Cody Warren at the 2011 US Pro GRT event in Port Angeles, Washington(Image credit: Dylan Dean)
Jill Kintner (USA) Team Norco International(Image credit: Tour of Japan)
Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) flies through the air(Image credit: Kathy Sessler)
Neko Mulally airing it out(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The 2012 US Grand Prix of Mountain Biking (MTB GP) is set to make its official debut in less than two weeks in Port Angeles, Washington. From April 26-29, the MTB GP, in conjunction with the NW Cup, will host round one of the newest national-level downhill series. The race also doubles as round 1 of the US Pro Gravity Tour (Pro GRT), a downhill national series run by USA Cycling.
Top domestic and international mountain bike racers will their skills on some of the toughest downhill mountain bike tracks that the United States has to offer. Port Angeles has been the official start to the US gravity season for the past several years.
The Port Angeles MTB GP has attracted an international compilation of the some of the world's top gravity racers including reigning US national series champion Cody Warren (DRD Intense), current World Cup downhill champion Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing), Greg Minnaar and Josh Bryceland (both Santa Cruz Syndicate), Mick Hannah (Morewood United), Jared Graves (Yeti Fox Shox) and justin Leov (Trek World Racing).
The MTB GP official kickoff party will be held on Friday evening at the Vern Burton Gym, with a raffle and "Strength in Numbers" movie premiere.
The series will continue with round 2 at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vermont on June 16-17; round 3 at Highland Bike Park in Northfield, New Hampshire on July 7-8 and round 4 at the Stevens Pass Resort in Skykomish, Washington on August 4-5.
