The U.S Open Cycling Championship got under way on Saturday after snow and cold forced a 90-minute delay to the start in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Wet snow and steady winds kept the television helicopter grounded, prompting the delay. Same-day television coverage is to be broadcast from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on NBC.

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“I agreed with the rider boycotts at Sea Otter [in 2003] and San Dimas [in 2004],” said Health Net-Maxxis team director Jeff Corbett. “But no one wants to look like a wimp on national television.”

The weather has left directors and officials wondering what to do

Happily, the race got rolling, albeit a bit late, and the race caravan reported hints of blue sky and warmer temperatures some 10 miles into the 112-mile race.

With 65 miles of flat roads from Williamsburg to be followed by eight 5.5-mile circuits in Richmond, some had suggested it best to simply ride the technical, downtown Richmond circuits. However, with a 190-rider field, some felt that idea might be the worst possible scenario.

“I think the teams that are riding the Tour de Georgia are concerned about the weather,” said Jelly Belly team director Danny Van Haute. “The teams that aren’t in Georgia want to race. Of course everyone is concerned about hypothermia. No one wants to catch a cold or be in the hospital after the race.

"Most managers are nominating a team captain. If something happens in the peloton those captains will control the peloton. They’re not going to stop. But I agree, taking it back to Richmond is a bad idea. I think we’d rather have it split up before we get to Richmond.”

A chartered bus that brought riders from Richmond to the start in Williamsburg has been kept on to follow the race as a broom wagon. Two riders had already climbed aboard by the 10-mile mark.

“Some people do well in these conditions,” said Toyota-United rider Ivan Dominguez. “Some people do all right in these conditions, and some people don’t do well at all in these conditions. I fall into the last group.”

Dominguez’s teammate Henk Vogels, a veteran of Belgian classics such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, said in Europe the race would likely be canceled.

“You can’t ride cobbles in the snow,” Vogels said. “They would cancel this, no question.”

Even riders accustomed to foul weather were taken aback.

“I wouldn’t mind if we didn’t race,” said national cyclo-cross and cross-country champion Ryan Trebon. “It’s four hours of suffering, and not fun suffering either. It’s just going to be physical and mental anguish.”