Course unveiled for Professional Criterium National Championship

Glencoe, Ill. (June 8, 2010) -- A new eight-corner, 1.3 mile (2.1 km) race course has been unveiled for the AT&T USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championship, the showcase race at the Glencoe Grand Prix in Glencoe, Illinois.

The Glencoe Grand Prix, now celebrating its fourth year, will be held on Saturday, August 14, in the North Shore suburb. The day includes 11 competitive races for amateur and professional cyclists as well as kids' races. The start/finish line is at Vernon and Hazel Avenues. Races start at 8:00 a.m. and continue throughout the day.

The AT&T USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championship, which attracts professional cyclists from across the globe, takes place at 5:00 p.m.

The national championship event which, in 2010, is celebrating its 24th year and was previously held in Downers Grove, Ill., is a 100K race that takes place on the Glencoe Grand Prix's 1.3 mile criterium course route.

The first American to cross the finish line in the National Championship is awarded the prestigious Stars-and-Stripes jersey. John Murphy (Athens, Ga.) will be the defending national champ from 2009.

The newly unveiled racecourse at Glencoe has a figure-eight design and a short uphill leg-burner midway through the course. The two-block straightaway leading into the final turn should be an ideal stretch for lead-out trains, and the last corner is wide with a good surface. 

"The challenge in Glencoe was taking a well established existing course and making the adjustments needed to make it a national championship caliber course," said Steve Hansen of Special Events Management, which produces the National Championship. "It took us a few tries, but when we narrowed the course design down to this, we all agreed that we had come up with something that will make for a very exciting race."

"The course is pretty technical. If you’re 30 guys back you’ll be doing a sprint out of every corner," said Rahsaan Bahati of the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team, when he viewed the course in May.

Bahati won the national title in 2008. Commenting on the final turn, Bahati added, "There’s way more room than [previous years in] Downers Grove. It won’t be the first guy out of the last corner; it will be the second or third guy who will win." 

 


Bahati’s overall impression? "On the way out, you’re going down; on the way back, you’re going up, and it’s going to hurt. This is not an easy course."

Second year professional Samantha Schneider of the TIBCO Women’s Pro Cycling Team also viewed the course in May, and was "very impressed." 

"All the bases are very well covered--both spectator and racer-wise," she said. "The course offers a wide variety. I love the corners because it adds a technical aspect to the course. The final straight is fast and perfect for sprinters." 

"We believe this course has all the elements of a national championship course: good pavement, eight corners including left and right turns, a fast downhill, a short but sharp climb and a safe finish," said Jon Knouse, race director and president of the Glencoe Educational Foundation, promoter of the Glencoe Grand Prix.

The AT&T USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championship is part of the USA Cycling Professional Tour, a men's-only, season-long calendar that determines the best professional rider and team on American soil. It is also one of 16 national championship events that USA Cycling endorses across five disciplines of cycling for various divisions of amateurs and professionals.

Among the other races at the Glencoe Grand Prix is a pro women’s race held at 3:45 p.m. It will feature several of the best female cyclists in the U.S.

Following the day of races, Glencoe Grand Prix will host a block party on the streets of downtown Glencoe with food, live music and other family-oriented attractions.

Click here for a RACE COURSE MAP.
Click here for an ELEVATION PROFILE.

To learn more about the Glencoe Grand Prix and view a video of the 2010 racecourse, visit www.glencoegrandprix.com .

About the Glencoe Educational Foundation
The Glencoe Educational Foundation (GEF) is a non-profit 501c3 organization founded in 1996 by parents seeking to enhance the rich tradition of educational excellence in Glencoe School District 35. The GEF sponsors projects that sharpen the classroom experience and funds these projects through a variety of programs and events (such as the Glencoe Grand Prix) that benefit all of Glencoe. The GEF also works with school district officials to teach students the value of giving back not only to their community, but also to those outside of Glencoe that need assistance.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verseSM and AT&T │DIRECTVSM brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T’s Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 66,500+ licensees; 2,200 clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,650 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling visit www.usacycling.org

About Special Events Management(producer of the Criterium National Championship)
Special Events Management (www.chicagoevents.com) has produced the USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championship for 20 years. SEM is the Midwest's largest producer of special events including runs/walks, art/street festivals and professional cycling events. In addition to the National Championship, it produces the Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove and produced the Chicago Criterium that was held for two years.
 


This Article Published June 9, 2010 For more information contact: