USA Cycling announced the national mountain bike calendar for the 2019 season today. The Pro Gravity Tour (GRT) and Pro Cross Country Tour (XCT) will feature 12 events across 10 states. Spanning March to June, the GRT schedule this year will include 8 days of gravity competitions, while the XCT will feature 20 days of racing.
The GRT and XCT are comprised of the top mountain bike events in the U.S. and track the standings for elite riders in their respective fields. Most events will also carry amateur categories as well. Individual calendar champions are crowned at the conclusion of the calendar.
The GRT calendar focuses on four of the best gravity races across the U.S. with events from coast to coast. The addition of the Breckenridge Epic as well as the Soldier Hollow Bike Festival and the Missoula XCS to the XCT calendar marks a return to mountain bike stage racing in the pro calendar.
“We’re looking forward to a great season of competition in both gravity and endurance mountain bike racing here in the US. This collection of high-caliber races allows our athletes to prepare on US soil for the upcoming 2019 World Championships taking place in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada,” said Tara McCarthy, Senior National Events Manager, USA Cycling.
2019 Pro GRT Calendar:
| Date | Event | Location | Classification |
| March 6-10, 2019 | Windrock Tennessee National | Oak Ridge, Tenn. | C1 |
| April 5-7, 2019 | NW Cup #1 | Port Angeles, Wash. | C2 |
| May 18-19, 2019 | Mountain Creek Pro GRT | Vernon, N.J. | C3 |
| June 13-15, 2019 | NW Cup Tamarack | Tamarack, Idaho | C2 |
2019 Pro XCT Calendar:
| Date | Event | Location | Classification |
| March 16, 2019 | US Cup – Bonelli Park XCO + Junior Series XCO | San Dimas, Calif. | HC |
| March 24, 2019 | US Cup-Vail Lake National + Junior Series XCO | Temecula, Calif. | C1 |
| April 11, 2019 | Sea Otter Classic | Monterey, Calif. | HC |
| April 14, 2019 | Sea Otter Classic | Monterey, Calif. | C3 |
| May 2-5, 2019 | Soldier Hollow Bike Festival + Junior Series XCO | Midway, Utah | Stage Race 1 |
| June 9, 2019 | Eliminator | Columbus, Ga. | XCE WC |
| June 6-9, 2019 | Missoula XCS + Junior Series XCO | Missoula, Mont. | Stage Race 2 |
| August 11-16, 2019 | The Breck Epic MTB Stage Race | Breckenridge, Colo. | Stage Race 1 |
| August 24, 2019 | Julbo Eastern Grind | Williston, Vt. | C1 |
The 2018 GRT individual champions were Samantha Soriano (Littleton, Colo.; COMMENCAL Junior Cartel) for Elite Women and Kiran MacKinnon (Santa Cruz, Calif.; Santa Cruz Bicycles) for Elite Men. The 2018 XCT individual champions were Erin Huck (Boulder, Colo.; CZ Racing) for Elite Women and Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Bicycles Factory Racing Team) for Elite Men.
USA Cycling works with race directors from across the country to create various calendars and series that feature bike racing across several disciplines and ability levels. Inclusion on these calendars often includes event support, rankings tabulation and additional promotion. For a full schedule of events and updated standings throughout the season, click here.
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