pretty cool news...Missoula gets Pro XCT July 24th

2011 Pro XCT comprised of seven of the nation's top MTB racesColorado Springs, Colo. (Sept. 22, 2010)—USA Cycling announced today the 2011 edition of the USA Cycling Pro Mountain Bike Cross Country Tour (Pro XCT). With seven total events in 2011, the Pro XCT calendar will provide world-class athletes with a national stage on which to accumulate UCI ranking points and top prize purses.“The 2011 Pro XCT will expand slightly over the 2010 version, offering one of the best calendars of quality UCI mountain bike races we’ve had in many years,” stated USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson. “We are committed to our long-stated goals of providing athletes with consistent top-level competition opportunities, increasing exposure for mountain biking domestically, and maximizing U.S. start spots at the sport’s highest stages; and the Pro XCT national calendar provides a sustainable platform to help accomplish these goals.”The 2011 Pro XCT will kick-off with a pair of US Cup Triple Crown races in California. One of two new additions to the calendar, the US Cup Triple Crown – Bonelli Park in San Dimas, Calif. will mark the unofficial start of the mountain biking season on March 12. For its second stop, the Pro XCT will move slightly south as the US Cup Triple Crown - Fontana City National continues the calendar March 26 in Fontana, Calif. Fontana has been a part of the Pro XCT since its inception and, along with the Bonelli event, is organized by US Cup/Team Big Bear.Following Fontana, the renowned Sea Otter Classic joins the ranks of the Pro XCT for the second consecutive year. Sea Otter’s elite/pro men’s and women’s mountain bike races on April 16 will once again operate at the UCI C1 level, offering maximum ranking points to top riders.The Pro XCT will next move south to Lance Armstrong’s renowned ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas as the Mellow Johnny’s Classic plays host to the series’ fourth stop. The Mellow Johnny’s Classic is set to take place on April 30; a bit earlier in the year to avoid the extreme heat suffered at last year’s event.The nation’s top pros will then head north to contest the Sand Creek International, a category-two event for 2011, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Set in the picturesque foothills of Pikes Peak, the Sand Creek course is sure to play a deciding role in the overall Pro XCT outcome.The Subaru Cup in Mt. Morris, Wis. on June 25 looks to be one of the calendar’s most exciting race experiences. Part of the well-established Wisconsin Off-Road Series (WORS), the Subaru Cup is traditionally crawling with thousands of enthusiastic fans.New to the Pro XCT, the Missoula Montana XC will mark the final contest on the season’s Pro XCT. Set for July 24, the category-one race should offer another dynamic atmosphere with a course in close proximity of downtown Missoula.The UCI points up for grabs at each Pro XCT event are crucial in helping the United States qualify mountain biking start spots for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, as well as determining the start order at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. The men’s and women’s overall Pro XCT champions will also automatically qualify a spot on the U.S. squad for the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.In addition to providing a sequence of international-caliber events where elite cross country racers can earn UCI points, the USA Cycling Pro XCT will spotlight top American races and recognize the best cross country teams and athletes competing on U.S. soil. In order for teams to earn points toward the overall Pro XCT team title, they must be registered as a UCI Trade Team or as a USA Cycling Mountain Bike Domestic Pro Team. The Pro XCT will rank the top male and female riders in the overall standings, provide leaders’ number plates, Pro XCT medals, and a guaranteed cash purse for each race.

2011 USA Cycling Pro Cross Country Mountain Bike Tour:March 12: US Cup Triple Crown Bonelli Park – San Dimas, Calif.March 26: US Cup Triple Crown Fontana City National – Fontana, Calif.April 16: Sea Otter Classic – Monterey, Calif.April 30: Mellow Johnny’s Classic – Dripping Springs, TexasJune 18: Sand Creek Intl. – Colorado Springs, Colo.June 25: Subaru Cup – Mt. Morris, Wisc.July 24: Missoula, Montana XC – Missoula, Mt.