[ire]

Just received the following email....this has been a good year Oregon Cycling.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2009

Contact:
Doug LaPlaca, Bend VCB, 541-788-3788 (cell), doug@visitbend.com

USA CYCLING AWARDS 2009 & 2010 JUNIOR, U23 AND ELITE ROAD NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BEND
Event marks the first time in recent history that two USA Cycling
National Championships will be held in the same city in the same year

(BEND, Ore.)—Visit Bend today announced that USA Cycling has awarded
the 2009 and 2010 Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships to
Bend. Dates for the 2009 event are July 28 through August 2, and the
announcement comes barely a month after Bend was awarded the 2009 &
2010 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships. This marks the
first time in recent history that two USA Cycling National
Championships will be held in the same city in the same year.

"Bend is a top destination for both recreational and competitive
cycling, and USA Cycling is excited to be bringing another national
championship race to Oregon," said Steve Johnson, CEO for USA Cycling.
"Bend's long tradition of community-wide support and passion for
cycling convinced us to award them two national championships in the
same year."

Officials from USA Cycling will visit Bend in the coming weeks to
preview the race courses, meet with key stakeholders and begin the
process of preparing for the event. The Road National Championships
are expected to attract approximately 1,000 competitors to Bend each
year for six days of racing, including a time trial, criterium and
road race. More than 2,000 additional visitors, including support
staff, families and media, are also expected attend the event
annually.

Because of the timing of the event, which begins just two days after
the conclusion of the Cascade Cycling Classic, a USA Cycling National
Calendar race, many competitors and spectators are expected to remain
in town for both events.

"The Road National Championships are a perfect fit with Visit Bend's
efforts to attract large events that will help our destination weather
uncertain economic times," said Doug LaPlaca, president and CEO of
Visit Bend. "We are thankful to USA Cycling for the trust they have
put in us by awarding not one, but two National Championships to
Bend."

Nationally-renown race director Chad Sperry, who has directed such
races as the Cascade Cycling Classic, Mt. Hood Cycling Classic and the
Tour of Utah, will serve as race director for the National
Championships.

"Destination sporting events like the Road National Championships are
a great way to increase awareness of Bend, with the added value of
providing a significant economic boost to the community at the same
time," said Drew Mahalic, Executive Director of the Oregon Sports
Authority, and supporter of Bend's bid for the event. "Bringing events
like this to Oregon is a great example of how tourism through sports
can be used as an outstanding form of economic development during
challenging times."

Hosting major national sporting events is not new to Bend, which is
home to the Cascade Cycling Classic – the longest continually-running
elite stage race in the country, the XTERRA Trail Running National
Championships, the USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National
Championships and the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships.

About Visit Bend:
Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit economic development
organization dedicated to promoting tourism on behalf of the City of
Bend. For more information or to order a complimentary Official
Visitor's Guide to Bend, contact Visit Bend at 1-800-949-6086 or visit
www.visitbend.com.

 

[MtnbikeMike]

What, no ghetto road nats in the OC this year?


That's pretty sweet. I may just have to make the trek up there.

 

[Heidi]

Crap, you beat me to it. Doug is TOTALLY stoked...and so is the rest of Bend. Man oh man, some interesting years coming up for this city!!!!

 

[maddog17]

where the hell you guys coming up with the bribe money?!?!? hope they like racing in the rain.

 

[ire]

where the hell you guys coming up with the bribe money?!?!? hope they like racing in the rain.

Bend is high desert, the rain falls in the valley. We are probably gonna have snow for Cross Nats

 

[maddog17]

i stand corrected