Mercury on the Move With Professional Cycling Team Sponsorship
5 February 1998
Mercury on the Move With Professional Cycling Team Sponsorship
CHICAGO, Feb. 5 -- Mercury -- an automotive marque since
1938 -- now also will be associated with another form of transportation:
cycling. Beginning this month, Mercury is sponsoring the Mercury Cycling
Team, a 10-member team that includes three former Olympians and three of the
world's top under-23-year-old riders. The Mercury Cycling Team will compete
in more than 40 U.S. pro races this year, many of which will be televised
nationally on the Outdoor Life Network.
"The Mercury Cycling Team members are proven winners, and we're proud to
sponsor this energetic group of young athletes who already have made headlines
with their victories," said Ian Beavis, marketing communications manager for
Lincoln and Mercury.
For two consecutive years, the team has led the National Cup Points Series
and been named North American Team of the Year by VeloNews, a leading cycling
publication.
The official team vehicles -- Mercury Mountaineers and Mercury Villagers
-- will transport the team to races from coast to coast through November. The
vehicles are decorated with the team's logo, a large colorful image of a
cyclist in motion. The Mercury Cycling Team logo also will be featured on the
team's uniforms and bikes.
"Through this team, Mercury has a great opportunity to communicate to
individualists with active lifestyles. And it's a great way for us to
highlight how the Mountaineer and Villager can meet the needs of youthful
customers, especially those who like to cycle," Beavis added.
The Outdoor Life Network, which will televise most of the cycling
competitions, is the leader in cycling coverage. The first (taped) televised
Mercury Cycling Team event will be the Redlands Classic in Redlands,
California on April 23. The Outdoor Life Network is available in 13.5 million
homes through a wide variety of cable and satellite systems.
In addition to sponsoring the cycling team, Mercury again is sponsoring
"The Mercury Tour," a mountain biking event in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
The race will feature competitions with nearly 750 top-ranked cycling
athletes.
The Mercury Tour men's mountain bike competition will be televised on the
Outdoor Life Network August 6-9, and coverage of the women's competition will
be August 13-16.
Bicycling is the third largest participation sport in the United States
with bike sales topping 100 million during the past six years. (Walking and
swimming are the first two.) In addition, the number of Americans who've
watched a cycling race also has exceeded the 100 million mark. These cycling
fans fit Mercury's demographic targets: 25- to 49-year-olds and young
professionals with active lifestyles. Compared to the total car and truck
buying population, the Mercury target market is 57 percent more likely to
participate in bicycling.
1998 MERCURY CYCLING TEAM
RIDER & HOME TOWN BIRTHDAY CYCLING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Mat Anand 10/01/71 Member of Canadian World's Team
Calgary, Canada 2nd Overall Tour de Beauce
2nd Mt. Evans Hill Climb
David Clinger 11/22/77 Member 1998 U.S. World's Team
Woodland Hills, California Top Amateur in Peace Race
Top U.S. rider in the Tour
Avenier
Julian Dean 1/28/75 Member of New Zealand World's
Rotorua, New Zealand Team
Winner of Santa Rosa and Visalia
Criteriums
8th Place National Points Series
Gord Fraser 11/19/68 1996 Canadian Olympian
Ontario, Canada Several top tens
-- 1997 Tour de France
Winner 1997 Midi Libre
Roy Knickman 6/23/65 1984 Olympian and Bronze
Team Manager Medalist
Colorado Springs, Colorado Former U.S. National Team Coach
Winner of many national
championships
John Peters 12/7/69 Winner - Fitchburg-Longsjo
Santa Rosa, California Classic
4th USPRO Criterium
Championships
13th Place National Points
Series
Thurlow Rogers 3/7/60 Member 1984 Olympic Team
Team Captain 1995 & 1996 Fresca National
Van Nuys, California Points Leader
Mike Sayers 1/12/70 Winner - 1997 1st Union Grand
Sacramento, California Prix Sprint Challenge
Several top tens in major races
Mark Walters 2/15/76 Member of Canadian World's Team
Ontario, Canada Strong showing in 1997 Tours -
Beauce, Altoona, Fitchburg and
Killington competitions
Kirk Willett 3/17/70 Stage Winner Tour De'Toona
Pullman, Washington Winner 1996 Visalia Road Race
Former U.S. National Team member
John Wordin 2/3/63 Silver medal 1997 U.S. Master's
Team Director National Championship
West Hills, California 3rd Place La Mirada Grand Prix
Bronze Medal - 1989 U.S.
National
Mercury Cycling Team
1998 Racing Schedule (Tentative)
2/14 Pine Flat Road Race Fresno, CA
2/15 Dinuba Criterium Dinuba, CA
2/16 Sanger Criterium Sanger, CA
2/21 Merced Road Race Merced, CA
2/22 Merced Criterium Merced, CA
2/28 McLane Pacific Road Race Merced ,CA
3/1 McLane Pacific Criterium Merced, CA
3/4-8 Redlands Classic Redlands, CA
3/14-15 Sequoia Cycling Classic
Road Race Visalia, CA
3/15 Sequoia Cycling Classic
Criterium Visalia, CA
3/21 Sea Otter Classic Road Race Monterey, CA
3/22 Sea Otter Classic Criterium Monterey, CA
3/28 Wine Country Classic Road Race Santa Rosa, CA
3/29 Wine Country Classic Criterium Santa Rosa, CA
4/3-5 3 Days of Redding Santa Rosa, CA
4/4 Tour Le Fleur Pepsi Criterium Jackson, MI
4/5 Tour LeFleur Road Race Jackson, MI
4/15-19 89er Stage Race Norman, OK
4/24 Carolina Classic Shelby, NC
4/26 Atlanta Grand Prix Atlanta, GA
5/2 Fresca Twilight Athens, GA
5/29-30 Enchanted Mountain Stage Olean, NY
6/2 First Union Classic Lancaster, PA
6/3 Christiana Cup Wilmington, DE
6/4 New Jersey Bank Classic Trenton, NJ
6/7 First Union USPRO
Championships Philadelphia, PA
6/14 Nevada City Classic Nevada City, CA
6/24-28 Tour of the Gila Silver City, NM
7/1-5 Fitchburg/Longsjo Classic Fitchburg, MA
7/12 Seattle Grand Prix Seattle, WA
7/18-19 Cascade Cycling Classic Bend, OR
7/25-26 Mt. Evans Hill Climb Denver, CO
7/26 Manhattan Beach Grand Prix Manhattan Beach, CA
7/29-8/2 Tour De'Toona Altoona, PA
8/15 Chicago Grand Prix Chicago, IL
8/16 USPRO Criterium Championship Chicago, IL
8/30 Chris Thater Memorial Burlington, VT
9/3-7 Killington Stage Race Killington, VT
9/12 Burlington Downtown Criterium Burlington, NC
SOURCE Lincoln-Mercury Division