As an amateur racer himself, Sho-Air President Scott Tedro’s number one objective when creating the USA Cycling Pro XC Tour was to offer a grassroots-friendly national mountain bike series. In reality, the USA Cycling Pro XC Tour is contained within the amateur and regional pro Kenda U.S. Cup East and West Series. Three of the events from the West Series and three events from the East Series also play double duty as the first six rounds of the USA Cycling Pro XC Tour. The 2009 Kenda U.S. Cup is patterned after the 250 East and West Supercross Series; It gives amateur riders a real shot at national glory without asking for them to jump back and forth across the states to earn it. There are six events in the Kenda U.S. Cup West Series, and six events in the Kenda U.S. Cup East Series. In each skill category and age class the overall riders will be recognized as the East or the West Series Champions. The top East and West riders will be invited to the U.S. Cup East Versus West Shootout. This one shot, winner-take-all event will be the Cactus Cup that is held during Interbike week at Las Vegas, NV. USA Cycling’s Pro XC Tour Finale will also be held during the Las Vegas Cactus Cup. It means that the final national-level U.S. cross-country event of the year will be held in front of the biggest gathering of mountain bike enthusiasts in the world.

2009 KENDA U.S. CUP SCHEDULE KENDA U.S. CUP WEST
Mar 1: Bonelli Park, San Dimas, CA
Mar 28-29: Southridge National, Fontana, CA
Apr 5: Sagebrush Safari, San Diego, CA
Apr 16-19: Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA
Apr 25-26: Santa Ynez Valley Classic, Los Olivos, CA
Jun 13: Sand Creek, Colorado Springs, CO
KENDA U.S. CUP EAST
May 3: SERC #5, Ducktown, TN
May 31: Bumb N’ Grind, Birmingham, AL
Jun 7: Massanutten Hoo-Ha, Massanutten, VA
Jun 21: Cowbell Challenge, Davidson, NC
Aug 8-9: Mt. Snow Shootout, Mt. Snow, VT
Aug 15-16: Windham Mountain, Windham, NY
U.S. CUP EAST/WEST SHOOTOUT
Sep 26: Cactus Cup East/West Shootout, Las Vegas, NV