Big Race in Charlotte, NC in 2004

See the link below:

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlot...ts/6467526.htm

Text follows:

Pro race to be in Charlotte
$125,000 expected to attract top riders
KAREN GARLOCH
Staff Writer



Lance Armstrong, who just won his fifth straight Tour de France, will
be first on the invitation list for a new professional bike race to be held
in uptown Charlotte next June.

Race organizers will announce details of the event this morning at a
news conference.

The 50-mile race, tentatively set for June 12, is expected to attract
top cyclists, with a purse greater than $125,000, the largest for a
single-day, closed-circuit format, race director Thad Fischer said Tuesday.

Proceeds will benefit the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas. Jim
Palermo, a Bank of America executive, and Dr. Tony Asher, a Charlotte
neurosurgeon, are leading the campaign to raise $1 million from the race and
a total of $5 million in three years for brain tumor research, equipment and
patient and family support services.

Most of the funds will stay in Charlotte for the brain tumor fund or
the Buddy Kemp Caring House, a cancer support center named for a former Bank
of America executive who died of a brain tumor.

Palermo, whose son survived a brain tumor and is now a radiation
oncologist at Wake Forest, said the race will be part of the USA Cycling
national calendar and similar to one in Athens, Ga. That race, with a purse
of $50,000, draws 40,000 spectators, he said.

Palermo began to consider a bike race as a fund raiser after Armstrong
visited Charlotte last December to support brain tumor research.

In a written statement, Eric Moore, national field operations director
for USA Cycling in Colorado Springs, said the organization is "excited at
the prospective race" in Charlotte.

Fischer said he'll invite the best riders in the world to fill the
field of 125 to 150.

Organizers are seeking a name sponsor for the race and other financial
backers.


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WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Anyone interested in participating should contact Palermo at
; Asher at ; or Rick McClure at
.

"Chris" wrote in message
.. .


what do you expect them to say.
that we are expecting a couple of pro teams and a bunch of local clubs to
attend.

No. They can do a lot better than that with just the riders who actually
have a likelihood of participating.

Even with some deep pockets from local doctors, if the race organizers keep
spewing insinuations that because LANCE is invited he will be there, even
the doctor/benefactors will have egg on their faces when their friends and
coworkers ask, "How did Lance do in your race?" and non cancer related
sponsors may not want to commit to another year.