City of Rochester to Host International Cycling Event
The MVP Health Care Rochester Twilight Criterium Brings Fun for all Ages to Downtown Rochester
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scott Page / 585-520-1166, Rachel Gordon / 585-820-8885
Rochester, N.Y. April 12, 2019 — MVP Health Care, Full Moon Vista Bike & Sport, and The City of Rochester today announced that the MVP Health Care Rochester Twilight Criterium will return to Downtown Rochester on Saturday, May 11th, for a fifth consecutive year. The event is part of USA Cycling’s prestigious Pro Road Tour and will feature top male and female athletes from across the United States and around the world. The day-long event will also feature Big Wheel Kids Races and a ‘Little Kids, Big Rigs’ event, offering entertainment for the entire family.
“Since starting this event is 2004, it has been a joy to see it evolve to the highest level of professional criteriums in the US, hosted right here in Rochester,” said Scott Page, Owner of Full Moon Vista Bike and Sport.
A Criterium is a unique, American-style bike race that provides incredible lap-after-lap excitement highlighting the athletes’ extraordinary bike-handling skills combined with explosive speed. This USA Cycling sanctioned race is a 9-corner course and is only one of eleven Pro Road Tour criteriums in the United States. The prize purse for men and woman’s elite races equal $12,000.
“The MVP Health Care Rochester Twilight Criterium brings the world’s top cyclists and thousands of spectators to Rochester each year for an exciting day of races and activities for people of all ages,” said Denise Gonick, MVP Health Care’s Chief Executive Officer and Director. “For the second consecutive year, we are proud to be a title sponsor of this event, which highlights the importance of creating a healthy community for our members through sport and exercise.”
New to this year’s MVP Health Care Rochester Criterium schedule is a Big Wheel Kids Race in collaboration with the Strong National Museum of Play. A smaller, modified course will be set up at the finish line on the Broad St. Bridge for kids to ride and race on big wheel bikes (kids bikes, and helmets will be available for use, free of charge). Additionally, The City of Rochester will host a Little Kids & Big Rigs event at the Criterium to celebrate the City and Play the Riverway! Up to 20 vehicles, including police cars, fire trucks, SWAT vehicles, an ambulance, dump trucks, construction equipment, RTS buses, and much more, will be on hand for kids to explore. Both events will be free for all children who want to participate and starts at 2:00pm on the Broad Street bridge.
Additional events throughout the day include the third annual Rochester Mile, which will feature one-mile races for elite and amateur female and male runners. The elite runners will hit the streets with the hopes of breaking course records and capitalizing on the equal $2,500 purses.
“Come for the trucks and stay for the bikes!” said Mayor Lovely A. Warren. “This is a wonderful opportunity for families to spend time together and enjoy hours of free activities, including getting close to real fire trucks and construction vehicles. Then stay and enjoy world-class bike racing at the Twilight Criterium. This is just one example of how our community can Play the Riverway and bring attention to our Roc the Riverway plans along the Genesee.”
Among the nationally and internationally ranked teams competing at the Criterium are the 6-person all-Australian women’s team, Roxsolt Attaquer, including 19-year-old sensation and current National Champion Sarah Gigante, and 11-time National Champion, Peta Mullens. Also competing will be Hong Kong registered UCI Continental team, X Speed United, who will be sending an 8-person men’s team from Australia, Hong Kong and Canada along with additional racers from the Canadian development squad, National Cycling Centre Hamilton (NCCH).
Calling the races throughout the day will be professional race announcers Richard Fries and Frankie Andreu. Racing legend, Frankie Andreu was former teammate of Lance Armstrong, team captain of US Postal Service and 9-time Tour de France racer – now world-renowned cycling commentator.
The famous Rohrbach’s beer garden will be open from 2:00pm to 11:00pm along with eleven of the best food trucks Rochester has to offer.
This is an event not to miss!
For more information visit: www.rochestercrit.com, www.rochestermile.com, or on Facebook and Twitter.
###
About MVP Health Care
MVP Health Care is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health insurer caring for more than 700,000 members in New York and Vermont. Committed to the complete well-being of our members and the communities we serve, MVP makes health insurance more convenient, more supportive, and more personal. For more information, visit www.mvphealthcare.com, or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.