The Race for the Stars and Stripes! This will be the third consecutive year that the dual championships for the best male cyclists in professional cycling will be held in the Upstate, with close to 80,000 spectators anticipated in the Upstate for Labor Day weekend. Medalist Sports, the sports marketing agency licensed by USA Cycling, Inc. to manage the event, announced that a new 20.7-mile individual time trial will be hosted in Greenville by the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). This individual time trial championship will take place on Saturday, August 30. The professional road race championship course will use a similar 110-mile circuit on Sunday, August 31 that incorporates downtown Greenville streets and parks and four laps over Paris Mountain, but will have a new start/finish line in the West End section of downtown. “I didn't know how special it was to be racing the USA Cycling Pro Championships in Greenville until I was forced to sit it out last year. It’s always great to be racing on the roads I grew up on, but to have such a high caliber event here is very special. That is something that very few professionals get to experience in their life,” said Lewis, who was the Under-23 US National road and criterium champion in 2006, and now races with Hincapie on Team Columbia. “Having to race over Paris Mountain makes it that much more exciting and produces a worthy winner. I'm really looking forward to having George and myself on the same team going for the jersey this year.” Craig Lewis “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 am looking forward to racing in front of my family and friends again," added Hincapie, who is currently competing in the Tour de France with Team Columbia. Sample Itinerary Day 1 - Tour Arrival Arrive Friday in time to stroll or take a short ride through the streets of downtown Greenville. We will gather back at our headquarters for the weekend for an informal meet and greet before heading out to enjoy a wonderful meal. Meals: Dinner Day 2 - ITT (Individual Time Trial) - (view course layout ) There is a new ITT course for 2008! The new venue for the Professional Individual Time Trial Championship (ITT) will be held on a 6.9-mile closed course, approximately 12 miles from downtown Greenville. This year, the new ITT course for the “race of truth” will offer fans the unique opportunity to see all pro cyclists navigate three full laps. Similar to the past two years, the cyclists will race against the clock for 20.7 miles. At the start/finish area, spectators will enjoy a big screen TV to watch live action around the course with announcers calling the action and a hospitality venue in prime location of the course. The ITT was won the past two years by Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Chipotle) of Salt Lake City, UT, who averaged 28.88 miles per hour (46.48kph). Greenville hosted the first-ever ITT championship for US professionals in 2006. Race Viewing - watch entire event from the VIP Hospitality Area Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cycling - TBD   Day 3 - Road Race (view course layout ) The Professional Road Race Championship is now in its 24th season and third year in Greenville. The 2008 edition will cover 110-miles of racing, with a new start/finish area in the popular West End section of downtown Greenville. This area includes natural beauty, with Falls Park and the Reedy River as its showcase, and a plentitude of restaurants and shopping. Similar to last year, the course will include 10 passes through downtown Greenville and four climbs up Paris Mountain. Greenville resident and two-time U.S. national champion George Hincapie (Team Columbia) is expected compete for the road race title, which was won in 2007 by Levi Leipheimer (Team Astana) of Santa Rosa, Calif. Hincapie’s teammate, Craig Lewis, also a resident of Greenville, is also expected to compete for the prestigious Stars & Stripes jersey. Race Viewing - watch atop Paris Mountain and from the VIP Hospitality Area Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Cycling - TBD Day 4 - Final Farewell's Over our final meal together we relive our experience of watching America's most prestigious weekend of racing. We say our farewells and depart knowing that the newly formed friendship forged during the past weekends excitement will bond us forever!   Meals: Breakfast