City of San Jose to Host Inaugural San Jose Cycling Classic May 18-20, 2007

Multi-Category Cycling Event to Target Diverse Roster of Amateur and Professional Riders

Building on San Jose's success as being the only city to host two stages of the Amgen Tour of California, Paul Krutko, director, Office of Economic Development, City of San Jose, has announced that San Jose will host a multiple category weekend cycling event, the San Jose Cycling Classic, May 18-20, 2007.

The event, a three-day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, domestic professional, amateur and community cycling gathering and competition, is expected to attract more than 2,000 cycling athletes, 25,000 spectators and 50 cycling-related exhibitors.

The program for the event will encompass a category 1-5 amateur road criterium (a multi-lap one-day race), a USA Cycling-sanctioned Olympic-level BMX competition, a NORBA (National Off-Road Bicycle Association)-sanctioned mountain biking competition, an invitational dirt-jump competition, a public century ride, cycling and health exhibitions and a two-night weekend evening street fair in downtown San Jose with heavy involvement from local restaurants, nightclubs and bars.

"San Jose has a long cycling history: the city's first bicycle club was formed in 1884; one of the first pedal bicycles was invented here and we have ten, established international bike manufactures in the area. We intend for the San Jose Cycling Classic to build on our history and on the momentum created by the recent Amgen Tour of California to further the City of San Jose and the greater South Bay region as a global center of amateur and professional cycling sport," Krutko said.

According to the City of San Jose's Department of Transportation, San Jose has more than 38,000 bike commuters traveling on more than 150-miles of on-street bikeways. In addition, the city has one out of only 19 velodromes in the United States. Funds raised from the San Jose Cycling Classic will be earmarked to enhancing, building and maintaining the South Bay's public cycling infrastructure and promoting cycling safety.

The board of directors of the San Jose Cycling Classic intends to coalesce civic, business and community leaders who want to use cycling as a way to raise overall quality-of-life, to advocate its fitness benefits and to serve as an economic driver. The board of directors includes: Jeffrey Fillerup, partner, Luce Forward; Carl Guardino, president and CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group; Jeremy Hartman, CXO Communication; Paul Krutko, director, Office of Economic Development, City of San Jose; Dean Munro, executive director, San Jose Sports Authority; Kim Walesh, assistant director, Office of Economic Development, City of San Jose and Kevin Winterfield, internal and executive communications, IBM Silicon Valley Laboratory.

"Based on the overwhelming cycling interest in the Bay Area, we will leverage the tremendous grassroots presence of organized cycling to secure participation and attendance in the San Jose Cycling Classic," Munro said. "It's going to be a terrific event."

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kim Walesh, 408.535.8177, or kim.walesh@sanjoseca.gov.

About the City of San Jose's Office of Economic Development

The City of San Jose's Office of Economic Development (OED) is committed to a vital, competitive San Jose economy that increases prosperity for people and companies and enhances City revenues. The Office guides the City's economic strategy, provides assistance for business success, helps connect employers with trained workers, and provides Art and Cultural resources to our community. For more information, please visit, www.sjeconomy.com.

About the City of San Jose

From its founding in 1777 as California's first city, San Jose has been a leader, driven by its spirit of innovation. Today, San Jose stands as the largest city in Northern California and the Capital of Silicon Valley -- the world's leading center of innovation. The city, the 10th largest in the U.S., is committed to remaining a top-ranked place to do business, to work and to live. For more information, visit, www.sanjoseca.gov.

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