THE FAMILY THAT RACES TOGETHER: Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and his wife Heather Irmiger will race at the Carmichael Training Systems International Classic Friday through Sunday at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Horgan-Kobleski and Irminger won Marathon Mountain Bike National championships on Sunday at the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge.


By Andy Bohlmann, Sand Creek Sports race director
The USA Cycling PRO XCT series makes its final stop in Colorado Springs on July 9-11 at the Carmichael Training Systems International Classic presented by GT Bicycles.
Race information is at  www.sandcreeksports.com.
This year’s race is not only the PRO XCT final but it’s also part of the Alison Dunlap Junior MTB Series as well. Both Pro’s and Amateur’s will race the 3 day stage race at Cheyenne Mt. State Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado, starting with a 4.4 mile time trial on Friday evening, which includes the locally infamous “Medicine Wheel” trail, which will certainly favor the most technically adept riders. The racing continues on Saturday with
the 4.9 mile short cross country course which includes the challenging “Cougars Shadow” trail that surprised quite a few Pro rider’s last year with it’s twisting single track laced with boulders sometimes the size of small cars.
Finishing up on Sunday, the Amateur rider’s will race the 8.5 mile long cross country course and the Pro’s finish on the 1.4 mile short track making for three exciting days of race action just minutes away from downtown Colorado Springs.
The Kids on Bike’s kiddies race encompasses sections of the Pro’s short track course and should be a great time for the events youngest rider’s.
In the Pro men’s race the top five riders’ currently leading the PRO XCT will be racing.  At the end of the weekend the men’s series will most likely crown Todd Wells (Specialized) as long as he finishes better than eighth as his lead seems nearly insurmountable.
Second through fifth is  more complicated and should be great racing with Geoff Kabush (Maxxis/Rocky Mtn), Max Plaxton (Specialized/Sho-Air), Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/Trek) and Sam Schultz (Subaru/Trek) all within striking distance of second place. This battle will definitely be the highlight of the PRO XCT finale.
On the Pro women’s side of things for the PRO XCT series it looks like Georgia Gould (LUNA Chix) and Willow Koerber (Subaru/Trek) have virtual locks on first and second place respectively as long as they can finish inside the top ten.
Third place will most likely go to Heather Irmiger (Subaru/Trek) as Lene Byberg (Specialized) is racing in Europe and Kelli Emmett (Giant) will probably slip to fourth, as she isn’t competing due to sponsor commitments. Fifth place is where the action is for the women with Amy Dombroski (LUNA Chix) and Aleksandra Mooradian (K.Bedford/Verge/Spin) most likely battling for that spot as 12 points separate them. However, if Pau Sawicki (MATA) decides to make the trip to Colorado Springs then there could be a three-way battle for fifth place. Katie Compton (Planet Bike) with a great ride could rocket up the leaders board and possible contend for fifth place
as well – this is really going to be an exciting three days of racing.
It’s just not for racers though. The start and finish for all races winds through our Bicycle Expo and Pro Team parking areas and it allows spectator’s to not miss any of the exciting racing action which is fueled by a guaranteed $10,000 Pro cash prize purse while they’re checking out the latest bicycle equipment and Pro set ups.
Anchoring the Expo are GT Bicycles, Kenda Tire and Specialized Bicycles and there will be on food concessions onsite as well. Sand
Creek Sports would like to thank their sponsor’s for the outstanding support that makes this event possible: Carmichael Training Systems, GT Bicycles, Kenda Tire, Excel Sports Boulder, Pro Cycling, Ascent Cycling, Kids on Bikes, Colorado State Parks, Colorado Springs Visitor and Convention Bureau, American Medical Response, Peak Region Cyclist, Crowne Plaza Colorado Springs, Medicine Wheel Bike Advocacy Group, Pikes Peak Traveland, Inc., About the Shot Photography, Front Range Orthopaedics, Borriello Brothers Pizza and PikesPeakSports.us.