USA Cycling Pro Championships Kick-off Saturday in Greenville

9/17/10 – Two-time USA Cycling Professional Road Race Champion George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team) will return to his home turf this weekend to defend his road race national title. Hincapie will be among the star-studded fields representing our nation’s top cyclists at the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, which will celebrate the event’s 25th anniversary September 18-19.

Approximately 100 of America’s top professional cyclists are expected in Greenville to compete for both the Individual Time Trial and Road Race National Championships. Among those confirmed for the event are former Tour de France overall podium finisher Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack), 20-year-old phenom Taylor Phinney (Radio Shack) and Ted King (Cervelo Test Team).

Over 100 competitors will battle on the same 110-mile course won last year by local Greenville resident and cycling legend, George Hincapie. Following injury at the recent Tour of Utah, Hincapie will be looking to regain his form as he aims to defend his Stars-and-Stripes. A slew of talented youngsters are expected to challenge the veteran including Peter Stetina (Garmin-Transistions), Danny Pate (Garmin-Transitions), Craig Lewis (Team Columbia-HTC) and BMC teammate Brent Bookwalter (BMC). Hincapie and BMC’s most formidable opponent may however come from a powerful group of Team Radio Shack riders. Chris Horner (San Diego), Leipheimer and Jason McCartney (Coralville, Iowa) are sure to join forces in quest of the Stars-and-Stripes. The following SoCal Pro's will be vying to bring home the Stars 'N Stripes; Eric Bennet (Adageo Energy Pro Cycling), Ivan Dominguez (Jamis Sutter Home pb Colavita), Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly pb Kenda), Cody O'Reilly (Bissell) and Neil Shirley (Kelly Benefit Strategies).

On Saturday, Sept. 19, the 20.7-mile Professional Individual Time Trial Championship will return to the Clemson University-International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). The race against the clock will begin at 11:30 a.m. with competitors contesting three laps of the 6.9-mile course. The USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship will then take place on Sunday, Sept. 20, beginning at 1:00 p.m. in downtown Greenville. Race leaders are expected to begin several finishing circuits at approximately 4:30 p.m., completing the 110-mile course back in downtown Greenville.

With four-time Professional Time Trial National Champion Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions), who has won the event since its inception in 2006, racing in the Vuelta a Espana; Leipheimer and Phinney look to be the odds-on favorites in the race against the clock.

The event is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the one-day road race championship. Past winners include Olympic speed skating champion Eric Heiden (1985), Lance Armstrong (1993), Hincapie (2006, 2009) and Fred Rodriguez (2000, 2001, 2004). See the complete list of USA Cycling Professional National Champions here.

Dozens of elite handcyclists will also compete in time trial and criterium contests, as the 2010 Roger C. Peace Hospital – Rehabilitation U.S. Handcycling Series presented by Paralyzed Veterans of America wraps up in Greenville. Many of the top handcyclists are U.S. military veterans who were recently injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as accomplished athletes, including Oz Sanchez (San Diego) member of the U.S. Paralympic team and World Champion (2010).

Start list for the USA Cycling Professional Road and Time Trial National Championships.

For more information, including a complete schedule of events, course maps, volunteer information and more, visit http://www.usacyclingchampionships.com.