July 8/10 10:21 am - Queens Park GP Names Title Sponsor

Posted by Editoress on 07/8/10
 

Race organizer and producer Hello Vélo (hellovelo.ca) today announced sportsnet.ca - part of Rogers Media - as the title sponsor of the 2010 Queen's Park Grand Prix, to be held on September 19th, with top professional and amateur teams from Quebec, the U.S. and the rest of Canada invited to participate in this premier bicycle race.

"We are proud to be the title sponsor of this great event that brings elite racing back to Canada's largest city," said Claude Galipeau, SVP and GM, Digital Media, Rogers Media. "Our sponsorship ensures that the Sportsnet.ca Queen's Park Grand Prix becomes one of the premier events in the 2010 cycling calendar. This event will be available for viewing online, connecting cyclists across Canada and the world to Ontario's crown jewel of racing."

"We've gained significant momentum with sportsnet.ca coming on board," said Paul Parker, owner of Hello Vélo. "The resources that sportsnet.ca brings in terms of marketing, web presence and access to new promotional vehicles puts us in a much better position to attract top pro teams, build excitement and draw new participants to the sport of competitive cycling."

The Sportsnet.ca Queen's Park Grand Prix will feature three distinct races on the roads circling Queen's Park in Toronto. The first race will be a 45 minute Master's Open Race for amateur men, followed by a 60 kilometre Women's Elite Race and an 85 kilometre Men's Pro Am Race, the premier race attracting world class cyclists by invitation only.

Race details:

• The Elite Women's Race is open to Senior 1, Senior 2 and Master 1 UCI-carded female racers. With a total estimated purse of $5,000, the field will be limited to 110 individuals, with preferential pole position to be offered to teams. The Elite Women's Race will be 60 kilometres long, including a two lap neutral start.

• The highlight of the Queen's Park Grand Prix will be the men's ProAm Race, featuring some of North America's top racers. The ProAm race is open to male Senior 1 UCI-carded individuals with Senior 2 racers also eligible to participate if part of an S1 team. With a total estimated purse of $5,000 the field will be limited to 110 racers with priority positions being offered to teams. The ProAm will be 80 kilometres in length, including a two lap neutral start.

Hello Vélo will be waiving race fees for all racers in the Elite women's and men's ProAm Race, but will require all entrants to be vetted through an application process. Elite racers who must travel a fair distance to reach Toronto may be eligible for start fees and travel expenses, solely at the discretion of the race organizer.

Details on the Master men's race will be released separately.

More information about the Queen's Park Grand Prix is at www.queensparkgp.com