Three-time World Champ Vervecken will compete at USGP kick-off in Wisconsin

PHOTO: Jeremy Powers, Tim Johnson and Ryan Trebon celebrate success on the 2008 USGP Portland Cup podium.

The U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross announced today that three-time World Cyclocross Champion Erwin Vervecken will compete at the inaugural 2009 USGP Planet Bike Cup Sept. 26 and 27 in Sun Prairie, WI.

The Wisconsin races are the latest addition to the USGP series, which is expanding for 2009 from three weekends to four and culminates Dec. 5 and 6 at Portland International Raceway with the Stanley Portland Cup.

Racing for the Belgian squad Team Revor-Baboco-Champion System, Vervecken will headline the strongest field of racers ever assembled for the USGP, according to series director Joan Hanscom.

"We are thrilled to have Erwin compete at the USGP Planet Bike Cup," Hanscom said. "He is a superstar of unparalleled talent and is sure to animate every moment of racing. For him to be so enthusiastic about competing in the US and at the USGP speaks to the growing importance of the U.S. 'cross scene. We are excited to see how U.S. riders stack up against him early in the season -- especially with the depth of the fields racing here."

Vervecken will face off against Planet Bike super power and World Championship Silver Medalist Jonathan Page; the rising European duo of Christian Heule and Tim Van Nuffel; and a field rich with domestic superstars including former and reigning USGP and National Champions like Cannondale/ CyclocrossWorld.com rider Tim Johnson and teammates Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll; Kona’s Ryan Trebon, the current national champion, and Barry Wicks, Todd and Troy Wells, and Geoff Kabush.

Hanscom said the women’s fields for the Planet Bike Cup and the rest of the series are no less stacked with talent. Planet Bike’s Katie Compton -- herself five-time National Champion and World Championship Bronze medalist -- will make one of her few U.S. appearances before heading off to Europe to focus on the World Cup circuit. Compton will face off against the LUNA Chix juggernaut of USGP Champions Katerina Nash and Georgia Gould, alongside their newly un-retired LUNA teammate Alison Dunlap. Alison Sydor and Portland's own Sue Butler should also be on hand. Women’s cross has never looked so powerful.

Visit the USGP website HERE.

USGP of Cyclocross expands series categories, registration opens today

The 2009 U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross opened registration today for all four weekends of racing.

The eight race series is comprised of the Planet Bike Cup in Madison, WI, on Sept. 26 and 27; The Derby City Cup in Louisville, KY, Oct. 24 and 25; The Mercer Cup presented by Knapp's Cyclery in Mercer County, NJ, Nov. 14 and 15; and The Stanley Portland Cup in Portland Dec. 5 and 6.

New for 2009, each Saturday of the USGP weekend has received a UCI C1 designation, and each Sunday will be C2. Of the six UCI races currently on the U.S. calendar, four are USGP races.

Also new for 2009, the USGP has expanded the categories that will be included in the overall series scoring. Overall series competitions will now include Masters Men 35+, Masters Men 45+, Elite Men, U23 Men, Elite Women and Junior Men 17/18.

Register online for the USGP Portland Cup HERE.