It’s the stuff of legend, the subject of a recent documentary and the race all North American racers dream of. On Sunday, June 5, the single most important day of racing on the American calendar takes place in Philadelphia — the 156-mile USPRO Championship — and by day’s end, one rider will be crowned U.S. national champion.

An open national championship with nearly $150,000 in prize money, the event known as “Philly” is open to riders from Europe and beyond, meaning that there could be two winners on Sunday - the first man across the line, and the first American and subsequent national champion.

Now in its 21st year, Philly is expected to have 500,000 spectators lining the 14.4-mile circuit, with the highest concentration on the 17-percent grade of the infamous Manayunk Wall, which riders will climb 10 times.

Once thought of as a race of attrition, Philly has seen a growing number of mass-sprint finishes in recent years, drawing many to suggest that even at six hours and 156 miles, the race isn’t hard enough to break up the field.

Here’s a look at five Americans who will be fighting for the stars-and-stripes jersey, five non-Americans who will be looking to bring home the win, and five dark-horse favorites sure to animate the race.

American contenders

Fred Rodriguez (Davitamon-Lotto): Fast Freddie is the only American to win the jersey three times, and many see the race as his to lose. Says Chris Horner, “The course is tailor-made for Fred.” After a disappointing spring, Rodriguez is looking at Sunday as salvation. “I’ve had a frustrating start of the season. I spent April sick. Sunday is the goal.”

Chris Horner (Saunier Duval–Prodir): Horner’s spring was also forgettable - he broke his hip in March at Tirreno Adriatico and only returned to racing this week. Still, a pair of sixth-place finishes in Trenton and Lancaster have signaled that he’s back on form, and the double motivation to earn a stars-and-stripes jersey and a spot on Saunier Duval’s Tour de France team should push Horner beyond his limits. “My form is good,” Horner said. “I just need some more racing. And I know it’s asking a lot of the legs with only two days of racing before the big one, but you deal with what you’re given, and this is what I’m given.”

Bobby Julich (CSC): A Philadelphia homeowner, Julich has dreamed of winning in front of friends and family for years. Before last year’s race, Julich spoke of winning a stage at the Tour de France in the stars-and-stripes jersey as his ultimate goal, and that dream hasn’t changed. “Unfortunately,” Julich said, “the USPRO Championship falls at a really bad time in my calendar, coming off of five weeks of no racing. Four weeks in the mountains training in altitude where the weather wasn't super this year, I didn't get exactly the sort of training I wanted to get. It falls at a bad time for me. After a tough spring I need a break. But that jersey is always very important for American riders and I know I am not getting any younger so it is important that I take my chance when I can. But I have to let the cards fall where they may. If I am able to have a good race on Sunday, that’s fantastic. To win the jersey would be an absolute dream, but my plans honestly are a little farther down the road, with the Tour and after the Tour, so I just have to go with what I’ve got.”

Chris Wherry (Health Net-Maxxis): 2005 has seen a rebirth for Wherry, who won the overall at Redlands and has been a part of Health Net’s winning formula. Health Net’s been on a roll in the past week, and after seeing Ivan Dominguez, Greg Henderson and Gord Fraser take wins, it might be time for an American to share the love. Wherry was a key component in the winning breakaway at Lancaster on Tuesday, impressing both Rodriguez and Horner. “Chris was super strong,” Rodriguez said in Lancaster. Added Horner, “Wherry was the strongest guy in the break, no doubt about it. He was by far and away the strongest guy in the break.”

Mark McCormack (Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home): The national champion in 2003, McCormack has shown form of late, taking a surprise win at the Tour of Connecticut on the final circuits of the last stage and then escaping in Trenton with Julich and staying away for 30 miles. “Winning the jersey in 2003 was the highlight of my days as a bike racer,” McCormack said. “For an American cyclist, this is the pinnacle.”

Non-American contenders

Francisco Ventoso, (Saunier Duval): The 23-year-old Spaniard was the 2004 winner at Lancaster and Philly, but crashed in Lancaster this year and trailed off in the finale at Trenton. Still, you can never count out a former Philly winner, especially when his teammate is Chris Horner.

Henk Vogels (Davitamon-Lotto): The winner in 2000 and still the course record holder, Vogels is questionable just a week after completing an exhausting Giro d’Italia. Still, his showing at Trenton, where he led out Rodriguez in the final sprint, proved that Vogels can always rise to the occasion. Most likely a support rider for Rodriguez, Vogels could come through with the surprise win.

Gord Fraser (Heath Net-Maxxis): The Canadian has never won the race but finished third last year in the field sprint and also took eighth in 2000. Fraser comes into the race with a win in Trenton and a strong team to back him.

Lars Michaelson (CSC): The fifth-place finisher at Paris-Roubaix this year, Michaelson is no stranger to long, hard races. The CSC rider finished third in Trenton, and is motivated to win for his U.S. based sponsor.

Greg Henderson (Health Net-Maxxis): The former track world champion took the win at Lancaster and finished 11th in Trenton behind two of his teammates. If the race comes down to a field sprint, Henderson has as good a shot as anyone in the race.

Five dark-horse picks

Tyler Farrar (Health Net-Maxxis): Just 21, Farrar’s trajectory is sky high. He sacrificed his spot on Rodriguez’s wheel Thursday in Trenton to Fraser and still finished fifth. Though he’s never raced in Philly, and he’s questionable after 150 miles, if he’s there in the finale, he could make history just like a young Lance Armstrong once did.

Danny Pate (Jelly Belly-PoolGel): After a forgettable season spent at Health Net, this former world U23 time trial champion seems to be back on form with Jelly Belly in 2005. Though victory has eluded him this spring, Pate’s been aggressive all season long, and he hasn’t forgotten his third-place finish in 2002.

Karl Menzies (Advantage Endeavour): This stocky Australian is one of the revelations of the domestic calendar this year. A win would be a shock, but a top-10 finish wouldn’t be.

Ivan Stevic (Aerospace Engineering-VMG): The other revelation of the domestic race scene in 2005, the young Serbian can both climb and sprint, and has more fight than most with twice his experience.

Nathan O’Neill (Navigators Insurance): The Aussie has had trouble with injuries over the past few years, but Philly is a perfect course for the strong man. He’s not a contender for a field sprint, but if he’s still in there in the final kilometers, this time-trial specialist could break away and stay away.