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NEW
YORK, NY, May 30, 2001 - On June 9, The NYC Women's Sports Challenge
celebrates its fifth year of successful bicycle racing, and will host
more national and international-level racers than it ever has. Team
Saturn is one of 30 teams expected and has a winning history here. In
1998 Saturn won with Dede Demet-Barry, US National Champion, and in 1999
with Anna (Wilson) Millward, Australia, 1999 UCI World Points Leader.
Gianna
Roberge, Team Saturn's Assistant General Manager, says, "The NYC
Women's Sports Challenge is a great event that brings women's cycling to
the people of New York. It's really exciting to watch, and this venue is
especially accessible to the public. It is a great complement to the
August 4th men’s pro race in Wall Street. This summer New York can
watch Lance Armstrong in action and see the female equivalents compete
this June. The roster of the Saturn Team that is coming to the Women’s
Sports Challenge includes: Canadian National Champion, Kim Davidge; Anke
Erlank, of South Africa; Kristy Scrymgeour, of Australia; Suzanne Sonye
of California; Ina Teutenberg of Germany; Ashley Kimmet, the junior
sensation from Pennsylvania; and Clara Hughes, of Canada.
Barring
injury, the entire pro field racing on June 9th in New York will
continue on to race in Philadelphia June 10th and then on to Idaho where
they’ll compete head to head once again in the 13-stage HP Women’s
Challenge.
"It's
great to have a race of this caliber in New York City, where it is
highly visible. And the racers love the chance to come to New York where
it is a lot of fun for them to compete. This is a rare opportunity for
the riders. We are all very excited and are looking forward to
coming."
According
to Victor Vitelli, Women's Sports Challenge Founder and Race Director,
"a win will not come easily to anybody.
Every major American racing team will have representatives
angling for victory. Racers
will turn 35 successive laps of the grueling course that surrounds
Grant's Tomb and Riverside Church, and the leader will need precise
tactics, great endurance, and a powerful sprint to best this field of
champions."
The
pro event starts promptly at 10:45AM, following races designed
exclusively for new and intermediate-level women racers. The early races
start at 8:15 with a 25 miler for Category 3 USCF racers, who are then
followed at 9:15 by category 4 racers. There is also a 5-mile event at
10:15 to give the public an opportunity to sample racing on a
world-class grand prix course. The Women's Sports Challenge is
completely free to all spectators.
Directions,
schedules, and general information can be found on http://www.womenssportschallenge.com.
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