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Nature Valley Grand Prix to feature new Uptown Minneapolis crit

by VeloNews.com

• January 25, 2009
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World Class Professional Cycling Moves To Minneapolis Uptown Neighborhood in 2009

Uptown Criterium Serves As New Stage of the
Nature Valley Grand Prix

Two of Minnesota’s biggest sporting rivals are gearing up to go head to head again this summer: Minneapolis and St. Paul. When the Nature Valley Grand Prix professional cycling race returns to the Twin Cities this June 10 – 14 for its 11th consecutive year, cycling and sports fans of all ages will get the chance to see world class athletes race on the streets of both Uptown Minneapolis and Lowertown St. Paul.

Organizers of the Nature Valley Grand Prix announce today the addition of the Friday evening Uptown Criterium, new this year to this five-day stage race that attracts more than 300 professional cyclists from around the world to Minnesota each summer.

Located in the Minneapolis Uptown neighborhood, competing pro teams will race around Calhoun Square on a course that comprises six tight corners and a furious race for the finish line. It will be the headline attraction in a five-day race that, two days earlier, includes the Downtown Saint Paul Criterium in Lowertown.

“This is fantastic news for the city of Minneapolis and our booming Uptown District,” said Minneapolis Council Member Ralph Remington ,who represents the Uptown neighborhood. “The Nature Valley Grand Prix brings tens of thousands of tourists, sports fans and bicycle enthusiasts onto the streets of the Twin Cities every year. We’re thrilled to be a big part of that – and it’s fun to go head to head with the Saint Paul Downtown Criterium.”

The Nature Valley Grand Prix attracts the top professional cyclists from around the country along with many international stars. It is the top-ranked stage race on USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar. Entering its 13th season in 2009, the National Racing Calendar (NRC) is an all-inclusive road cycling series sanctioned by USA Cycling. It is designed to provide a ranking system for all elite-level cyclists, both amateur and professional, through participation in the nation’s premier cycling events. The Nature Valley Grand Prix’s defending champions are Olympic Champion Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo-Lifeforce) and Australian Rory Sutherland (HealthNet), ranked second on the NRC in 2006.

About the Uptown District of Minneapolis

Located a few blocks east of Lake Calhoun, the corner of Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street acts as the epicenter of the Uptown district. Uptown is known for its independent restaurants, quirky shops, bookstores, hair salons, theaters and entertainment. Surrounded by a healthy mix of apartments, condos, single-family homes, and mansions, Uptown buzzes with life and a wide diversity of people. The neighborhood’s people, businesses, nearby lakes, and a central Minneapolis location make Uptown the premier urban neighborhood in Minnesota.

About the Nature Valley Grand Prix

The Nature Valley Grand Prix, now in its 11th year, is one of the nation’s top celebrations of biking culture with tens of thousands of cycling enthusiasts, pro athletes and avid recreational riders converging on Minnesota each year for five days in June. The Festival’s professional racing events began as a one-day criterium in Saint Paul that moved to Minneapolis in 2003. The 2009 schedule includes stops in Saint Paul, Cannon Falls, Minneapolis, Mankato, and Stillwater June 10 – 14. The Nature Valley Grand Prix is a volunteer-run event, with all proceeds donated to Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, the festival’s benefiting charity.

About Nature Valley

Nature Valley, the brand that created the granola bar category in 1975, brings variety to healthy, active consumers looking for wholesome and great-tasting snacks. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Nature Valley is part of General Mills, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products. For more information, visit www.NatureValley.com.