Athens Hosts National Collegiate Cycling Championships May 12-14

Editors: Cyclists will be available for interviews during a riders and managers meeting at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 11, at Bromley Hall. For more information, contact Joey Boyle or Bryan Banks at (740) 589-7433 or look on the Web at: www.ohiou.edu/bike/events.html

ATHENS, Ohio (May 5, 2000) -- More than 350 bicyclists from 70 colleges and universities will compete in the U.S. Collegiate Cycling Championships May 12-14 in Athens city, Stewart and Hocking County.

USA Cycling, the sanctioning body for all U.S. cycling races, and the National Collegiate Cycling Association decided to hold the event in Athens because of the area's challenging terrain.

"The Brick Criterium that used to be held on the streets of Athens was a national event that attracted racers like the legendary Greg Lemond, three-time winner of the Tour de France," said Joey Boyle, media coordinator for the championships. "Athens has a rich cycling community and there are a lot of challenging hills."

The championships will consist of three races for men and women:

• The National Collegiate Road Races start at 10 a.m. May 12. The races start and finish at Old Man's Cave State Park about 45 minutes north of Athens. Men and women ride in different heats. Men ride five laps of the hilly 13-mile loop and women ride three laps.

• The May 13 criterium starts at noon and will route over the one-kilometer course of the former Brick Criterium in uptown Athens. The city will close portions of Court Street, West State Street, North Congress and West Union Street from noon to 4 p.m.

• Team time trials begin at 10 a.m. May 14 on Stewart Street. An awards ceremony at Baker Center's 1804 Room will be at 4 p.m. May 14.

The Ohio University Cycling Team and the city of Athens are hosting the championships.