HUGE CROWDS AND EXCITING RACES MARK SUCCESS FOR SECOND YEAR OF GREENVILLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM USA CYCLING PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
LEIPHEIMER AND ZABRISKIE CAPTURE STARS AND STRIPES JERSEYS
GREENVILLE, S.C. (September 4, 2007) – Record crowds of 85,000 spectators watched three days of racing and spectator events in Greenville over Labor Day weekend for the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships. Two ProTour riders finished on top of the podium for the championships and over 600 amateur riders raised a record $86,000 for cancer research.
“It’s great to be back in Greenville. All of us were overwhelmed by this community and the experience and friendliness that was apparent last year,” said Steve Johnson, chief executive officer of USA Cycling, Inc. “Right now, we’re probably farther ahead than anyone to be the next major theater for professional cycling than any other country in the world. We’re on track to produce the best events and the best riders.”
Two of those riders were David Zabriskie (Team CSC) and Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team). Zabriskie, of Salt Lake City, UT, successfully defended his title for the USA Cycling Professional Individual Time Trial Championship presented by The Cliffs on Sept 1. Leipheimer, of Butte, MT, won his first stars and stripes jersey on Sept 2 with a victory in the USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship.
“The prestige of the USA Cycling Professional Championships for road racing has a long tradition in America. The move from Philadelphia to Greenville in 2006 provided an exciting new venue for the athletes and a new marketing platform for Upstate business and tourism. Our partnership with the Greenville Hospital System and The Cliffs Communities have been the perfect match of a world-class sporting event and two solid companies that are so dedicated to health and wellness. We were able to build on the excitement of last year and generate a new level of success for spectators, competitors and the community” said Chris Aronhalt, Managing Director of Medalist Sports and Executive Director for the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships.
In the Saturday Time Trial, Zabriskie had a winning time of 39 minutes and 34 seconds over the 18.7-mile twisting course that began at The Cliffs at Mountain Park and ended at The Cliffs Valley. Only one second defined the gap for second place, taken by Danny Pate of Team Slipstream/Chipotle, who finished at 39’35”. The podium was completed by Pate’s teammate, Tim Duggan, who finished third at 39’42”.
The following day, Greenville resident and defending road race champion Hincapie was the favorite for the huge crowds that gathered along the course, which were close to 50% larger than last year. Leipheimer won the 110-mile road race in a time of 4 hours 22 minutes 19 seconds, beating his teammate Hincapie by one minute and 11 seconds. Third place was taken by Neil Shirley (Jittery Joe’s).
“2007 has been a dream come true for me. And to stand on the podium in Paris and win a stage in the Tour (de France), that was a dream for me since I was 13. And to come here to Greenville and be the U.S. champion, that’s more than I ever dreamed of,” said Leipheimer, who took third place at the 2007 Tour de France.
The Time Trial and Road Race were part of the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships and a full weekend of activities for Labor Day weekend in Greenville. On Friday race fans were treated to a live TV show in a downtown park that featured interviews with pro athletes. Saturday the USA Cycling Professional Individual Time Trial Championship presented by The Cliffs was contested from The Cliffs at Mountain Park to The Cliffs Valley. And on Sunday morning, prior to the Road Race Championship, 600 recreational cyclists rode the pro course at 7:00 a.m. to raise money for the Greenville Hospital System Oncology Research Institute and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
“This group started just three years ago. Today we had 600 riders who came from 21 states which makes this a real national event. This is just fabulous to present a check for $86,000 for cancer research,” said Kevin Dunn, president of the Palmetto Peloton Project.
Information about these events and sponsors will be archived at the official event website, www.usacyclingchampionships.com.
ABOUT USA CYCLING
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 54,000 members and 2,000 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization professional men's road). USA Cycling is the license holder for the USA Cycling Professional Individual Time Trial Championships and USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championships. For more information visit www.usacycling.org, or contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867.
ABOUT MEDALIST SPORTS
Medalist Sports is a full-service international sports marketing company. Medalist Sports specializes in the planning, promotion and management of multi-day, multi-jurisdiction sports and special events. The Medalist Sports team has experience in all facets of the successful management and promotion of world-class sporting and cycling events in the United States, England, Australia and China. Clients and event experience include the Tour DuPont, Tour de Georgia, Amgen Tour of California, Tour of Missouri, USA Cycling, Inc. and the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG Challenge Series. Medalist Sports’ headquarters are located south of metro Atlanta at P.O. Box 415, Tyrone, GA 30290.
ABOUT THE CLIFFS
Founded in 1991 by Jim Anthony, The Cliffs Communities is devoted to the sensible development of luxury residential communities and other properties, within the United States and around the world, in accordance with a philosophy of protecting the integrity of pristine environments while offering its residents and members the very best lifestyle. The Cliffs' domestic properties include seven premier, private master-planned residential communities located in the heart of the Carolina Preserve between Asheville, NC, and Greenville, SC, collectively bordered by over a million acres of national forests and state parks in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Cliffs offers homesites from $300,000 to over $3,000,000 and custom homes from $600,000 to over $6,000,000. To discover panoramic living at The Cliffs, call (877) 254-3371 or visit www.cliffscommunities.com.
ABOUT GREENVILLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM
Greenville Hospital System is one of the Southeast’s leading healthcare providers, nationally recognized for advanced technology, innovative research and teaching excellence. The system's five campuses include a Level I trauma center, three acute-care hospitals and numerous outpatient facilities. Greenville Hospital System Cancer Center offers the region’s broadest array of cancer specialists, many working through the Oncology Multidisciplinary Center. This multidisciplinary approach to the effective management of cancer allows patients to meet with a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and surgical oncologist to receive a comprehensive treatment plan all in one day. More information is available at www.ghs.org.
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