May 15, 2004 – Reigning U.S. Professional Road Champion Mark McCormack, two-time U.S. Professional Road Champion Fred Rodriguez, and one of America's top 2003 riders, Chris Horner, are among over 200 professional cyclists from 20 teams coming to the Philadelphia region in the first week of June for the 2004 Wachovia Cycling Series.

The Wachovia Cycling Series is part of the six-event Professional Cycling Tour, the nation's only all professional road cycling circuit featuring world-class athletes including Lance Armstrong and many of the best cyclists in the world. The series opens up with the Wachovia Cycling Series – Lancaster race on June 1 followed by the Wachovia Cycling Series – Trenton race on June 3. The series culminates on Sunday, June 6 with the 20th Anniversary Wachovia USPRO Championship in Philadelphia.

McCormack, who rides for Colavita Bolla (USA), is one of America's finest individual performers. He grabbed the National Road Cycling title as the first American finisher in the 2003 Wachovia USPRO Championship and then capped his year by winning the 2003 individual Pro Cycling Tour Points Title.

Rodriguez, who rides for Aqua y Sapone (Italy), won the Wachovia USPRO Championship in 2001, taking both the overall title and the National Road Cycling crown. He also won the US Professional Road Champion title in the 2000 race at Philadelphia.

The race field for Philadelphia is comprised of one Danish, one Spanish, two Italian, two Polish and 13 American teams featuring riders of 20 different nationalities. Teams competing in the 2004 Wachovia Cycling Series include Colavita Bolla (USA), US Postal Serivice, Aqua y Sapone (Italy), CSC (Denmark), Webcor Builders (USA), Saeco (Italy), Prodir Sauniver Duval (Spain), Action Ati (Poland), Jelly Belly-Aramark (USA), Ofoto (USA), Jittery Joe's Coffee (USA), Sierra Nevada (USA), Subway (USA), Sharper Image Mathis Brothers (USA), Team Seasilver (USA), Hoop CCC Olstat (Poland), Navigators Insurance (USA), Health Net Maxxis (USA), Team Monex (USA) and McGuire Pro Cycling (USA). All teams will also compete in Lancaster and Trenton.

Horner, who rides for Webcor Builders (USA), is also one of America's top cyclists. Horner won the 2003 T-Mobile International presented by BMC Software in San Francisco, besting a field that included Armstrong and McCormack. He is one of America's top Olympic Team hopefuls.

“We are thrilled to have such a strong, diverse field at this year's Wachovia Cycling Series,” said Robin Morton, Wachovia Cycling Series Technical Director. “With 2004 an Olympic year, the individual and team competitiveness is intensified. The field is powerful and deep and the racing in all three cities should be tremendous.”

Another prominent cyclist set for Philadelphia is American Bobby Julich of Team CSC, who has a home in Philadelphia. Julich finished third overall in the Tour de France in 1998 and is competing in Philadelphia again for the first time in several years.