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Registration full for Toronto’s first pro bike race in 10 years - Environmental Communication Options/Huff Strategy

Registration full for Toronto’s first pro bike race in 10 years

May 28th, 2008 4:24 AM

Media Release: For Immediate Release Filled to the rim Registration full for Toronto Criterium at the St. Lawrence Market (Toronto, May 28, 2008) More than two hundred cyclists will fly around Toronto’s historic St. Lawrence Market on May 30th starting at 6:00 pm. Race organizer Ziggy Martuzalski announced today that the Toronto Criterium at the St. Lawrence Market is at capacity. Martuzalski is delighted with the response. “It’s great to see how excited people are to have professional bike racing back on the streets of Toronto. It’s been 10 years since Toronto hosted a pro race, and 17 years since the last criterium,” says Martuzalski. “There’s clearly an appetite for professional racing here in Canada.” Criterium races are popular in urban centres all over the world, and feature a short, closed-circuit course, sharp corners and speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour. Successful criterium racers need to be superbly fit in order to pursue other riders and repeatedly accelerate hard from corners. They also require excellent technical skills — in particular, the ability to corner rapidly and sharply — to ride safely among a large group on a short circuit. Some of North America’s top bike road racers will compete in the Toronto Criterium. Teams from British Columbia, Vancouver, Quebec and the United States have registered, including Team R.A.C.E Pro, managed by former Olympian and Tour de France Stage winner, Steve Bauer. Also registered to race are current men’s Canadian National Road Champion Cameron Evans, and current women’s Canadian National Criterium Champion Merrill Collins. “These are professional athletes competing,” remarks Martuzalski. “Their skill level is exceptional, and the criterium races are fast, intense, edge-of-your-seat events. The track will be technically challenging with, riders racing pedal to pedal through transitions from cobblestones to paved surfaces, tight corners and significant elevation changes. At least one corner will be as tough as any I have seen in a Canadian Criterium. It’s going to be a remarkable event.” A Children’s Race kicks off the Criterium at 5:45 pm (anyone under 18 can participate). Competitive cycling begins with a Master's Level race at 6:00 pm and a Pro-Elite race at 7:30 pm. The competitive races last for over an hour each, and awards will be presented after each heat. City of Toronto Councillor Adrian Heaps is a cycling enthusiast, and chair of the Toronto Cycling Committee. He has been an active supporter of the Criterium since the idea was proposed. “This is major sporting event in the heart of downtown Toronto. It’s going to boost the profile of cycling in the City, and bring additional business to restaurants and bars around the track. It’s great news all around.” says Councillor Heaps. Usman Valiante, of the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada, attributed the Criterium reaching its participant target so quickly to growing enthusiasm for cycling in general, and to the excellent prizes provided by race sponsors, including: $5000 plus one year’s worth of carbon off-sets from LivClean; $5000 from ZM Cycle and Fitness; two high-end bikes from Cervelo; a Mavic Ksyrium SL 08 wheel set from Outdoor Gear Canada; Zipp wheels from Cycle Lambert; three Ambassador Kits from Sugoi and Bontrager components from Trek. “We’ve had incredible support from all our sponsors,” Valiante added. “This wouldn’t have happened without them.” AGENDA OF EVENTS (all times are estimated) Official Race Opening - 5:30 pm Kid's Race - 5:45 pm Heat 1: Master's Race - 6:00 pm Heat 2: Pro-Elite Race - 7:30 pm Closing Ceremony - 9:30 pm For further details, please visit www.torontocriterium.com. For information on media credentials, and sight lines for visual media, contact: Don Huff, Environmental Communication Options, 416.805.7720 The City of Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. In the past three years, Toronto has won more than 70 awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto’s government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. The Bicycle Trade Association of Canada (BTAC) is the national voice of cycling in Canada and the hub of the Canadian bicycle industry. BTAC advocates, builds partnerships, promotes trade and commerce and seeks to motivate, unit and inspire Canadians to make bicycling the pre-eminent form of transportation and recreation in Canada. See www.btac.org for more information.