Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic Cycling Fact Sheet, July 14-16
John Cardinale (707) 933-3907 Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic Fact Sheet, July 14-16 What: Infineon Raceway will host the 2006 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships, presented by X Fusion, as part of the Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic weekend. Infineon Raceway will now host the most prestigious mountain bike race weekend in the country. Events include super downhill, downhill, cross country, short track and mountain cross. When: July 14-16 Where: Infineon Raceway, Highways 37 & 121, Sonoma, CA 95476 (800-870-RACE or www.cmclassic.com <http://www.oschamps.com/> ). Events: USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championship Events THURSDAY, July 13 INFINEON MOUNTAIN BIKE MARATHON: This event focuses on off-road endurance competition with the Marathon National Championship. Mountain bike riders will ride the 7.7-mile cross country course for approximately nine laps while competing for national championships in nine different categories. This event begins at 7 a.m. FRIDAY, July 14 INFINEON CROSS COUNTRY: The cross country event will be contested on a 7.7-mile course that will navigate almost the entire Infineon Raceway facility. The course will feature climbs, descents, fire roads and swooping singletrack, as well as a challenging 5-10-minute climbs. The pro men's event begins at 2 p.m., while the pro women's event 4:15 p.m. SATURDAY, July 15 INFINEON SUPER-D: Super-D is an exciting gravity event that will reward pedaling power and descending skills on the challenging Cougar Mountain course. From the Le Mans-style mass start it will be a rush to the end, including two or three power climbs during the descent to the finish. The National Championship events get under way at noon. INFINEON AMBC MOUNTAIN CROSS: This exciting event features four riders springing out of a start gate and rocketing down a 30- to 45-second course filled with bumps, jumps and bermed turns. The competition is fierce, with elbows flying, legs pumping and aggressive racing guaranteed as only the top two racers progress to the next round. The pro events begin at 6 p.m. SUNDAY, July 16 INFINEON AMBC MOUNTAIN BIKE DOWNHILL: The mountain bike downhill course could be one of the best downhill courses in the world. Perched high atop Cougar Mountain, nearly 400 feet above the raceway, this course will be 90-percent visible from the finish line, and should offer spectacular, fast, world-class downhill racing. On a clear day, from the start house, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. Runs will span approximately three minutes with plenty of natural jumps, and banked and off-camber turns. Pro events begin at 3:30 p.m. INFINEON SHORT TRACK: Short Track (formerly known as Dirt Crit) racing is 30 minutes of non-stop attacking and recovering for riders. It puts a premium on aerobic fitness and bike handling skills and is sure to offer plenty of excitement. Men's and women's pro events begin at 1:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively. In addition to the USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Championships, the weekend will also feature road cycling events that will be contested on the same 12-turn road course usually reserved for motor racing events, including NASCAR. FRIDAY, July 14 SUPERCUTS ROAD CRITERIUM: Criterium does the most to capture the excitement, speed, and close-quarters maneuvering usually found at Infineon Raceway's annual NASCAR weekend. The course covers much of the lower section of the racetrack, and will send cyclists around its hairpin at Turn 11. And since the fearless sprinters who will excel in this event are cycling's version of motorsports' drag racers, the criterium runs straight down the racetrack's quarter-mile strip. Women's criterium racing begins at 3 p.m., while the men's pro event begins at 4:15 p.m. SATURDAY, July 15 SUPERCUTS ROAD CIRCUIT RACE: The 12-turn, 2.52-mile Infineon Raceway road course will be the venue for the road circuit race. These events will run 90 minutes for the amateur divisions and two-three hours for the professional divisions. The track's twisting, climbing layout will encourage breakaway runs and attacks by riders. Pro events begin at 11:30 a.m. (women) and 2:15 p.m. (men). SUNDAY, July 16 SUPERCUTS SIX-HOURS OF ROAD CYCLING: The endurance racing craze hits the 12-turn, 2.52-mile Infineon Raceway road course with a six-hour road cycling endurance event. Riders can compete alone in the solo category and or on four-member teams, and the racing rules are kept simple. The ride starts at 10 a.m. 2005 MTB National Champions: MEN: Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Cross Country); Travis Brown (Marathon); Adam Craig (Super-D); Eric Carter (Mountain Cross); Cody Warren (Downhill); Adam Craig (Short Track) WOMEN: Mary McConneloug (Cross Country); Gretchen Reeves (Marathon); Kelli Emmett (Super-D); Jill Kintner (Mountain Cross); Melissa Buhl (Downhill); Shonny Vanlandingham (Short Track) In addition: The Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic will also offer a variety of activities for families and recreational riders. Riders can enjoy the Supercuts slow ride, which will be a casual ride around the 2.52-mile Infineon Raceway road course on Saturday, July 15 at 1 p.m.... Young riders (eight years old and under) are invited to learn riding skills and safety at the Shimano Kid's Bike Rodeo. This event is free for kids and runs from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on Sunday.... Shimano will also host Youth Series races for children 14 years old and under. Racing will be held in two-year age groups, and all participants receive an award for their efforts.... Cycling enthusiasts will enjoy a vintage bicycle concourse throughout the weekend. The concourse will feature a variety of beautiful and historic bicycles from some of Europe's and America's finest builders, including Masi, Benotto, Cinelli, Ritchey, Specialized, Fisher, Breeze, and Cunningham. Tickets: $10 per day per vehicle. A three-day parking pass is available for $20. To Enter: For more information or to enter this event, please visit www.cmclassic.com <http://www.cmclassic.com/> or call (650) 364-7612. On-site registration is available for a full slate of amateur racing classes, with entry fees ranging from $30 to $45. Non-competitive events for mountain bikers and road cyclists are $10 each ### --------------------------- John Cardinale VP of Media/Community Relations Infineon Raceway Highways 37 &121, Sonoma, CA 95476 wk: 707-933-3907 cell: 707-334-9805