BumbleBeeDave
12-30-2008, 09:08 PM
This was on VN.com today. Dieter looks to be headed for a record turnout and with some big name teams to boot! Yay for him! . . .
BBD
================
Preregistrations pour in for New York's Tour of Battenkill
By Andrew J. Bernstein
Posted Dec. 30, 2008
It seems that joining the international calendar may not have been as important as Tour of the Battenkill Valley promoter Dieter Drake initially thought.
Even after being denied a spot on the UCI America Tour in early December — largely due to concerns over the race’s mix of dirt and paved roads — the two-day event has secured a major presenting sponsor in the form of microprocessor manufacturer AMD, and registered nearly 1,300 in the week registration opened.
Drake, who promoted the first Tour of the Battenkill Valley (then called the Battenkill-Roubaix) in 2005, has seen the race’s popularity grow every year since. He said AMD’s participation would allow a pro men’s invitational on Sunday, April 19, to follow the pro/am event on Saturday April 18.
"This will help boost the popularity of the Saturday event, as we saw with the rush on registration," said Drake, who added that some of North America’s top professional teams have committed to racing, including Rock Racing, Team Type 1, Kenda Pro Cycling, and Steve Bauer’s Team RACE.
“It’s on our schedule, and we are planning to race,” said Vassili Davidenko, Team Type 1 director, adding that his team would race both days. “According to the past, it’s a really unique race, we are looking forward it.”
Davidenko, who is based in New Jersey, said the opportunity to race without traveling too far was appealing.
“It’s East Coast, and we would like to support all good-quality races on the East Coast,” he said.
Chad Thompson, director of first-year professional team Kenda Pro Cycling, said his team was the first to commit to the race.
“We told him ‘absolutely we’re going.’ You’ve got pave, dirt, gravel. It’s hell, it’s a race of attrition, and only tough guys win. And it’s a race we can win, so we’re going,” Thompson said.
Thompson said Kenda would bring a deep roster with a mix of climbers and power riders to tackle the course’s undulating terrain and short, steep climbs. Kenda will be led by Matt Winstead, who Thompson said would be a revelation of domestic racing in 2009.
Online registration for the first day’s amateur event, which will start and finish in Cambridge, New York, opened Sunday Dec. 21, and saw about 1,100 participants register in the first 48 hours. Some amateur categories filled within minutes of registration opening.
"Last year, we got 1,500 registrants by the first week in April, to have 1,000 people racing now is just unimaginable," Drake said early last week.
AMD, which served as a technology partner for United States Postal Service team and the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, is currently in the process of merging with the Advanced Technology Investment Company, and will be known after the merger as The Foundry Company.
The company is in the early stages of constructing three new microprocessor fabrication facilities in nearby Saratoga County, and will employ a local work force.
"This is a good opportunity for us as a new company and a new major employer in the region to start to establish our brand and connect with the community," said Travis Bullard, corporate public relations manager at AMD.
"AMD coming on board is huge," Drake said. "This goes a long way toward making the event a success and also toward firmly establishing AMD in upstate New York. With the recommendation from Sen. Schumer, we were able to agree to go forward in 2009 and make it happen."
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, had previously thrown his support behind the race, lobbying USA Cycling to have the race added to the America Tour. At the same time, Schumer worked behind the scenes to connect AMD and the race.
On Dec. 23, Schumer, a recreational cyclist, and Drake announced AMD/The Foundry’s support for the race.
"The Tour of the Battenkill is one of the premier road races in the country and The Foundry’s sponsorship is only going to enhance its reputation," said Schumer in a press release issued by his office.
Amateur racers in Saturday’s event will compete on a 100-kilometer (62-mile) loop, including about 20 miles of dirt roads, while elite men will tackle an additional 33-kilometer extension. On Sunday, the professional men will complete two laps of the same 100-k course.
BBD
================
Preregistrations pour in for New York's Tour of Battenkill
By Andrew J. Bernstein
Posted Dec. 30, 2008
It seems that joining the international calendar may not have been as important as Tour of the Battenkill Valley promoter Dieter Drake initially thought.
Even after being denied a spot on the UCI America Tour in early December — largely due to concerns over the race’s mix of dirt and paved roads — the two-day event has secured a major presenting sponsor in the form of microprocessor manufacturer AMD, and registered nearly 1,300 in the week registration opened.
Drake, who promoted the first Tour of the Battenkill Valley (then called the Battenkill-Roubaix) in 2005, has seen the race’s popularity grow every year since. He said AMD’s participation would allow a pro men’s invitational on Sunday, April 19, to follow the pro/am event on Saturday April 18.
"This will help boost the popularity of the Saturday event, as we saw with the rush on registration," said Drake, who added that some of North America’s top professional teams have committed to racing, including Rock Racing, Team Type 1, Kenda Pro Cycling, and Steve Bauer’s Team RACE.
“It’s on our schedule, and we are planning to race,” said Vassili Davidenko, Team Type 1 director, adding that his team would race both days. “According to the past, it’s a really unique race, we are looking forward it.”
Davidenko, who is based in New Jersey, said the opportunity to race without traveling too far was appealing.
“It’s East Coast, and we would like to support all good-quality races on the East Coast,” he said.
Chad Thompson, director of first-year professional team Kenda Pro Cycling, said his team was the first to commit to the race.
“We told him ‘absolutely we’re going.’ You’ve got pave, dirt, gravel. It’s hell, it’s a race of attrition, and only tough guys win. And it’s a race we can win, so we’re going,” Thompson said.
Thompson said Kenda would bring a deep roster with a mix of climbers and power riders to tackle the course’s undulating terrain and short, steep climbs. Kenda will be led by Matt Winstead, who Thompson said would be a revelation of domestic racing in 2009.
Online registration for the first day’s amateur event, which will start and finish in Cambridge, New York, opened Sunday Dec. 21, and saw about 1,100 participants register in the first 48 hours. Some amateur categories filled within minutes of registration opening.
"Last year, we got 1,500 registrants by the first week in April, to have 1,000 people racing now is just unimaginable," Drake said early last week.
AMD, which served as a technology partner for United States Postal Service team and the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, is currently in the process of merging with the Advanced Technology Investment Company, and will be known after the merger as The Foundry Company.
The company is in the early stages of constructing three new microprocessor fabrication facilities in nearby Saratoga County, and will employ a local work force.
"This is a good opportunity for us as a new company and a new major employer in the region to start to establish our brand and connect with the community," said Travis Bullard, corporate public relations manager at AMD.
"AMD coming on board is huge," Drake said. "This goes a long way toward making the event a success and also toward firmly establishing AMD in upstate New York. With the recommendation from Sen. Schumer, we were able to agree to go forward in 2009 and make it happen."
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, had previously thrown his support behind the race, lobbying USA Cycling to have the race added to the America Tour. At the same time, Schumer worked behind the scenes to connect AMD and the race.
On Dec. 23, Schumer, a recreational cyclist, and Drake announced AMD/The Foundry’s support for the race.
"The Tour of the Battenkill is one of the premier road races in the country and The Foundry’s sponsorship is only going to enhance its reputation," said Schumer in a press release issued by his office.
Amateur racers in Saturday’s event will compete on a 100-kilometer (62-mile) loop, including about 20 miles of dirt roads, while elite men will tackle an additional 33-kilometer extension. On Sunday, the professional men will complete two laps of the same 100-k course.