USA Cycling on Tuesday announced the winners of its annual “Club of the Year” competition.

Of the 1905 USA Cycling-sanctioned clubs in the United States, nine were chosen this year for recognition in three overall divisions and six special categories.

The San Diego Bicycle Club earned the Division I Club of the Year distinction, while the Skylands Cycling Club in Sussex, New Jersey, was designated Division II Club of the Year and Team DRT/Deep Blue in Wilmington, Delaware, took home the Division III award.

Division I is defined as having 76 or more members, while Division II clubs have between 30 and 75 members and Division III has fewer than 30.

Other recipients include Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, as the Collegiate Club of the Year, Hammer Racing Team in Littleton, Colorado, as Track Club of the Year, Dirty Divas of MTB Cincy in Ohio as Mountain Bike Club of the Year, Velo Girls in San Mateo, California, as Women’s Club of the Year, the Pasadena Athletic Association as Masters Club of the Year and the Boise Young Rider Development Squad (BYRDS) in Idaho as the Junior/High School Club of the Year.

Overall divisions were determined by a club’s overall scope and activity in proportion to its number of members. Judges based their decisions on the number of events a club promoted, competitive results, educational clinics and seminars, and community activities.

The six special categories were chosen by evaluating programs that resulted in the growth of their respective disciplines or groups.

As part of the recognition, these nine clubs will all receive complimentary club dues in 2007, a $150 value.

For more information on the 2006 Club of the Year recipients download upcoming editions of USA Cycling News, USA Cycling’s official e-newsletter, from the USA Cycling website, www.usacycling.org.