Patrick Dempsey and George Hincapie confirmed their participation in the ‘Breakaway Ride presented by Specialized,’ two cycling events held in conjunction with the upcoming 2010 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race set for May 16-23, 2010.  Held in April (one month prior to the 2010 Amgen Tour of California), the rides are open to the public and will serve to raise funds for Breakaway from Cancer®, the signature cancer support initiative of the Amgen Tour of California.  Breakaway from Cancer aims to raise awareness of the important resources available to cancer patients from prevention to education and patient care to advocacy and financial support.

Each ‘Breakaway Ride’ will give cycling enthusiasts and fans a chance to ride on the actual route of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California with three distances for each event to accommodate various skill and fitness levels (short, medium and long). The longest distance covers an entire stage of the Amgen Tour of California, the same as will be ridden by the pros.  Participants will be chip timed and supported, with a maximum of 3,500 riders per event.  Detailed map info locaed here: www.breakawayride.com.
The first Breakaway Ride will take place on Sunday, April 11 and will feature the Stage 8 route in the cities of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills, the worldwide headquarter community of title sponsor Amgen.  Demonstrating his commitment to the cause and enthusiasm for cycling, television and film actor Patrick Dempsey will ride in this first event.  Dempsey, whose mom is a four-time ovarian cancer survivor, is an advocate for cancer support services. In 2008, he founded the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine.

“I am looking forward to reuniting with my friends from Amgen and Breakaway from Cancer to help raise awareness and funds for the non-profit cancer support organizations,” said Dempsey, who served as a spokesperson for Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2007. “I am also excited about the opportunity to ride a piece of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California route together with fellow Southern California cycling enthusiasts!”

The second Breakaway Ride will take place on Sunday, April 25, and will feature the Stage 2 route from Davis to Santa Rosa. Four-time Amgen Tour of California competitor and Breakaway from Cancer supporter George Hincapie will attend this event.

“Nearly everyone is touched by cancer, including my family, and it’s important to know that you don’t have to fight cancer alone,” said Hincapie. “I joined Breakaway from Cancer in 2005 because people need to know that education, resources and support are available as they fight the disease.”

A portion of each rider’s entry fee will be donated to Breakaway from Cancer’s charitable partners – Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formerly The Wellness Community), Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.  Participants will have the opportunity to earn gifts and prizes by raising additional funds for Breakaway from Cancer partners via the ActiveGiving program on Active.com.  The most successful fundraisers will have the opportunity to meet and ride with Dempsey at the April 11 ride and with Hincapie on April 25. Other prize packages include exclusive VIP experiences at the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, Amgen Tour of California official race merchandise and other cycling-related items.  Additionally, the top fundraiser of each Breakaway Ride will receive a top-of-line Specialized S-Works Tarmac or Roubaix bike.

“These Breakaway Rides will provide amateur cyclists and community members the opportunity to ride the same route that the pros will experience only one month later in the Amgen Tour of California,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports.  “The commitment and dedication shown by Patrick Dempsey and George Hincapie to Breakaway from Cancer is inspiring, and we look forward to their involvement.”
As the title sponsor of the Amgen Tour of California for the fifth consecutive year, Amgen will continue to leverage the race to raise awareness and support for people affected by cancer through its Breakaway from Cancer initiative.

“Amgen and its non-profit Breakaway from Cancer partners are pleased to have George Hincapie and Patrick Dempsey join us in supporting Breakaway from Cancer, which raises awareness of the free services available to people affected by cancer,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology.

Presenting sponsor of the Breakaway Ride, Specialized, will use this opportunity to further their philanthropic goals and bring better cycling experiences to even more people.

“We are really excited to partner with the Breakaway Ride to support Amgen’s cancer initiatives and to get cyclists out on their bikes.  Tying into the Amgen Tour of California and getting to ride the actual route is a unique opportunity for riders and ties into our goal to get people to ride more; more often,” said Ian Dewar, partnership manager for Specialized.

AEG, presenter of the Amgen Tour of California, is partnering with Pacific Sports, a leading sports and event management company that has created running and triathlon events throughout the world for more than 30 years to produce the rides.

“We are breaking new ground in amateur cycling in the United States,” said Jack Caress, president & CEO, Pacific Sports.  ”To be a part of an inaugural event such as the Breakaway Rides is gratifying, and we are honored to be benefitting a great cause like Breakaway from Cancer.”

TO REGISTER for one of the Breakaway Rides, visit www.Active.com.  For more information, please visit www.breakawayride.com, www.amgentourofcalifornia.com, or visit your Specialized dealer.

About the Amgen Tour of California
The largest cycling event in America, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race presented by AEG that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course from May 16-23.

About Breakaway from Cancer®
Founded in 2005, Breakaway from Cancer is a complementary component to the Amgen race sponsorship. Breakaway from Cancer strives to raise awareness of the important resources available to cancer patients from prevention to education, and patient care to advocacy and financial support. The initiative includes charitable partners Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formerly known as The Wellness Community), Patient Advocate Foundation, and the National Coalition for Cancer.  Learn more at www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About Specialized
Specialized Bicycles was founded in 1974 by riders for riders. Headquartered in Morgan Hill, California, with global distribution, the company focuses on making everyone’s time on a bike better by delivering functional and technically advanced equipment that provide true performance benefits. Learn more at www.specialized.com.

About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics.  A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient.  Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses.  With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives.  To learn more about Amgen’s pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.  To learn more about Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

Open to all ages and abilities, the Tour offers 72 and 25-mile courses, all routed throughout Mesa, Arizona, and beginning at Red Mountain Park in Mesa. Routes extend into the beautiful and rugged backdrop of the Salt River Recreation Area and Tonto National Forest.  The 72-mile event is a perimeter ride around Red Mountain and the 25-mile course feeds onto the main route.  Both courses feature an approximately 3-mile climb as participants begin the final leg of the event

Kids, parents, families and friends are invited to participate in the Tour’s Fun Ride, a 4-mile course routed adjacent Red Mountain Park main event start lines.

El Tour de Phoenix benefits Perimeter Bicycling Association of America, Inc., The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program, as latter continues its mission to fund research to fight blood cancers.

All contributions for the event must be processed by El Tour de Phoenix event headquarters.

Last day to register Friday, April 9, 2010 at Bike Expo/Packet pick up.

REGISTRATION HERE!

Fun Ride registration may be done on Ride Day.

29th Annual Race Across America

Woo hoo! Are you ready for the Race Across America? Well if you’re not then it’s time to get your butt in gear! The Race Across America is considered by many to be one of the hardest races in the United States and for good reason. With a course spanning from Oceanside, California all the way to Annapolis Maryland this grueling ride requires true commitment and dedication!

This year is a very unique year because someone extremely special has decided to not only commit to ride but lead her team as team captain. That’s right ladies and gentlemen Kristina Ripatti a former LAPD police officer who was shot in the line of duty and paralyzed will be participating in this years ride using her hand-cycle!

Women’s Cycing Magazine would like to commend Kristina for turning what is seemingly a tragedy into triumph! Kristina represents the spirit and go-get-em attitude that we here at WCM cherish, honor and respect.

We would like to ask everyone who reads this article to do what you can to participate in this great cause and ride. Whether you just want to know where to go to cheer on the racers, help out with setting up for the event, ride or donate money, we’re encouraging everyone to get involved.

Lastly we’d like to give a shout out to the entire team: Kristina Ripatti, Russ Loomis, Nancy Guth and Mark Burson! Good luck ya’ll you’ve got the support of WCM and all of our gritty, wild and crazy minions!

Below is more information with regard to RAAM’s commitment to charity!
Note: For more info please contact Mark Burson
mark.burson [at] bm.com | 805.390.1767

RAAM’s Commitment to Charity

RAAM has always served as a high profile vehicle for racers raising money for charitable causes.  RAAM participants have raised over $ 1 million for charity in each of the past three years. The Lon Haldeman Award was created to honor racers who raise the most funds for their chosen charity.

With so many worthwhile efforts supported by our racers we felt it was best not to align ourselves with any specific cause but rather to let our racers use the race as a platform to showcase their chosen charities. However, every year RAAM supports charitable causes that warrant special consideration.  Typically, we support efforts that affect people along the RAAM course and/or the RAAM family.  In recent years we have made donations to the following charitable causes:

2010 – RAAM will begin a new recycling program and will be working with Green Guru and Terracycle…More information to come.

2009

Finish Line Donation – Hundreds of pounds of food and supplies from our racers was donated to The Lighthouse Shelter, a shelter serving homeless families in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Please visit www.annapolislighthouse.org.

2008

Fallbrook, California – This North San Diego County town is home to many RAAM staff and racers.  The town was seriously damaged by wildfires several months before the 2008 race.  A cash donation, collected at the start of the race, was made to the Fallbrook Legacy Foundation.

No Barriers – A cash donation, generated from sales of limited edition merchandise, was made to this athlete founded charity that supports disabled athletes.  Specifically, No Barriers promotes innovative ideas, approaches, and assistive technologies which help people with disabilities push through their own personal barriers to live full and active lives. Please visit www.nobarriersusa.org.

Finish Line Donation – Hundreds of pounds of food and supplies from our racers was donated to The Lighthouse Shelter, a shelter serving homeless families in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Please visit www.annapolislighthouse.org.

Soldiers in Iraq – We sent several boxes of personal items – toiletries, energy bars, etc. – to the son of a long-time RAAM staffer serving in Iraq for distribution to his platoon.

Piste Foundation – We donated clothing to Piste, a small alternative health care clinic, located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

2007

Greenville, Kansas – The town of Greenville, Kansas, located on the race route, was destroyed by a tornado.  A cash donation, collected at the start of the race, was made to the Red Cross to assist the town.

Finish Line Donation – Hundreds of pounds of food and supplies from our racers was donated to the city of Atlantic City, New Jersey for distribution to local charities.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (November 1, 2009) — While many medical students and health care professionals spend time behind closed doors promoting world health, a select group of these students and professionals, along with community representatives, will be participating in a bike ride across the nation.  This group of 25 bicyclists will embark on a journey called Ride for World Health to help raise awareness of the various issues of health care that greatly affect the world—healthcare access, poverty and disease, infectious diseases, and women’s and children’s health.  Along with health awareness, Ride for World Health will also raise funds for their yearly beneficiaries, World Bicycle Relief and HEAL Africa.  The cross-country ride will begin March 30, 2010 in San Diego and will end May 25, 2010 in Washington D.C.

Ride for World Health believes education and empowerment of the public is a critical step toward improvement in global and domestic health.  During the ride, “Global Health Days” are organized in select U.S. cities with scheduled “Coast-to-Coast Lecture Series” that help to educate various audiences about the current state of global health.

“The mission of R4WH is to address global health disparities by focusing on education, advocacy, and fundraising which are addressed by utilizing a national cycling event as a vehicle for change,” said R4WH Co-Founder Andrew Wagner.  “Each year, 
our Coast-to-Coast Lecture Series initiates meaningful dialogue throughout communities along our 3,300 mile journey.  Through our efforts, we raise significant funds to support a non-profit organization with goals consistent with our vision, and empower our audience to become informed and active global citizens.”

Last year’s R4WH team delivered nearly 50 lectures to audiences around the country and were able to donate $80,000 to their 2009 beneficiaries, Esperanca and Village Health Works through solidarity rides and fundraising events.  Ride for World health actively seeks sponsors that share their commitment of health awareness and while each rider is responsible for most of the personal costs of the ride, donations can be made to an individual rider or the organization.

Ride for World Health is a national nonprofit organization that was founded in 2004 by a small group of Ohio State University medical students as a reaction to the state of domestic and global healthcare.  For more information about the ride and how to donate please visit www.rideforworldhealth.org.

Thanks to our wonderful friends at Perimeter Bicycling for the update… now all you WCM readers in and around the Tucson area… it’s time to “Cowboy/girl-UP”!

El Tour is a fun ride attracting some over 9,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities from throughout the United States and beyond, including novice, intermediate, advanced, and professional riders. Participants often take part in El Tour and its festivities simply due to their passion for cycling, while others choose the event as part of a healthy lifestyle change or as part of their wellness program as a survivor from cancer or other life-threatening illness. Many are attracted to El Tour’s variety of fund-raising programs for charitable agencies, for which the event raised over $1.39 million dollars last year. What all riders of El Tour share is a desire to get on their bikes, meet great people and have a fun doing it!

Participants may choose to cycle 109, 80, 67 or 35 miles, plus a 4-mile & 1/4- mile Fun Ride, open to kids, parents and friends. Main routes take participants around scenic areas of Tucson, with beautiful vistas of its local mountain ranges – three rising over 9000 feet- all complete with the backdrop of the mighty saguaro cactus, icon of the Southwest’s Sonoran Desert. Course profiles can be rolling to moderately hilly, though the 35-mile route is basically flat and great as a family affair or for beginners!

El Tour cyclists receive an official event t-shirt, goody bag, police, route and SAG support, aid station refreshments, published results and more! And all finishers are awarded a special engraved medallion at the finish line for their accomplishment. Links to the left offer further information.

As an El Tour cyclist, you, your family and friends are invited to participate in any of El Tour’s other events and activities

REGISTER HERE