Rome to host First UCI Handcycling Race
Tony Potts
02-07-2009
The City of Rome, the Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau
and U.S. Handcycling will host the 4th Annual Clocktower Classic,
April 22-24 in the Rome and Floyd County area. The event will
again be a major component of the prestigious U.S. Handcycling
Series, but will carry a new honor in 2009, as the only race in
the series with the additional status of being a part of the
Union Cycliste Internationale Calendar.
The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland and is recognized by the
International Olympic and Paralympic Committees as the global
governing body for competitive cycling. The organization assumed
responsibility and management of Paralympic Cycling (which
includes handcycling) in 2008, and has included the Georgia race
as a P1-level race for the first-ever international Para-Cycling
Calendar, which offers all participants an opportunity to earn
points toward international ranking.
The inclusion of the Clocktower Classic is a natural one,
according to U.S. Handcycling Executive Director, Ian Lawless:
`When we found out about the new UCI International calendar, the
Clocktower Classic was an easy choice for us to put forward as
our recommendation for an American race...it’s incredibly popular
among the athletes, the Local Organizing Committee is top-notch,
and Rome is close to Atlanta which will attract a lot of top
European racers.`
Now in its fourth year, the Clocktower Classic is widely
recognized as the premier handcycling race in the Eastern United
States, and is one of only a few events in the U.S. Handcycling
Series that includes all three road disciplines: Time Trial,
Road Race, and Criteirum. Although the Clocktower Classic grew
out of the Tour de Georgia, with the handcycling criterium first
appearing at the end of Stage 2 in 2005, the event now stands
on its own as a world-class bike race. “Cycling as a sport has
been embraced by the community of Rome. The relationships that we
have built with the athletes while coordinating this race, has
made this event one that both athletes and organizers look
forward to each year. How often do you see an Gold medalist
racing with an athlete who is participating in their first
competition? The encouragement and camaraderie is infectious.`
said Ann Hortman, director of the Clocktower Classic and Sales
and Events Coordinator for the Greater Rome Convention and
Visitors Bureau.
For more information about the Clocktower Classic, contact Ann
Hortman at the Greater Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau:
706.295.5576 or ann@romegeorgia.org.
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