Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships

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GREENVILLE, S.C. (August 19, 2008) – Race organizers confirmed today that George Hincapie (Team Columbia), Christian Vande Velde (Team Garmin-Chipotle presented by H30), David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Chipotle presented by H30), and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) are among the professional cyclists who will compete this year at the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships over Labor Day weekend (Aug 30-31, 2008). Three of these elite athletes (Hincapie, Zabriskie, Vande Velde) recently represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Over 125 professional cyclists are expected in Greenville to compete for both the Individual Time Trial and Road Race Championships.

"Now in its third year in Greenville, the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Road and Time Trial championships will once again showcase the depth of talent the United States peloton has at the pro level,” said Sean Petty, Chief Operating Officer for USA Cycling, Inc. “As American cyclists continue to perform well abroad, Greenville provides an opportunity for the domestic cycling community to witness the sport's best and brightest as they compete on their home turf for the prestigious honor of wearing the Stars-and-Stripes jersey."

Other top names in domestic cycling who will compete in Greenville are: 2004 Olympic Games Time Trial gold medalist Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing), second place in points on the men’s National Racing Calendar Ted King (Bissell), third place finisher in the 2007 Road Race championship Neil Shirley (Jittery Joe’s), 2006 Time Trial National Champion runner-up Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United), 2005 Road Race National Champion Chris Wherry (Toyota-United), 2005 Tour de Georgia overall winner Tom Danielson (Garmin-Chipotle), and 2006 U-23 National Road Race and Criterium Champion Craig Lewis (Team Columbia).

“Spectators will be treated to a showcase of star power during the Championships this year. We are very pleased to see George, David and Freddie returning as past champions, as well as top Tour de France contender like Christian making the field very competitive. We anticipate huge crowds in Greenville for both the Time Trial and the Road Race Championships, and for an exciting weekend of recreational and ancillary events,” said Chris Aronhalt, Managing Partner of Medalist Sports and Executive Director for the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships.

Saturday, August 30 will feature the first race in the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships, the Professional Individual Time Trial Championship. This 20.7-mile race against the clock will begin at 11 a.m. on a new course at Clemson University – International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville. Salt Lake City, Utah native Zabriskie returns in search of a third consecutive title in the ITT.

I'm looking forward to the new course in Greenville. "It's always an exciting race and I'm focused on keeping the Stars-and-Stripes jersey for myself and my team.

- Dave Zabriskie

"I'm looking forward to the new course in Greenville," said Zabriskie of Team Garmin-Chipotle and the two-time defending champion. "It's always an exciting race and I'm focused on keeping the Stars-and-Stripes jersey for myself and my team."

The USA Cycling Professional Road Race championship will take place on Sunday, August 31, beginning at 1:00 p.m. in downtown Greenville. Over 100 competitors will battle on a 115-mile course, won last year by Santa Rosa, Calif. resident Levi Leipheimer (Team Astana). Leipheimer will be competing with his team at the Vuelta a España, so will not be able to defend his title. This one-day road race championship began in 1985. Past winners of the prestigious Stars and Stripes jersey for the road race discipline include speed skating Olympic champion Eric Heiden (1985), Lance Armstrong (1993), Hincapie (1998, 2006) and Rodriguez (2000, 2001, 2004).

“It was great to have the entire U.S. cycling scene in my backyard (in 2006 and 2007) and see first-hand why I live in Greenville. I’m proud to have been on the podium again. I am looking forward to racing in front of my family and friends," added Hincapie, a Greenville, SC resident and the runner-up in the 2007 Road Race Championship.

The final fields for both the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race will be confirmed August 28. Professionals will compete for prize money, and more importantly, the right to wear prestigious Stars-and-stripes jerseys for the 2009 season. The events are sanctioned by USA Cycling, Inc., the governing body for the sport of cycling in the United States, and managed by Medalist Sports.

In addition to the dual championships, there is a full schedule of activities and events for the weekend in Greenville. Two Stars and Stripes Challenge events, hosted by local non-profit organization Palmetto Peloton Project (P3), will allow amateur athletes an opportunity to run/walk or cycle on the courses of the 2008 Greenville Hospital System USA Professional Cycling Championships. Saturday night following the ITT, a Greenville Rocks outdoor concert will be held from 6-10 p.m. at the Peace Center outdoor amphitheatre. For a full list of events, as well as route maps and professional athletes competing in the championships, visit www.usacyclingchampionships.com.

RIDERS TO WATCH

• Professional since 1994; 35 years old
• Team Columbia Captain; completed 13th Tour de France in 2008. Played a pivotal role in all seven of Lance Armstrong’s Tour victories.
• Member of 2008 US Olympic Team (Road Race); only five-time (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) Olympic Games cyclist in U.S. history.
• Two-time U.S. National Champion (1998 & 2006); second in 2007
• 2008 Stage wins at Tour of California and Dauphine Libere.

• Professional since 1998; 32 years old; hometown Lemont, IL
• Member of 2008 US Olympic Road Race Team; finished 17th in Beijing in Road Race
• 2008: 5th overall Tour de France; 1st Stage 1 Team Time Trial, Giro d’Italia; wearer of “Maglia Rosa” 2008 Giro d’Italia, making him the second American in history to wear the leaders jersey in the Giro d'Italia since Andy Hampsten won the event in 1988; 5th Stage 21 Time Trial Giro d’Italia
• 2007: 2nd overall Tour de Georgia

• Professional since 2001; 29 years old
• 2006 & 2007 US National Time Trial Champion
• Member, 2008 US Olympic Time Trial Team (12th place)
• 2008: Tour de Georgia, 1st stage 4 team time trial; Giro d'Italia, 1st stage 1 team time trial ; Tour of Bahamas, 1st prologue and 1st, stage 1 time trial; Criterium International, 5th stage 3 ITT
• 2006: Silver medalist, World Time Trial Championship
• 2005 wore yellow jersey at Tour de France

• Professional since 1996; 34 years old; lives in Emeryville, Calif.
• 3-time US National Road Race Champion (2000, 2001, 2004)
• Mutliple-time Grand Tours Competitor (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a Espana), including 2004 stage win in Giro d’Italia
• 2008 results: multiple Top 10 finishes in U.S. racing; 3rd place at the Philadelphia International Championship
• Winner, 2006 Tour de Georgia Sprint Competition.

• Professional since 1995; 37 years old; lives in Boulder, CO.
• 2008: 1st overall, Tour of Qinghai Lake (China)
• 2007: 6th, National Time Trial Championship; 12th, National Road Race Championship
• 4th overall, 2003 Tour de France; 2nd overall, 2002 Giro d’Italia; multiple time Grand Tours competitor (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a Espana)

• Professional since 2004; South Carolina native; 22 years old
• 2007, Member U-23 World Championship Road Team
• 2007: 6th overall Tour of Ireland; 7th overall Tour de l’Avenir
• 2006 U-23 National Road Race and Criterium Champion

• Professional since 2004; 29 years old; lives in San Diego, Calif
• 2008, 2nd KOM Competition Tour de Georgia; 1st Fiesta Island Time Trial (CA)
• 2007: 3rd US Road Race Championship; 1st overall Edgar Soto Memorial Stage Race
• Former mountain bike racer

• Professional since 2006; 25 years old; resides in Asheville, NC
• 2nd, NRC Standings (8/4); 1st American
• 2008: Multiple podium finishes on domestic scene, including 1st Hanes Park Classic; 1st NCC 10th Tour of Hilltowns; 1st Stage #3 Joe Martin Stage Race; 1st River Falls Road Race
• 2006: Best Young Rider Univest Grand Prix Road Race