NEWS
For Immediate Release
May 27, 2008

Contact
Julie Whitley
(614) 832-5373
whitleyj@columbus.rr.com




GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio – A $20,000 purse will be on the line when hundreds of top professional cyclists return to central Ohio for the 2008 Germain.com Tour de Grandview Cycling Classic, June 28-29.

Ohio's premier professional cycling race, the event will celebrate 16 years in Columbus when it returns to Grandview Heights this summer.

The lion's share of the purse will be awarded to the top finishers in the elite men's and women's categories. Prize money also will be paid to placers in the Masters and Juniors categories. Unlike other events of its kind, the Tour will award equal prize money to the men and women.

"We're very proud to be able to offer such a sizable purse for this year's Tour and to reward our top men and women finishers equally," said Tour organizer Julie Whitley of the Grandview Community Association. "It's a testament not only to the growth and stature of the event, but also the generous contributions of Germain and our many other corporate supporters."

A favorite stop for top cyclists from the U.S. and around the world, the Germain.com Tour de Grandview Cycling Classic features two days of world-class bicycle racing through the streets of suburban Grandview Heights, as well as a number events and activities for spectators and cyclists alike.

Among the events tied to this year's Tour will be the Kids' Sprints competition and Ohio Cup Series criterium races on Saturday afternoon; a Saturday night street party with food, drinks, live entertainment and children's activities; and the signature Tour de Grandview Criterium races on Sunday afternoon.

The races will feature both men and women cyclists in multiple professional categories. The criterium courses will cover a number of the hilly, tree-lined streets on either side of Grandview Avenue, the city's main thoroughfare.

The Germain.com Tour de Grandview Cycling Classic is Ohio's premier cycling event, attracting an international field of more than 300 professional cyclists to central Ohio each year, as well as hundreds of cycling enthusiasts and spectators. Celebrating its 16th year in 2008, the Tour is organized by the non-profit Grandview Community Association with the support of the City of Grandview Heights and a host of local volunteers and sponsoring businesses. More information is available at www.tourdegrandview.com.

-30-