USA Cycling Pro Tour and National Racing Calendar updates

Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 19, 2010) — The premier racing calendars for cycling in the United States have been adjusted to reflect changes in the status of several events. One USA Cycling National Racing Calendar event, the Chicago Criterium, has been canceled.

The nation's premier professional calendar, the USA Cycling Professional Tour, has also decreased in size after the Tour de New York was canceled and the Univest Grand Prix lost the Allentown portion of the event.

Racing Still Remains for Chicago-Area Cycling Fans

Despite the cancellation of the Chicago Criterium, Windy City-area cycling fans still have several opportunities to watch professional racing. The Tour of Elk Grove, taking place July 30 through August 1, features NRC points for men. On August 14, the top criterium racers in the country will head to Glencoe, IL, for the AT&T USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championships at the Glencoe Grand Prix.

Pro Tour Calendar Loses Tour de New York, Day of Univest Grand Prix

The USA Cycling Professional Tour shrank to seven events after the cancellation of the Tour de New York. The inaugural edition of the proposed five-day race was unable to secure sufficient financial resources. The Tour de New York was to be held from August 7 through 11 in upstate New York, and had received a 2.2 ranking from the UCI.

The Univest Grand Prix has been downgraded to hold a UCI ranking of 1.2 after the first day of racing in Allentown was canceled. The Pro Tour portion, a road race through the communities in and around Souderton, Penn., takes place on Saturday, September 11. The following day will feature a criterium in the heart of Doylestown, Penn., though it is not part of the Pro Tour calendar.

The remaining 2010 Pro Tour events include:

• AT&T USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championships at the Glencoe Grand Prix — Aug. 14 in Glencoe, IL
• Univest Grand Prix — Sept. 11 in Souderton, PA
• Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Pro Time Trial Championships — Sept. 18 in Greenville, SC
• Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Pro Road Race Championships — Sept. 19 in Greenville, SC

Pro Development Seminar to Be Held at Crit Nationals

The Glencoe Grand Prix will offer Category 1 and 2 Elite men and women the opportunity to not only pit themselves against the country's best criterium riders, but also learn how to take the next step in pursuing a professional cycling career. A Professional Development Seminar will be held on Friday, August 13 for Cat. 1 and 2 teams to help ease the transition to becoming a UCI Continental Team. For more information, visit www.glencoegrandprix.com.

About the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX, and cyclo-cross. Currently in its 14th season, the National Racing Calendar (NRC) is the premier season-long domestic road cycling series sanctioned and owned by USA Cycling. With an overall ranking system that determines the best individual male and female cyclists, as well as the best teams in the U.S., the NRC features the nation's top Pro-Am events and boasts a total prize purse of nearly one million dollars. The 23-race calendar is open to both professional and amateur cyclists. For more information on the NRC, visit www.usacycling.org/nrc.

About the USA Cycling Professional Tour
Created in 2006 to support the growth of professional cycling in the United States, the USA Cycling Professional Tour is a men's-only, season-long calendar that determines the best professional rider and team on American soil. With seven of the nation's top races on the 2010 edition, the USA Cycling Professional Tour attracts the best pro cyclists and teams from around the world to compete in internationally-sanctioned events from coast to coast. At the end of the season, the overall Pro Tour standings determine an individual and a team champion who are considered the best and most consistent performers in international-caliber racing in the U.S. For more information on the USA Cycling Professional Tour, visit www.usacycling.org/protour.