With a prize purse of $20,000, this event will rival some of the top races in the country and should attract many of the top cyclists.

The Old Pueblo Grand Prix will be a classic downtown criterium – a quintessential American-style bike race concentrated around a few city blocks with lots of turns, high speeds and continuous action and excitement.  This racecourse includes a total of six turns, both right and left, creating a difficult course for the riders and plenty of excitement for the crowds.  The criterium is sanctioned by the USAC.

The racing will begin around noon and extend to 7 p.m.  The race starts and finishes on Church Avenue with the route headed north on Church Avenue, east on Alameda, south on Stone Avenue, east on Pennington, south on Scott, west on Congress and north on Church to the finish line in front of the historic Court House.  With the course measuring just 6/10ths of a mile, spectators will likely see the athletes pass by at speeds of 25-30 mph every minute.

Concentrated in downtown Tucson, the race is a family and spectator friendly event.  Watching the races is free and there are approximately 18 eateries along the route.  At the EXPO area, Jim Click Automotive Team, the title sponsor, will have eco-friendly vehicles on display.  A demo car outfitted for race day excursions and a special pace car that will lead the riders ceremonially around the first lap of each race will also be featured.   The Expo will be located in the lawn in Jacome Plaza at the library and the center along Pennington Avenue.

Races throughout the day will be separated by level of competitive experience, with the Pro men and women likely to be well-known cyclists on an international level.

There will be a post-race gathering to “meet the pros” at Hotel Congress later in the evening.

Racers must register by April 10, 2011 at www.bikereg.com

The final stage of the Tour de France was flooded with color but, the color black is what stood out from the pack. Led by cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, Team RadioShack started the finale by swapping their official red-and-gray racing kit in favor of exclusive black “28″ jerseys, dedicating their ride to the 28 million people worldwide currently living with cancer. Although race officials mandated that the team return to their official Team RadioShack kits, the messaging still broke through the pack.

“RadioShack’s partnership with Lance Armstrong has always been about more than cycling. It’s about engaging our customers and more than 35,000 associates in the global fight against cancer,” said Lee Applbaum, chief marketing officer for RadioShack Corp. “We understand that for 28 million people around the world, the race is not over.”

By dedicating the final stage of the Tour, the Team RadioShack riders have become global ambassadors for the 28 million survivors worldwide who are battling cancer and are determined to help them fight it. RadioShack is proud to stand with LIVESTRONG in support of those brave millions who are in the fight for their lives.

Together with LIVESTRONG, RadioShack has made a commitment to reduce the global cancer burden by raising awareness, eradicating stigma and encouraging people to join the cause. Team RadioShack wore this support as a bold reminder that cycling is not just about winning races, it’s a way to spread a message of support for those who are tirelessly battling this disease.

“Throughout the Tour de France, Team RadioShack’s bikes have carried the names of people touched by cancer in order to honor them and the people who love them,” Armstrong said. “Today, we’re riding for every one of the 28 million people all over the world whose lives and families are affected by this disease.”

“Cancer will become the world’s leading cause of death this year and we must do more to turn that tide and support people fighting for their lives,” said LIVESTRONG president and CEO Doug Ulman. “Team RadioShack has drawn worldwide attention to a disease too often dismissed as unbeatable and we are grateful for their unified demonstration of heroism.”

Since 1997, LIVESTRONG has provided support to guide people through the cancer experience, bringing them together to fight cancer — and work for a world in which the fight is no longer necessary.

Leanda Cave from Tucson, Ariz., was the top finisher among the females, making her a three-time winner. Featuring a 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, an 18-mile bike ride and an eight-mile run through San Francisco, this race is considered one of the most difficult triathlons in the world.

Top Finishers:
First Place: Hunter Kemper, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1:58.21
Leanda Cave, Tucson, Ariz., 2:14:34

Second Place: Bevan Docherty, Santa Cruz, Calif., 2:00:24
Jenna Shoemaker, Boulder, Colo., 2:14:47

Third Place: Andy Potts, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2:02:02
Mary Beth Ellis, Boulder, Colo., 2:17:27

“The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is one of my all time favorite races and I am thrilled to return for my second win,” said Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon Winner Hunter Kemper. “This race features so many different challenges, from the swim from Alcatraz, the hilly bike ride through the streets of San Francisco and the run up the infamous sand steps; it is like no other race on the circuit.”

Triathletes from more than 26 different countries and across the nation raced in near perfect conditions and sunny skies including top professionals Chris “Macca” McCormack, Andy Potts, Brian Fleischmann, Graham O’Grady, Mary Beth Ellis, Michellie Jones and more. A number of physically challenged athletes also participated and completed the race on behalf of the Challenged Athletes Foundation. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.

Official sponsors include Muscle Milk, K-Swiss, Equinox, Safeway, ZipVit, Hornblower Cruises & Events, Hilton’s Fisherman’s Wharf and TriBike Transport; media sponsors include Triathlete Magazine, San Francisco Examiner, SF Weekly and Brightroom Photography; partners include Challenged Athletes Foundation and Premier Event Management.

The Escape from Alcatraz(TM) Triathlon is produced by IMG with race direction provided by Premier Event Management. For more information and full race results, visit www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com.

To celebrate his 50th birthday Austin businessman Steve Hicks hosted 100 friends at a Caribbean getaway; Jimmy Buffet and the Beach Boys entertained. Hicks turns 60 in February and will mark the milestone in a dramatically different way: rallying 49 people to join him in bicycling 850 miles across Texas.

On March 6, 2010 Hicks and his fellow bicyclists will set out from the Louisiana/Texas border and head west, averaging 60 miles a day. Starting from Orange, they’ll wind up in Presidio two weeks later on March 20.

Hicks, owner and executive chairman of Capstar Partners, conceived of the ride, the Rise Across Texas Challenge, as a fundraiser for the Rise Schools of Texas, which educate typical children alongside those with developmental disabilities. Lance Armstrong is the ride’s honorary captain; Mack Brown and Gene Stallings are honorary coaches.

Hicks is appealing to riders as determined as he is. “For my 50th I showed lots of people a good time, but for my 60th I want to give something back to the world,” he says. “Some adventurous types have already signed on for the full ride. Anyone raising a minimum can join for part of the ride, too.”

Proceeds will launch a campaign to build a permanent home for the Rise School in Austin, which currently leases space. Subsequent funds will benefit Rise Schools in Dallas, Houston, and Corpus Christi.

Hicks is not an elite biker — far from it, at least now. When not recruiting sponsors, he’s relearning something that one proverbially never forgets. “I got my cycling merit badge as a Boy Scout, and that’s pretty much it,” he says. “Right now I’m trying to get used to being on the bike without falling.” Never fear, though: Kevin Livingston, six-time Tour de France Rider and U.S. National Champion, has agreed to train the riders for their venture.

Towns slated as ride stops include Kountze, Montgomery, Brenham, Bastrop, Austin, Wimberley, Kerrville, Leakey, Brackettville, Del Rio, Sanderson, Marathon, and Marfa.

Event sponsors to date include DMX, Harden Healthcare, Livestrong, Mellow Johnny’s, Pedal Hard and Texas Monthly. Trek Travel is the official bike tour operator.

For more information on the Rise Across Texas Challenge, please visit riseacrosstexas.org

Source: Rise Across Texas Foundation

Saturday, May 23: Run/Ex/09

One of the largest racing expositions in the world, Run/Ex/09, will open in the South Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. More than 140 exhibitors will offer innovative demonstrations and state-of-the-art products and services on running, health, fitness and lifestyle improvement on more than four acres of floor space. Saturday hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and admission is free.

Saturday, May 23: The Carbo Load

The traditional pre-race Carbo Load dinner will be held for the first time at the ESPN Zone at L.A. Live, a short walk from the Run/Ex/09 site at the Convention Center. Tickets are $25 per person and seating is extremely limited.

Sunday, May 24: Run/Ex/09

The final day of Run/Ex/09 is the last chance to register for the 2009 Los Angeles Marathon or the Acura L.A. Bike Tour (no race-day registration) or the Los Angeles Marathon 5k Run/Walk (for which there will be race-day registration). Sunday’s Run/Ex/09 hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission is free.

Monday, May 25: Los Angeles Marathon XXIV

The Los Angeles Marathon will be held for the first time on Memorial Day, with more than 35,000 participants expected to run, cycle and walk in the Marathon, Acura L.A. Bike Tour or the 5k Run/Walk.

Start times:
5:00 a.m.: Acura L.A. Bike Tour start
6:55 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon wheelchair participant start
7:00 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon hand-cycle start
7:07 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon elite women’s start
7:24 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon field start
8:30 a.m.: Los Angeles Marathon 5k Run/Walk start
8:50 a.m.: Springfield Kids Marathon start
9:45 a.m.: Awards presentation at the Los Angeles Central Library

Street closures in the downtown Los Angeles area will begin about 5:20 a.m. with all streets re-opened by 5:20 p.m.

Monday, May 25: Los Angeles Marathon Finish Line Festival

Beginning with a giant screen showing the live KNBC race broadcast, the annual Finish Line Festival will begin at 7 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. at Flower and 3rd Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Live entertainment will be offered on the K-EARTH Stage beginning at 10:30 a.m., with the Michelob Ultra Beer Garden close by plus two dozen sponsor and exhibit booths, including the Family Reunion Area.

Admission to the Finish Line Festival is free.

For more information on the Los Angeles Marathon, visit www.lamarathon.com

For more information on the Acura L.A. Bike Tour, visit www.acuraLAbiketour.com

“We inspire athletes and connect communities. Anchored by the iconic Los Angeles Marathon, our three sporting events draw more than 42,000 athletes, 12,000 volunteers, and one million spectators along the route to sunny Southern California for the L.A. Marathon, the Acura L.A. Bike Tour, and our 5K Run/Walk for Charity, making race day one of the world’s largest days of participatory sport.”

~ Russ Pillar, President, Los Angeles Marathon, L.L.C.

Source: Los Angeles Marathon, L.L.C.

From California to New York, an estimated 700 “golden age” Veterans will travel to Birmingham, Ala., to compete June 1-5 in the world’s largest sports and recreational competition for senior Veterans.

The Golden Age Games are open to all U.S. military Veterans age 55 or older who receive care at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility. The games give participants the opportunity to compete in ambulatory, visually-impaired and wheelchair divisions, according to their ages. Events include swimming, bicycling, bowling, croquet, air rifle, golf, shuffleboard, horseshoes, discus and shot put.

The 23rd National Veterans Golden Age Games are co-sponsored by VA, Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) and the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS). This year’s event is hosted by the VA medical center in Birmingham.

The games are designed to improve the quality of life for all older Veterans, including those with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. Through a partnership with the National Senior Games Association, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the games serve as a qualifier for the National Senior Games held every other year.

“HHV is extremely pleased to continue its support of this wonderful therapeutic program,” said Mike Lynch, executive director of HHV. “The games continue to demonstrate VA’s commitment to offer programs that help Veteran patients in their health recovery and to send the message that Americans support their service to our country.”

“The Golden Age Games continue to grow every year, and the athletes who participate are testimony that the spirit of competition, camaraderie and commitment to an actively invigorating lifestyle. This spirit not only helps to prevent illness, it strengthens the heart and rejuvenates the soul,” said Marilyn Iverson, director of the Veterans Canteen Service.

The majority of the competitive events for the Golden Age Games, including opening and closing ceremonies, will be held at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center. The opening ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 1. The competition begins with golf on Tuesday, June 2, at 8 a.m., at Highland Golf Course. Closing ceremonies will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 5, at the convention center.

For more information on the Golden Age Games, log onto the games Web site at www.Veteransgoldenagegames.va.gov.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Sydney will be the home of the seventh edition of the World Masters Games, an international sporting event boasting more competitors than the Summer Olympic Games. Held in an international city every four years and sanctioned by the International Masters Games Association (IMGA), the games are set to take place in Sydney from October 10 – 18, 2009.

Thousands of participants from more than 100 countries will travel to Sydney to compete in the most accessible and populous international sporting event. Medals will be awarded in age categories in 28 official sports ranging from archery, basketball and cycling to tennis, volleyball and weightlifting.

Following a motto of “fit, fun and forever young,” the Games is actively searching for sport enthusiasts and competitors to make Sydney the most distinct and successful games yet. Unlike in the Olympic Games, competitors represent themselves or teams from a variety of countries.

“Sydney is thrilled to host the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games, a spectacular and inclusive event that has built a true world community over the years,” said Margy Osmond, Chair of the Sydney 2009 World Masters Organising Committee (SWMGOC). “The Games participants’ passion, unique backgrounds, ages and stories are what make this international event so special. Sydney is committed to increasing the diversity of the competitors attending in 2009.”

The Games are open to “everyday athletes” and only requires registrants to meet a minimum age requirement for the particular sport (between 25 and 35 years of age, depending on the sport) and register online at 2009worldmasters.com for a $220 fee.

The 28 sports at the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games are archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, canoe/kayak, cycling, diving, football, golf, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, orienteering, rowing, rugby union, sailing, shooting, softball, squash, surf life saving, swimming, table tennis, tennis, touch football, volleyball, water polo and weightlifting.

In preparation for the Games – Sydney, no stranger to high-profile international sporting events, is set to showcase over 70 venues, including Sydney Olympic Park and well-known Olympic sites in Bankstown, Blacktown, Liverpool and Penrith. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as a multitude of festivities and social centres will welcome competitors and friends, families and spectators.

***U.S. and Canadian athletes and everyday sports enthusiasts are encouraged to register for the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games at www.2009worldmasters.com.

Source: World Masters Games

he Rabobank Pro Cycling Team will compete in the 2009 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race, the third year of the team’s participation. Rabobank’s California team will include cycling stars Oscar Freire, 3-time World Champion and winner of the green jersey (points classification) in the 2008 Tour de France, and Robert Gesink, Best Young Rider (2007 and 2008) and stage 3 winner (2008) of the Amgen Tour of California.

The fourth annual professional cycling road race takes place from February 14th – 22nd, traveling through 16 host cities down the coast and through the Central Valley, along a demanding 9-day, 750-mile course. Under a 3-year sponsorship agreement, Rabobank is the Official Bank and a Founding Partner of the Amgen Tour of California through the 2011 event.

To celebrate the race, Rabobank is offering two new “Spring Classic” and “Grand Tour” CD products in its bank branches and at the Rabobank tent in the race’s Lifestyle Festival. The race passes through many towns where Rabobank currently has a presence or intends to grow.

The full Rabobank team for this year’s Tour will include Mauricio Ardila, Stef Clement, Oscar Freire, Robert Gesink, Pedro Horrillo, Bauke Mollema, Grischa Niermann, and Pieter Weening, under the leadership of Sports Director Erik Breukink, former Dutch cycling champion and winner of 4 stages and best young rider in the Tour de France. Cycling legend Hennie Kuiper — World Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, winner of Paris-Roubaix and 3-time Tour de France stage winner — will provide cycling insights and race commentary at private Rabobank events.

Rabobank, a AAA rated global financial services leader and one of the largest, safest banks in the world, has sponsored a cycling team for 12 years. The Rabobank Cycling Team consists of a professional team — the 3rd ranked UCI ProTour team in the world, a continental (development) team, and a cyclo-cross racing team.

Watch for the Rabobank Pro Team as they race in the 2009 Amgen Tour of California:

Saturday February 14: Sacramento (prologue)
Sunday February 15: Davis to Santa Rosa
Monday February 16: Sausalito to Santa Cruz
Tuesday February 17: San Jose to Modesto
Wednesday February 18: Merced to Clovis
Thursday February 19: Visalia to Paso Robles
Friday February 20: Solvang (time trial)
Saturday February 21: Santa Clarita to Pasadena
Sunday February 22: Rancho Bernardo to Escondido

Source: Rabobank

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Global Ride will be visiting ten cities in a nationwide kickoff tour for the launch of a new DVD series targeted towards not just cyclists stuck indoors during the off-season, but also indoor group cycling / Spinning(R) classes. The tour, starting with two locations (Club H Fitness and Harbor Fitness) in New York City, will showcase the Hawaii installment of Global Ride’s new “virtual ride” series, DVDs that take indoor riders on an outdoor experience through first-person video displayed on a 10′ screen, accompanied by high-energy music and a live coach. Top health clubs in each city will be hosting the events, filling their studios and becoming the nation’s first facilities to showcase the virtual rides.

“We truly believe the addition of video is the next evolution of indoor cycling,” says Global Ride founder and cyclist Gene Nacey. “Global Ride’s real mission is to bridge the gap between the indoor and outdoor worlds and provide a unique experience. We feel video is a great medium to do so and are thrilled to have these venues hosting our tour.”

The DVDs are designed for both professional clubs, where live coaches can instruct the riders, and home use, as each disc comes with several unique coaching tracks. These recorded tracks have been provided by industry leaders, a list of contributors that has recently added Heart Zones founder and Ironman Hall of Famer Sally Edwards, as well as US Triathlete Champion and Olympian Matty Reed to the mix.

Edwards recently announced her collaboration on the project when she asked Global Ride to demonstrate their product with great success at this year’s annual Heart Zones, USA conference in Denver. Reed just signed on with the project this past week.

The demonstration at Club H Fitness’s Murray Hill Location, 222 E. 34th St., NYC, will be conducted the evening of Monday, December 1st. The second demonstration is Tuesday night at Harbor Fitness’s Park Slope location, 191 15th St.

See Cycling Fusion, Global Ride’s new website at www.cyclingfusion.com for more info. More information on Heart Zones and Sally Edwards can be found at www.heartzones.com. More information on Matty Reed can be found at http://www.mattyreed.com/.