Some of the most skilled mountain bikers in the world will descend upon Colorado Springs on Saturday, June 28, to compete in the final race of the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group. Racing will take place at Pulpit Rock Open Space and will feature cross-country mountain bike races for elite men and elite women. The weekend will also feature Colorado State Championship races on both Saturday and Sunday.

New in 2014, the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series Presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group is a collection of four events featuring some of the top cross-country mountain bike races in the country. In addition to the UCI-mandated $31,000 prize purse, both USA Cycling and Sho-Air Cycling Group are contributing a combined $50,000 in prize money for the top 15 overall, with equal pay going to men and women. The total $81,000 prize purse makes the US Cup the highest paying cross-country race series in the world.

Colorado Springs-area pros Russell Finsterwald, Kalan Beisel, Fernando Riveros Paez, Cam Chambers and Katie Compton will ride to defend their home turf against an extremely talented field.

The Czech Republic's Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) and Canadian Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox Racing) are atop their respective standings heading into Colorado Springs. Previous races in the US Cup Pro Series were held in March in Texas and California. See the complete US Cup Pro Series schedule.

Nash, the winner of the first two races in the series, leads the women's standings with 107 points, but Canadian Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) trails Nash by only 13 points with her total of 94. Fellow Canadian Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) holds on to third place with 82 points and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna Pro Team) is in fourth place with 70 points. The top five of the elite women is rounded out by Evelyn Dong (Salt Lake City, Utah/Backcountry.com) with 61 points on the season.

The top four of the US Cup Pro Series men's standings after three of four races are Kabush with 94 points, Olympian Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) with 79, Max Plaxton (CAN/Cannondale Factory Team) with 69, and Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (ESP/Trek Factory Racing) with 57. 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marco Aurelio Fontana (ITA/Cannondale Factory Racing) and Manuel Fumic (GER/Cannondale Factory Racing) are tied for fifth place with 53 points apiece.

Complete US Cup Pro Series standings.

Racing begins at 8 a.m. both days with the pro women toeing the line at noon on June 28 and the pro men starting at 2:30 p.m. the same day. Admission is free and the spectator-friendly course is located on the north side of Colorado Springs across the street from the University Village Shopping Center, boasting an array of shops and restaurants.

USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group Standings after 3 of 4 races:

Men
1. Geoff Kabush (CAN/Scott-3Rox Racing) — 94
2. Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized Racing) — 79
3. Max Plaxton (CAN/Cannondale Factory Team) — 69
4. Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (ESP/Trek Factory Racing) — 57
5. Marco Aurelio Fontana (ITA/Cannondale Factory Racing) — 53
5. Manuel Fumic (GER/Cannondale Factory Racing) — 53

Women
1. Katerina Nash (CZE/Luna Pro Team) — 107
2. Catherine Pendrel (CAN/Luna Pro Team) — 94
3. Emily Batty (CAN/Trek Factory Racing) — 82
4. Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna Pro Team) — 70
5. Evelyn Dong (Salt Lake City, Utah/Backcountry.com) — 61