"I heard about it and wanted to get involved since it was practically in my back yard," Van Dine said. "I contacted them and they got back in touch with me and invited me to race. I'm very excited about it." Mountain biking, which suffers from an exposure problem in some regards, is hugely popular and is growing each year. But with the majority of the biggest races being held overseas, domestic mountain bike racing isn't as well known or recognized. At Deer Valley a month ago, crowds were sparse at a National Mountain Bike Series event despite the presence of most top American riders.

"This represents an opportunity to showcase our sport, get some great exposure on TV and hopefully let it grow," Van Dine said. "It's a shot at getting it more mainstream." The event features eight men and eight women racing against each other. Activities start at 11 a.m. with a "meet-the-pros" clinic and practice runs at 2 p.m. Racing starts at 3:30 with winners being crowned at about 5 p.m. with a post-race concert at The Canyons.

Admission to the races is free.

Jeep King of the Mountain Series

Saturday at The Canyons

Admission is free

11 a.m. — Meet the Pros Bike Clinic

2 p.m. — Athlete Training

3 p.m. — Interactive Expo Village Opens (Paul Mitchell Cut-A-Thon, plenty of prizes and giveaways for fans)

3:30 p.m. — World Professional Championships Begin

5 p.m. — Award Ceremony at The Canyons Plaza

6 p.m. — Live Concert by Supersuckers/Bonepony at The Canyons Plaza

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E-mail: jeborn@desnews.com