Preview: Miami Cycling Classic
Coconut Grove, FL – September 23, 2002 – Leading professional cyclists will compete in the final stop of the 2002 Pro Cycling Tour (PCT) season in Miami this Sunday, Sept. 29 as the Miami Cycling Classic presented by WPLG-Channel 10 races through Coconut Grove. The Women’s PCT Final is set for 1:30 p.m. and the Men’s PCT Final is 3 p.m. The full day of cycling runs from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Several members of Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong’s U.S. Postal Service team, including George Hincapie and 2002 USPRO Champ Chann McRae, will be joined by riders from Mercury, Navigators, Prime Alliance, Jittery Joe’s Coffee, Saturn and more as they vie for a $20,000 purse and a share of $35,000 in additional bonus money for the overall 2002 PCT Points leaders.
The men’s pro race will feature criterium specialists Mercury’s Gord Fraser (Canada) & current PCT Points leader Henk Vogels (Australia), Navigators’ Vassili Davidenko (Russia) and Marty Nothstein (U.S. Olympic Sprint Gold Medalist) and Prime Alliance’s Alex Candalario (USA). Also making it tough will be Saturn’s Ivan Dominguez, a Cuban exile who won the 2000 event in Coconut Grove and recently claimed the New York City Cycling Championship presented by BMC Software ahead of Davidenko and Fraser.
The women’s field is comprised of current PCT Points leader Laura Van Gilder (USA) of Trek Plus, Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) riding for Diet Rite and Amoroso’s HH Racing’s Lauren Franges (USA) competing for the $10,000 race and the $15,000 PCT Points Champion purses.
“This should be a sensational year for the Miami Cycling Classic presented by WPLG-Channel 10,” said Lee Marks, President of Velo Racing. “In the past, we’ve had big name riders, but they’ve never been supported by full teams. This year, the fans will really get to see what big time professional cycling is all about. You’re going to see wheel-to-wheel racing through the Grove at speeds reaching 40 mph, with only event fencing separating the spectators from the hard-charging racers.”
Adding to the excitement, the Miami Cycling Classic has been packaged with the following week’s inaugural Grand Prix of the Americas motor race under the Race Week Miami banner. With the assistance of the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Coconut Grove Special Events and Marketing Committee, international publicity is targeting racing fans to come to Miami for both events – and spend the intervening week enjoying the local beaches, golf courses, restaurants and night life. Miami’s WPLG-Channel 10 will feature live cyclist interviews and race coverage. Velo Racing is managing and promoting the Miami Cycling Classic.
The Pro Cycling Tour is managed by Threshold Sports, awarded Best Race Organizer of 2001 by VeloNews, and sanctioned by USA Cycling. For information visit www.procyclingtour.com.
Comments are closed.