LAS VEGAS, NV (BRAIN)-Swagger recently announced details of the Bicycling Magazine Industry Cup, scheduled for Thursday night, September 27 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
The event is part of the World Criterium Championship, the final race in the 10-city 2007 USA Crits Championship Series.
The Bicycling Magazine Industry Cup is presented by and held in conjunction with Interbike, the annual bicycle trade show, which runs from September 24-28, 2007 in Las Vegas.
The inaugural Bicycling Magazine Industry Cup allows show attendees from all sides of the business end of cycling to compete for prizes on the same 1k course as the USA Crits professional series finale, which serpentines through the Mandalay Bay resort guaranteeing large numbers of spectators for the event.
Some of the industry luminaries registered to participate are Steve Hegg, Ned Overend, Dory Selinger and Wayne Stetina. Hegg was a two-time Olympic medalist at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California where he won a gold medal in the men's 4000m individual pursuit and a silver medal in the 4000m team pursuit. Overend is a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Mountain Biking Champion, XTERRA World Champion and a United States Bicycling Hall of Famer. Selinger is the 2005 United States Track National Champion and a Paralympics medalist. Stetina is a former multiple-time United States Road Champion and a current member of the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame.
"Sponsoring the Industry Cup gives Bicycling the perfect opportunity to rally alongside our clients in an event that will give everyone an energizing break from the Interbike show floor," said Bicycling vice president/publishing director Chris Lambiase.
During the race, primes from Planet Bike, Kinetic Trainers and Rock & Republic will be offered.
Pacific Cycle (Schwinn) and the Saris Cycling Group (CycleOps), have joined forces to create the SchwycleOps team. They have issued a "bragging rights" challenge to all willing to take them on. Jeff Frehner, president/CEO of Pacific Cycle, and Chris Fortune, CEO of Saris Cycling Group, are offering a challenge purse of $2,500 to be donated to Bikes Belong in the company names of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd-place finishers. $1,500, will be donated under the 1st-place finisher's company name; $750 under the 2nd-place finisher's company name; and $250 will be awarded under the 1st, 2nd and 3rd-place finisher's company names, respectively. Frehner and Fortune are also providing a prime prize, an award-winning 2.4 Wireless PowerTap from CycleOps Power.
"We are truly excited to have industry heavy hitters such as Pacific and Saris Cycling Group step up their involvement in the Industry Cup event and support cycling at the front of the class," said Ravi Rajcoomar, managing partner of Swagger, the country's leading producer of criterium racing and organizer of the Vegas crits. "I wonder if there are any other industry players willing to put their money where their mouths are...because talk is cheap!" Others, apparently, have heard the challenge and are ready to answer it.
"We're going to Vegas to do two things; shoot dice and drop SchwycleOps." said Planet Bike product manager, Erik Olson. "And I figure we'll be tired of dice by Wednesday, so there'll only be one thing left to do come Thursday night."
Planet Bike will make a $5000 donation in the company name of the last rider to cross the line (DNF and pulled riders don't count) to the Thunderhead Alliance. The DFL rider will also walk away with a Planet Bike Alias HID lighting system and other swag.
Race winner jerseys are to be awarded in the Industry Cup in the following five categories:
· Manufacturer
· Media,
· Distributor,
· Retailer, and
· Pro Team Support Staff (mechanics, team directors)
Racing is open to 25 teams of 4 full time employees in the cycling industry whose primary income is derived from working for the company entering the event (not as spokesmen).
For more information on how to register for the Bicycling Magazine Industry Cup, go to http://finals.usacrits.com/ and click on "Industry Cup" at the top of the page or send e-mail to industrycup@usacrits.com.
Confirmed teams already include:
· Albabici-Nalini with Olympic medalist Steve Hegg and
two-time para-Olympian Dory Selinger
· Baby Jogger
· Bicycling with former Portuguese National and World team member João Corriea
· Bike Hugger
· Clifbar including founder Gary Erickson
· Cycle Safe with former professional Erik Saunders
· Fuji to include former US professional Champ Mark McCormack
· Giant
· J&B Importers
· Look
· Oakley
· Orbea Spain
· Orbea USA
· Outspokin
· Planet Bike
· Schwinn/CycleOps
· Specialized Team 1 with legendary World Champion Ned Overend
· Specialized Team 2
· Training Peaks with former professional and coach Dirk Friel
· Yakima-Shimano with former US Road Champion Wayne Stetina
