Tour of Pennsylvania - 2008: U-25
Worlds richest U-25 Stage race calls for team applications. UCI America Tour event: 20 six man teams, six stages, 500 miles and a $150,000 purse.

20 Teams To Be Selected for World’s Richest Under-25 Cycling Race
The world’s richest cycling race for U-25 riders is now seeking applications from the world’s elite, young cycling teams. Organizers of The American Eagle Outfitters Tour of Pennsylvania, presented by Highmark Healthy High 5, are ramping up operations for this unprecedented six-day stage race in June 2008 and are now in the process of team selection.

The international tour will begin with a Prologue Time Trial in Philadelphia and will cover approximately 500 miles over six days - June 24-29, with finish-line events in Philadelphia, Carlisle, Bedford and Latrobe and a race grand finale in Pittsburgh to help celebrate the southwestern Pennsylvania region’s 250th anniversary. A total of $150,000 will be awarded in stage prizes, overall general classification and special competitions – the world’s largest-ever prize list for U-25 riders.

“We’re delighted that this race will build on cycling’s strong traditions by showcasing the sport’s up and coming talent,” said Jerry Casale, chief operating officer of Pro Cycling Tour, LLC, the company that is organizing the race, along with ISM-USA and Pittsburgh 250. “In fact, we’re inviting at least 20 six-rider teams of the world’s best young cyclists in the espoir class, including some who may participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Tour de France.”

Course Follows Historic Route
The Tour of Pennsylvania route will roughly follow the historic Forbes Road (along U.S. 30), which was created in 1758 when British General John Forbes and Colonel George Washington forged a trail through the challenging terrain of the Allegheny Mountains to the Forks of the Ohio during the French and Indian War, founding Bedford, Ligonier and Pittsburgh along the way. “The route’s combination of challenging terrain and the Pittsburgh circuits make it the ideal format for a stage race,” said Casale.

Teams interested in receiving application materials for this first-of-its-kind, world-class event, should contact Robin Zellner, Technical Director at rzellner@procyclingtour.com.

To learn more about the American Eagle Outfitters Tour of Pennsylvania, presented by Highmark Healthy High 5, visit www.tourofpa.com.

About the Tour of Pennsylvania:
Winding through Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, 120 cyclists (under the age of 25) from around the world will race approximately 500 miles over six days in June 2008. The American Eagle Tour of PA is one of 16 international races on the Continental Calendar of the UCI, the world governing body of cycling. Dubbed the UCI America Tour, these sixteen races are the highest ranked cycling events in North and South America, and include the most prestigious bike races in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With national and international coverage, the Tour is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of spectators and cycling enthusiasts to Pennsylvania.

The tour is sponsored by American Eagle Outfitters, the leading lifestyle brand among 15-to-25 year-olds, which is based in Pittsburgh, and Highmark Healthy High 5, a five-year, $100 million initiative of the Highmark Foundation designed to promote healthy lifestyles among children and adolescents. At each stage of the race, Highmark Finish Line Festivals (which are free and open to the community) will feature health and wellness expos, entertainment, games and prizes. The event is being organized by Tour of PA, LLC, a partnership between ISM-USA of Pittsburgh and Pro Cycling Tour, LLC of Norristown.

About Pittsburgh 250:
The American Eagle Outfitters Tour of Pennsylvania, presented by Highmark Healthy High 5, is an important part of Pittsburgh 250, the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the naming of the region in 1758. With the support of business, government and civic leaders from across the region, Pittsburgh 250 has set three goals: Improve awareness of southwestern Pennsylvania as a global leader in arts, science and quality of life through an integrated regional marketing effort; support the completion of lasting signature projects that connect the region’s past to its future; and improve the region’s competitiveness for future generations by encouraging grassroots participation in improving communities, attracting visitors, and living healthier lives.

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