2007 Race Launch Announcment:
Pro Cycling Event Comes to Downtown Evanston
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Sponsors Chicago Area Leg of SuperWeek™
Evanston, IL. June 14, 2007
This year, Evanston, Illinois, will host one stage of the U.S.’s largest multi-category cycling event, the 17 days-long Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic™ bicycle race, informally known as SuperWeek™ (July 13–29, 2007). Evanston Northwestern Healthcare’s sponsorship will enable Evanston to host the July 22nd stage for the very first time.
Ray Grady
“We are very excited to be the title sponsor of an international sporting event like the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic,” says Ray Grady, President of Hospitals and Clinics, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. “One of our goals as a healthcare provider for Evanston and the surrounding community is to promote wellness, and that includes an active and healthy lifestyle. A professional sports event like this provides us the opportunity to connect residents to a host of health and wellness initiatives and healthcare services, while creating a great event for downtown Evanston.”
Evanston: The Gem of Chicago’s North Shore
Evanston — a suburb of Chicago — lies immediately north of the Windy City right along the Lake Michigan shore. Home to Northwestern University (a Big Ten school), it has a vibrant downtown with many restaurants, entertainment venues, retail stores and office space. Mass transit to Chicago and suburbs further out is plentiful and convenient, connecting residents and the surrounding communities.
Mayor Lorraine Morton
“Evanston is world class. Bringing the excitement of a professional sports race such as this will showcase our dynamic downtown and the ability of our city to host an international competition.” says Evanston Mayor Lorraine H. Morton. “We are grateful for the foresight of Evanston Northwestern Healthcare to sponsor an event that benefits the business and cultural communities; there is no doubt that they are an integral part of our town. We look forward to seeing this event grow with Evanston.”
“Evanston Northwestern Healthcare’s leadership in sponsoring this event is bolstered by the fact that business and community groups are supportive of this event and are involved with making it a success,” says Chris Mailing Vice President of the Turin Bicycling Society and Director of Operations for the Race.
Other supporting organizations are EvMark, the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, the Chicago North Shore Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, the Downtown Evanston Merchants’ Association.
Chris Mailing
“We are pleased with the response other local businesses have shown this event due to ENH’s sponsorship,” Mailing continues. Local businesses that have become supporting sponsors are:
- Whole Foods Market
- Hilton Garden Inn
- The Pioneer Press newspapers
- WXRT radio
- Allegra Print and Imaging
- Turin Bicycle
- Bianchi (bicycles)
- Grotto Communications, Inc.
- SRAM Corp. (bicycle components)
Pro Athletes and a Festival Environment
The Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic consists of 17 bicycle races in 17 cities (from Blue Island (south of Chicago) to Green Bay, Wisconsin) over 17 days in mid-July, concurrent with the renowned Tour de France. Celebrating its 38th year of racing, the ICC attracts 165,000 spectators watching 5,500 competitors from 40 states and 20 foreign countries as they compete for $125,000 in prizes. Top competitors come from European teams’ professional cyclists who are not competing in the Tour de France (only nine members of each team can compete in the Tour).
Free to the public, families, cycling enthusiasts and racers will experience the City at its best. The race is planned to run on a one-mile, hour-glass-shaped course in downtown Evanston. More than 30 restaurants, bars and food vendors are located directly on the course; another 20 are within one block. Every participating restaurant/food vendor on the course will be granted a one-day permit to offer outdoor dining in the parking lane on the street (diners will be separated from the cyclists by barricades).
Live music and dancing, arranged weekly during the summer in Evanston, are slated to begin immediately after the racing finishes. Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames are scheduled to play. Starting line is one block east of the Davis Street Station for both Metra and CTA train lines.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CYCLING CLASSIC
The Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic™ attracts top riders from across the United States and more than 20 foreign countries to compete in the longest-running multi-day bicycle race in the United States. Many of the world’s best riders have competed at the event including Greg LeMond, Fred Rodriguez and Lance Armstrong. The 38th annual event will take place from July 13-29, 2007, with races throughout Eastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. The Classic, also known by the name Superweek™, is produced by Breakaway Event Productions, LLC, and is sanctioned by USA Cycling and a featured event on the prestigious USCF National Racing Calendar (NRC). More information about the races is available at www.internationalcycling.com.
ABOUT EVANSTON NORTHWESTERN HEALTHCARE
Located in Chicago’s northern suburbs, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH) is an integrated healthcare system that includes Evanston, Glenbrook and Highland Park Hospitals, ENH Medical Group (comprising 65 medical offices and facilities), ENH Home Services, ENH Research Institute and ENH Foundation. Through its affiliation with Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, ENH supports extensive medical education and research. ENH is in the top 5.5 percent of all institutions that receive funding from the National Institutes of Health; among multi-specialty independent research hospitals, it ranks 10th in the nation in funding from NIH.
ENH is also ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
Press conference photos by Jon Hillenbrand,
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare
Web site by Grotto Communications, Inc.
Photos by Jon Hillenbrand of ENH and by Grotto Communications.