Despite the recent spate of races dropping off the calendar, one of the bigger week-long races is enjoying increased popularity. The Nature Valley Grand Prix announced that it is switching the selection format for its men's category, from an open registration to an invitation-only procedure, in order to ensure the top teams on the domestic racing scene have spots in the race.
"The popularity of the Nature Valley Grand Prix has been growing steadily since it joined the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar in 1999," a press statement said. "The men's field has filled for the past four years, filling more than a month before the official registration deadline for the past two. Teams missed out simply because they weren't checking the registration page on an almost daily basis weeks before the event."
