FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rick Scott 310.306.0375

19 April 2010 greatscottproductions@earthlink.net

The Aussies invade Alabama and Fly away

with the Sunny King Criterium win

Anniston, AL: An Australian invasion flew through the streets of Anniston, Alabama Saturday night (April 17) as cyclists from Down Under finished 1^st, 2^nd and 5^th at the Sunny King Criterium with the powerhouse Fly V australia team placing riders in 1^st and 3^rd in the men’s pro race. Ben Kersten (Fly V australia) piloted to victory after Utah native Nicky Wangsgard (Roosters) won the women’s pro event from a three-rider break.

The third of twenty-five races that comprise the National Racing Calendar (NRC), the Sunny King Criterium was held under near perfect weather conditions in front of more than 4,000 spectators that lined the flat four-corner, .7-mile rectangular downtown circuit that included a slight uphill rise before the finish. Amateur races were held throughout the day prior to the men’s and women’s marquee events that featured international fields boasting some of the fastest sprinters in the domestic peloton. Entry fees were donated to Relay For Life, a local chapter of the American Cancer Society. For the first time, the Sunny King Criterium was streamed live on the official race website, which was viewed by cycling fans around the globe.

The sun was still shining brilliantly when the pro women rolled off for their one-hour race and finished at twilight. Colavita/Baci presented by Cooking Light, Team Vera Bradley Foundation and Team Type 1 along with a sole rider from Team TIBCO, U.S. U-23 (under age 23) criterium champion Samantha Schneider, animated the race by launching frequent attacks that spawned short-lived moves in addition to pocketing primes along the way. With ten laps to go, a three- rider break – Wangsgard, Carla Swart (Team Vera Bradley Foundation) and Jackie Crowell (Team Type 1) – escaped the field and were not to be seen again. With five laps remaining, Team Vera Bradley Foundation tenaciously blocked any pursuers. Having missed the move, Colavita/Baci led the chase with three laps left. Two riders from the field, including Schneider, tried desperately to catch the trio ahead with two laps to go, but it was not to be. Wangsgard made the first move into the final turn. Swart reacted and nearly nailed back a fading Wangsgard, who was able to hold on for the win. Crowell completed the podium.

The men’s sixty-lap race took place under the lights with solo attacks starting after the opening lap, but never getting far from attentive squads including Bahati Foundation, Kenda presented by Gear Grinder, Jamis/Sutter Home presented by Colavita, Team Type 1 and the Fly V australia unit, the latter of which has dominated the early season results. After a number of solo attempts failed, five riders got a gap and were bolstered by four more men around twenty laps into the race, but they were reabsorbed. Another break formed a couple laps later containing last year’s Sunny King Crit winner, Karl Menzies (United Healthcare presented by Maxxis), but it shattered during a prime lap as did the field. The break reshuffled after riders accessed who was in the move and a revitalized group marched on. Further back, the pack seemed uninterested in the chase. Even though more than half the race remained, with all the major teams represented in the reformed fifteen-rider break, the gap doubled from twenty-five seconds to fifty seconds.

Luis Amaran (Jamis/Sutter Home) and Alessandro Bazzana (Fly V australia) leapt from the break with twenty-four laps remaining and lapped the field with twenty-one laps to go. The rest of the break caught the field a lap later. Although Amaran & Bazzana went off the front again, they were hauled in. Kenda presented by Gear Grinder’s Chris Monteleone opened a gap and dangled in front of the field for nearly ten laps while his team manned the front. Mercifully, he was reeled in with eight laps left. Slight gaps would open, but they were swiftly negated.

With three laps to go, Ivan Dominguez took monster pulls for Amaran, his Jamis/Sutter Home teammate. Again Dominguez was on the front sacrificing himself when the bell rang signaling the final lap. During the ensuing pack gallop, Kersten received a perfect lead-out from Bazzana to take the win ahead of 2008 Sunny King Crit winner Hilton Clarke (Bahati Foundation). Bazzana managed to hold on for the show position.

“Once we took the lap, I was motivated for a sprint finish and Baz (Bazzana) and I worked well together to ensure we arrived with the group. In a testament to how well Baz is riding right now was that not only did he lead me out perfectly, but he also held on to finish third,” said Kersten. “There was a great atmosphere and I loved racing here. I’ll definitely come back.”

The Alabama Department of Tourism & Travel selected the Sunny King Criterium as a top 10 event for the state of Alabama for 2010. In addition to being an NRC event, the race is part of the Southeast Women’s Cycling Series, Alabama Cycling Association Points Series and The Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Road Series. Additional information is available at www.sunnykingcriterium.com.

Men’s Pro/Category 1 results:

Ben Kersten (AUS, Fly V australia)
Hilton Clarke (AUS, Bahati Foundation)
Alessandro Bazzana (ITA, Fly V australia)
Chad Burdilauskas (USA, Kenda presented by Gear Grinder)
Karl Menzies (AUS, United Healthcare presented by Maxxis)

Women’s Pro/Category 1 & 2 results:

Nicky Wangsgard (USA, Roosters)
Carla Swart (RSA, Team Vera Bradley Foundation)
Jackie Crowell (USA, Team Type 1)

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Cantwell continues the Australian reign at Sunny King Criterium

Colavita/Forno D’Asolo sautés the women’s field with Holcomb getting the victory

Anniston, AL (10 April 2011) – The reign of Australian sprinters at the Sunny King Criterium continued Saturday night (April 9) when Jonathan Cantwell showed the field a clean pair of wheels and posted up in victory while crossing the finish line pointing to the V australia logo on his Australia National Champion’s jersey. A six-rider Colavita/Forno D’Asolo squad dominated the women’s pro race from start to finish with Janel Holcomb riding to a solo win. Over 5,000 spectators lined the .7-mile circuit on the streets of Anniston, Alabama while thousands of cycling fans all over the world watched the first criterium of USA Cycling’s 2011 National Racing Calendar (NRC), which streamed live online via four websites.

Australians swept the men’s podium at last year’s Sunny King Criterium with Cantwell’s teammate, Ben Kersten, dashing to victory. Kersten was back to defend his title, but it was Cantwell who proved the swiftest this year. The sixty-lap affair was held under the lights with a large field hoping to open their accounts in the NRC season series. No team was able to maintain control of the race and for the first time in the nine-year history of the Sunny King Criterium, no break could be firmly established although there were attempts by solo riders, pairs and even a dozen-rider formation. New Zealand’s Pure Black Racing contingent was clearly the most aggressive; they always had a man at or off the front animating the race. But nothing stuck.

Pure Black Racing and V australia amassed at the front with two laps to go in anticipation of the final sprint. Cantwell, who tested his legs by pocketing a pair of mid-race primes, jetted out of the peloton to score the win more than a bike length ahead of Pure Black Racing’s Michael Northey with sklz presented by Pista Palace’s Rahsaan Bahati claiming the final step of the podium.

With the sun shining brightly on a warm spring day when the women’s one-hour pro race started, Colavita/Forno D’Asolo’s Andrea Dvorak got things cooking from the gun. Dvorak took off and opened a gap that grew to a maximum advantage of twenty-five seconds near the midway point. Colavita/Forno D’Asolo, the 2010 NRC team champion that includes 2010 NRC individual champion Cath Cheatley, policed the front of the peloton fending off rival TIBCO/To The Top, which only started three riders. With about thirty-two minutes left to race, TIBCO/To The Top’s Meredith Miller initiated a valiant chase on a prime lap that successfully nailed back her prey: Dvorak. But Holcomb counterattacked immediately and she was not to be caught. Holcomb stretched her advantage to easily win the first NRC race of her career while the outnumbered TIBCO/To The Top trio seemed content to await the inevitable field sprint for second place, which was won by the team’s Samantha Schneider ahead of Colavita/Forno D’Asolo’s Kelly Benjamin. Colavita/Forno D’Asolo’s total dominance included winning all but one mid-race prime.

The entry fees from the Sunny King Criterium, which staged races for juniors, amateurs and elite professionals, will again be donated to Relay For Life, a local chapter of the American Cancer Society, to which the event has donated over $60,000 since 2005. In addition to being designated as an NRC event, the race is part of the WE Race Series, Alabama Cycling Association Points Series and The Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Road Series. Additional information is available at www.sunnykingcriterium.com.

Men’s Pro/Category 1 results:

Jonathan Cantwell (AUS, V australia)
Michael Northey (NZL, Pure Black Racing)
Rahsaan Bahati (USA, sklz presented by Pista Palace)

Women’s Pro/Category 1 & 2 results:

Janel Holcomb (USA, Colavita/Forno D’Asolo)
Samantha Schneider (USA, TIBCO/To The Top)
Kelly Benjamin (USA, Colavita/Forno D’Asolo)

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Will the Sunny King Crit prove to be another successful invasion from the land down under?

Saturday’s NRC races will stream live on four websites

Anniston, AL (8 April 2011): At last year’s Sunny King Criterium, the men’s pro race podium was swept by Australian speedsters. Ben Kersten will be back in Anniston, Alabama on Saturday (April 9) to defend his title along with three of his Fly V Australia teammates at the second stop and first criterium on the 2011 USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC). Hot on the heels of winning the criterium last weekend at the Redlands Cycling Classic, the NRC series opener, Pure Black Racing’s Roman Van Uden will lead a contingent from neighboring nation, New Zealand. The presence of three reigning national criterium champions – Bernie Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) of Australia, Tim Gudsell (Pure Black Racing) of New Zealand and Daniel Holloway (Kelly Benefits Strategies-OptumHealth) of the United States - along with riders from Bissell Pro Cycling Team, Kenda Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder, RealCyclist.com, Team Mountain Khakis, Sklz presented by Pista Palace, and development squads from Team Type 1 and Chipotle Development Team bode to make the thrilling two-wheeled gladiatorial throwdown a night to remember.

The women’s race should be a scintillating high-speed duel between stacked TIBCO/Top The Top and Colavita/Forno D’Asolo squads. TIBCO/To The Top will be led by last year’s U-23 (under age 23) U.S. National Criterium winner Samantha Schneider and Meredith Miller. The 2010 NRC team champion, Colavita/Forno D’Asolo is expected to protect 2010 NRC individual champion Cath Cheatley and Kelly Benjamin. Don’t discount 2007 Sunny King Criterium victor Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom).

The entire day of racing will stream live on four websites utilizing technology that promises to deliver vastly improved upload speed and TV quality images. Starting at 11 AM CT, fans from around the world can watch the juniors, amateurs and pro races live on the Sunny King Criterium (www.sunnykingcriterium.com), Noble Street Festival (www.nobelstreetfestival.com), Anniston Star newspaper (www.annistonstar.com/pages/bikes) and VeloNews (www.velonews.com/live) websites.

Five cameras will capture the action as it unfolds on a flat four-corner, .7-mile rectangular circuit with a slight uphill finish. Racing under the lights, the one-hour women’s pro/1/2 twilight event is scheduled for 6:20 PM CT followed by the men’s pro/1 sixty-lap affair at 7:30 PM CT.

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22 March 2010 greatscottproductions@earthlink.net

Some of cycling's royalty are expected to shine brightly at the Sunny King Criterium

Top men's & women's pro cycling teams will light up the Alabama night

at the NRC event that benefits local American Cancer Society chapter

Anniston, Alabama: Bicycles will speed through the streets of Anniston, Alabama on Saturday, April 17^th. Sandwiched on a weekend between an Indy car race and a NASCAR Talladega Superspeedway event, hundreds of cyclists and thousands of boisterous spectators will unleash their passion for speed when the Sunny King Criterium pedals for the eighth time. Some of cycling's fastest men's and women's professional teams sporting international rosters will engage in high-speed hi-jinks under the lights with entry fees being donated to Relay For Life, a local chapter of the American Cancer Society. The National Racing Calendar (NRC) event has donated over $50,000 to the charity since 2005.

The men's and women's professional events headline a full day of bike racing that commences at 10 AM CT with juniors (ages 10-14 and 15-18) and continues with amateur races open to USA Cycling-licensed cyclists. The one-hour women's pro race is scheduled to start at 6:20 PM CT and the 60-lap men's pro event will roll off at 7:30 PM CT. Racers will complete laps around the flat four-corner, .7-mile rectangular downtown circuit that finishes with a slight uphill rise.

For the first time, cycling fans around the globe will be able to watch all the races live on the Sunny King Criterium website, www.sunnykingcriterium.com. Five cameras along the course will capture the unpredictable action of NRC crit racing, including the exhilarating 40-mile-an-hour, shoulder-to-shoulder sprint finishes. Last year's men's winner, Karl Menzies, will be back to defend his title with full support from his United Healthcare presented by Maxxis team. Menzies will have his work cut out for himself as Ivan Dominguez, a stage winner at the Amgen Tour of California, and 2007 Sunny King winner Frank Travieso, joined by their equally explosive teammates Luis Amaran and Anibal Borrajo, will represent a powerhouse Jamis/Sutter Home presented by Colavita lineup. Others expected to animate the race include Alessandro Bazzanna and Ken Kersten, who will fly the flag for Fly V Australia and the newly formed Bahati Foundation outfit led by former U.S. Pro National Criterium champion Rahsaan Bahati. Team Type 1 and Kenda presented by Geargrinder are also sending riders.

Colavita/Baci presented by Cooking Light, Team TIBCO, Team Vera Bradley Foundation and Team Kenda highlight the teams expected to make the women's pro race dynamic.

“We are pleased to again welcome top professional and amateur competitors to Sunny King for world class bicycle racing in historic downtown Anniston. The men and women pros never fail to put on a thrilling show for the spectators who turn up each year in droves. We hope that sponsors and cycling fans unable to join us in-person will tune in to catch the racing action live on our website,” said Sunny King Criterium race director Mike Poe.

The next day, many of the professionals will compete in the 65-mile Foothills Classic Road Race, which unfolds over rolling to hilly terrain in nearby Piedmont. Amateur races at a distance of 50 miles will also be staged. Information is available at www.foothillsroadrace.com.

The Alabama Department of Tourism & Travel has selected the Sunny King Criterium as a Top 10 event for the state of Alabama for 2010. In addition to being an NRC event, the race is part of the Southeast Women's Cycling Series, Alabama Cycling Association Points Series and The Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Road Series. Additional information, including how to register, is available at www.sunnykingcriterium.com.

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Top sprinters ready to race for the crown at NRC’s Sunny King Criterium

April 9^th races will be streamed live on the VeloNews website

Anniston, AL (22 March 2011) – Some of the domestic cycling peloton’s fastest sprinters will head south for the ninth Sunny King Criterium, the second stop on USA Cycling’s prestigious National Racing Calendar (NRC) and the first of fourteen criteriums throughout the season. Pro and amateur cyclists will speed through the closed streets of downtown Anniston, Alabama as part of the Noble Street Festival 2011 in races being held from 11 AM-9 PM CT that will be streamed live on the VeloNews website (www.velonews.com/live) as well as on the official race site, www.sunnykingcriterium.com.

Taking place in the shadow of the nearby Talladega Speedway, over 5,000 adrenalin junkies are expected to line the streets to watch the cyclists compete NASCAR-style – meaning it’s all about speed, thrills and spills in unpredictable bike races where anything can happen at any time. The entry fees from the Sunny King Criterium will again be donated to Relay For Life, a local chapter of the American Cancer Society, to which the event has donated over $60,000 since 2005. The goal for 2011 is to raise another $10,000.

Starting with the juniors, continuing with the amateurs, and headlined by the pros, the riders will pedal counter-clockwise on a flat four-corner, .7-mile rectangular circuit with a slight uphill finish. Racing under the lights, the one-hour women’s pro/1/2 event is scheduled for 6:20 PM CT followed by the men’s pro/1 sixty-lap affair at 7:30 PM CT.

Back to defend his Sunny King Criterium victory from last year will be Fly V Australia’s Ben Kersten, who will be joined by teammates Jonathan Cantwell and Australian Criterium Champion Bernie Sulzberger. Also expected to take the start in the men’s pro race are reigning USPRO Criterium Champion Daniel Holloway, who will be supported by Andrew Bajadali, Reid Mumford and their Kelly Benefits Strategies-OptumHealth teammates, former USPRO Criterium Champion Rahsaan Bahati (Slkz presented by Pista Palace), Frank Pipp and Kyle Wamsley along with a contingent from Bissell Pro Cycling Team, an eight-man Kenda Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder outfit led by Chad Hartley and Luca Damiani, Cole House and a crew from RealCyclist.com, and talented young development squads from Team Type 1 and Chipotle Development Team.

The women’s race will be powered by the powerhouse TIBCO/To The Top outfit featuring 2009 NRC champion Alison Powers, 2009 U.S. National Road Race victor Meredith Miller, and last year’s U-23 (under age 23) U.S. National Criterium winner Samantha Schneider. They’ll clash with riders from the highly respected Colavita/Forno D’Asolo featuring Kelly Benjamin, and Team Type 1.

Sunny King Criterium race director Mike Poe said, "We are excited about partnering with VeloNews to provide live coverage of the full day of racing at the Sunny King Criterium. We had a large online audience last year when we streamed the races live on the official race website and we’re utilizing better technology to improve the video stream this year. Adding the power and reach of the VeloNews site will enable us to provide far greater exposure for the teams and their sponsors while allowing the amateur riders a chance to race in front of a global audience."

Billed as “The Journal of Competitive Cycling,” VeloNews is the established pack leader in the coverage of cycling via its monthly print magazine and website.

To complete the racing weekend, on Sunday, April 10^th, many of the pro and amateur cyclists will test themselves further on the challenging rolling hills in nearby Piedmont during the 65-mile Foothills Classic Road Race. Additional information is available at www.foothillsroadrace.com.

An entertaining day for the family, the Sunny King Criterium will also be the scene for a wide array of children’s activities including races, Bike pARTS, which is a sculpture exhibition and competition made from recycled bike parts, and over a dozen local restaurants will be serving scrumptious snacks and delicious meals.

In addition to being designated as an NRC event, during which individual riders and teams compete for points towards the season-long series titles, the Sunny King Criterium is part of the WE Race Series, Alabama Cycling Association Points Series and The Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Road Series. Further information for spectators as well as registration information for participants can be found at www.sunnykingcriterium.com. Follow the race on Twitter @SunnyKingCrit and on facebook at the Noble Street Festival.

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