The Vermont Gran Prix of Cross Sept 23-24(UCI) at the Catamount Family Outdoor Center is expecting an impressive field of elite racers including Team Cliff Bar duo of Mark McCormack (former US National road and cylocross champion) and Jesse Anthony (six-time national champion), Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com rider Tim Johnson (world championship medalist), Jelly Belly rider and former US World team-member Jeremy Powers, Vanilla rider Shannon Skerritt (US National 35+ champion), RGM WATCHES/RICHARD SACHS/REX CHIU riders Brian Hayes, Noah Taylor and Amy Wallace, Fior Di Fruita riders Johs Huseby (two-time US World team member), Matt White and Michael Cody and NERAC.com team members Adam Hodges Meyerson and John Hansen and New England women¹s stalwart Rebecca Wellons (Gearworks/Spin Arts).

The weekend of racing (separate courses for each day) will be filmed and broadcast on the web by Ultrasport.tv, a new internet-based network dedicated to providing coverage of cycling and endurance events. ³We¹re excited to partner with Ultrasport.tv,² said Erik Bowker, race director. ³Cross is perfect for television and we¹re excited that Ultrasport.tv is committed to filming all categories, which should be fun for the riders. They can race and go home and see themselves suffer!²

Cannondale will be on hand with a fleet of it¹s new CAAD 9 demo cyclocross bikes. The all new CAAD 9 S-1 which will be ridden by Tim Johnson and the Fior di Fruita team this season. In a ddition to the tasty toys, Magic Hat Brewery will be serving up brews in the beer tent and Ben & Jerry¹s will be scooping free ice cream for kids and adults alike from 12 to 4 each day.

Race sponsors include Magic Hat Brewery, Ben & Jerry¹s, Louis Garneau, IBEX, Dwight Asset Management, Cannondale and the Skirack.

On-site camping is available. Riders can register at Bike Reg . For further information, email cross@catamountoutdoor.com or visit www.catamountoutdoor.com.

The Magic Hat Brewing Company, Ben & Jerry¹s Ice Cream and Louis Garneau present the first annual Vermont Gran Prix of Cross, September 23 and 24th, at the Catamount Family Outdoor Center in Williston, Vermont. The weekend¹s slate of races culminates with a UCI-sanctioned cross race on Sunday, September 24th; the first of the domestic season. Top professionals and amateur racers from the US and Canada will be on hand to contend those first all important UCI points of the season as well as the weekend¹s overall omnium title.

This promises to be a weekend of racing on par with races like Gloucester which follows us the next weekend,² says Erik Bowker, race director. ³We also hope that people will look at this as an opportunity to come to Vermont with their family and friends to enjoy the turning foliage, the beauty of Vermont and what we feel is one of the best cross venues in New England.²

Camping sites will be available at the race venue (www.catamountoutdoor.com) and discounted room rates at area hotels are being arranged for racers and their families and friends. The Catamount Family Outdoor Center is only minutes away from the Burlington International Airport (www.burlingtonintlairport.com ) and a three and a half hour drive from Boston and five from New York City. Direct flights to Burlington on Jet Blue Airways are available from Portland, OR.

The Vermont Gran Prix of Cross will feature a beer tent stocked with Vermont¹s own Magic Hat beer and free ice cream from Ben and Jerry¹s for children and adults alike. ³We¹re tring to bring a little bit of Belgium style cross racing to Vermont,² says Bowker of the first UCI race to be held in Vermont. ³Not only are we going to have two of the most challenging courses in cross but great Magic Hat beer and Ben and Jerry¹s ice cream in the expo area as well for people to enjoy themselves.²

Racing begins on Saturday with a non-sanctioned UCI cross event and a UCI (Cat. 2) event on Sunday. Each race will be held on a separate course to give riders and spectators two different experiences. In addition to individual race winners, racers will be vying for overall omnium titles.

For further information, visit Vermont GP Cyclocross or call 802.879.6001 or email cross@catamountoutdoor.com.