - during the Minnesota race - travel plans had already been booked and it was too late for him to ask to race at Nevada City.

But his attitude about returning to Nevada City is common among past-Classic champions.

"It's definitely a race I'll be doing again - there's no doubt about it," said Swindlehurst, who is keeping the door open for a shot at multiple championships at the Classic. "It's one of my favorite races."

Record setters

The first rider to win back-to-back races at the Classic was Bob Parsons in 1963 and 1964 in the third and fourth years of the race. By the time Parsons was finished, he won the event for five straight years and still holds the record for number of Classic wins.

Parson's back-to-back feat was accomplished only one other time by U.S. cycling pioneer Greg LeMond. Considered the best modern racer to win the Classic, LeMond won the 1979, 1980 and 1981 races.

Since LeMond, however, no rider has repeated the feat, with two coming close.

Todd Gogulski won the race in 1986 and 1988, but could not win the 1987 race.

Scott Moninger took home the Classic title three times in six years, but was never able to string the wins together in consecutive years. Moninger, who won in 1994, 1997 and 1999, will be back to compete at the Classic this year for the first time since 2000. If he wins, he will move into second place behind Parsons on the all-time Classic win list.

"Winning in back-to-back years is almost physically impossible," Nevada City Classic Race Promoter Duane Strawser said. "You have to be so on that day and the situation has to be perfect for any given individual to win it."

Past champions

The 2004 Classic Champion Justin England will not return to race this season. England, who is now riding with the prestigious first-year Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team, broke his collarbone the first weekend in June at the Captech Classic in Richmond, Va.

The break was bad enough for England to have surgery, which will force him to sit out the next six to eight weeks of the season. He hopes to be back for the US Pro Championships in September.

"I was really hoping to be in Nevada City," said England, who also finished third in 2003. "I'm dead honest - it's seriously my favorite race of all time."

He said he's shooting for returning to the race next year.

England's teammate Antonio Cruz will, however, be back to race in the event he won in 2002. Read Saturday's edition of The Union for a full Pro 1-2 race field preview.

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To contact sportswriter Stacy Hicklin, e-mail stacyh@theunion.com or call 477-4244.

2005 - Burke Swindlehurst

2004 - Justin England

2003 - Eric Wohlberg

2002 - Antonio Cruz

2001 - Ernesto Lechuga

2000 - John Peters

1999 - Scott Moninger

1998 - Levi Leipheimer

1997 - Scott Moninger

1996 - Chad Gerlach

1995 - Mike Engleman

1994 - Scott Moninger

1993 - Alexi Grewal

1992 - Mike Engleman

1991 - Chris Huber

1990 - Nate Reiss

1989 - Mark Caldwell

1988 - Todd Gogulski

1987 - Gerrais Roux

1986 - Todd Gogulski

1985 - Jeff Pierre

1984 - Greg Demgen

1983 - Dale Stetina

1982 - Toby Power

1981 - Greg LeMond

1980 - Greg LeMond

1979 - Greg LeMond

1978 - Bob Cook

1977 - Rick Baldwin

1976 - Mark Pringle

1975 - Bill Wild

1974 - Ed Parrott

1973 - Keith Vierra

1972 - Dave Walters

1971 - Fred Fisk

1970 - John Howard

1969 - Bill Wild

1968 - Dave Brink

1967 - Bob Parsons

1966 - Bob Parsons

1965 - Bob Parsons

1964 - Bob Parsons

1963 - Bob Parsons

1962 - Bob Tetzlaff

1961 - Bob Tetzlaff