USA Nats: Changing of the Guard?

This weekend's US National Championships in Greenville, SC, will pit Levi Leipheimer and George Hincapie against some new faces, as the old guard of American cycling tries to hang on to their stars and stripes for one more season.

Starting with tomorrow's time trial, it's 33km around Greenville in three 11km laps, of what looks like gently undulating terrain.

With Dave Zabriskie at the Vuelta a Espana, the time trial title is open for the taking, but if Leipheimer isn't up to the task, wunderkind Taylor Phinney almost certainly will be. It's Phinney's debut in Greenville, but he has been hanging out at Hincapie's house all week getting ready, and is using this as a springboard to an assault on the worlds U23 time trial. Scott Zwizanski (Kelly Benefits) was third last year and figures to be in the mix again. Zabriskie is the only rider to ever win on the Greenville course, however, so his absence looms large over the race. Full lineup on the flip.

On the road side, look for the climb up Paris Mountain to break things up, as usual, but the competition to succeed Hincapie in stars and stripes, which will certainly include George himself, should be pretty heated as always. Chris Horner will come to town to challenge (or help) his teammate Leipheimer, who looked strong in Quebec and has to rate as a favorite. Phil Zajicek, the Jacques-Mayne Brothers, and Andrew Bajadali are likely protagonists, though I'm not an expert on the domestic scene so don't take my word for it. Full 87 rider lineup on the flip.

Please send in your pics from the sideline, it should be a raucous good ol time down in Dixie!

 The 19 registered ITT combatants:

And the 87 registrants for the road race: