Oregon Pro Classic back and better

By Promoter’s release

The Oregon Pro Cycling Classic can count itself among North America’s best professional bicycle races.

USA Cycling recently announced that Oregon Pro will garner the top ranking on the prestigious National Racing Calendar. The women’s race also now boasts a top international designation on the UCI calendar. These rankings will ensure the highest quality fields of racers and top notch media coverage.

For 2009, Oregon Pro will also be adding a Health and Fitness Exhibition, which will travel with the race throughout the state of Oregon, providing businesses and other organizations an opportunity to present health and fitness products and programs directly to the public. One of the biggest health challenges our country faces is obesity related disease, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. The Oregon Pro Health and Fitness Exhibition is a unique opportunity to advance health and fitness throughout Oregon.

The race will also return with enhanced media coverage on the web, in print, and with expanded TV coverage on Comcast Sportsnet. According to Kenji Sugahara, Executive Director of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, “the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic continued to impress in 2008 and proved itself as one of the crown jewels of competitive cycling. With both epic courses and beautiful scenery, we are fortunate to have such an outstanding event in the State of Oregon. I am thrilled to see the race grow in 2009 to add even more stages and more excitement as Oregon cements its status as one of the leading states in bicycle racing, business, and tourism.”

The race will add new courses showcasing the scenic Willamette Valley wine country.

Oregon Pro will also follow up last year’s Tour de Hood with a new recreational tour that will allow recreational riders to follow the same courses that the professionals will race on each day, meet the pros following the race action, and see some of the most spectacular scenic byways in the world. In 2009, and the years to come, this will be big boost to tourism in Oregon.

Oregon Pro will also expand its exemplary Pros in Schools program that sends professional cyclists out to local elementary schools to talk to kids about health, fitness, goal setting, and bicycle safety.

“Pros in Schools was a really great compliment to our Safe Routes To Schools bike safety program,” said Tom Rousculp, BTA Portland Youth Education and Outreach Manager. “The kids were excited to get to see and talk to the racers, and the opportunity to watch them race in town was icing on the cake.”

For information about how to become a sponsor of this growing event, please visit www.oregonprocycling.com.

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