FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION RACE ADDED TO
TOUR OF CONNECTICUT
See tomorrow¹s stars today

WATERBURY, CT ­ (April 15, 2004) ­ Tour of Connecticut producer, Sparta
Cycling, announced today that the 30K Junior criterium held on May 22 will
be a Junior Worlds selection race and one of the qualifying races for the
Junior PCT Grand Prix.

To better understand the world of Junior Cycling here¹s what Ron Ruggiero,
President of Tri-State Velo Cycling Team, said about this race.

What can spectators expect to see?
RR: You can expect to see some very hard and aggressive racing. The format
for the race is a two-day Omnium which means that although there are two
races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, it will be the rider with the best
overall placings at both races who will be the winner. Add to the fact that
this race is a Junior Worlds selection race and it is one of the qualifying
races for the Junior PCT Grand Prix and you are sure to see one of the
finest junior fields ever assembled. One race will favor the better climber
and the other the one with the most speed in his legs at the finish or the
rider that can get off the front and work really well in a break. Although
these riders are young, many are well versed in cycling tactics and others
will come with strong teams to work for the overall leader, much as the US
Postal Team works for Lance Armstrong.

Is 30K the usual distance for a junior race?
RR: 30 K is just 20 miles, which is a good enough distance for juniors;
some races are longer and some shorter. It depends on the circuit¹s
difficulty and type of race. The circuit race has a good size hill in it and
that will test most of the rider¹s legs when they have to negotiate it 5 or
6 times.

What is the age for junior competition?
RR: Categorized junior racing in the USCF (United States Cycling
Federation) starts from the age of 8 and goes up to age 18. For the most
part though, a junior¹s race will be an open event, meaning that you will
see all ages in this event. This is a great challenge for the younger
competitors racing with the older and more experienced juniors.

Are the juniors sponsored?
RR: Some of the junior riders will be sponsored in full or in part by the
teams they represent. For example, our juniors receive their racing
uniforms, helmets and shoes, plus we help them with entry fees and some
coaching fees as well. This sponsorship comes from the team sponsors, in our
case Amoroso¹s Baking Company and Victory Brewing Co., and they provide our
organization monetary and material support.

How does a young person interested in cycling get involved?
RR: Well, the lifeline of the sport in the local cycling club. They are the
ones that are out their each and every day. They promote races, provide
coaching and support for up and coming young athletes. Most cycling clubs
are associated with neighborhood bicycle shops so that is another good
resource. Velodromes also have programs to get youngsters interested in
learning about the sport and it is a safe way to learn about racing because
it is in an enclosed, un-trafficked environment. Sometimes though, just
asking someone on a bike out on a training ride is the best way to find out
about the local cycling and racing scene in your area.

How many college teams are there?
RR: There are quite a few colleges that have good cycling programs. In
fact, collegiate cycling has become a great source of new talent. We have
had juniors that came up through our program and are now in college. They
compete with their respective college teams and then come to our programs in
late and mid-may to ride for Tri-State Velo in the elite espoir and senior
men¹s races for the remainder of the racing season. Penn State, Marion, and
UC Colorado are just some of the schools that have fine programs.

Who are some juniors from the past whose name we would recognize today?
RR: George Hincapie, Sarah Uhl, Bobby Julich, Greg Lemond and John Eustice!
Most of today¹s and yesterday¹s top professionals got their start in junior
cycling, with the help of local cycling clubs.

The Tour of Connecticut will be televised on Connecticut¹s UPN station WCTX
& ABC¹s WTNH. It will also be videocast internationally on ARIA TV SPORTS
an internet-based channel that delivers high quality sports programming
across the net: www.ariatv.com. The final stage of the TOC, the Housatonic
Classic, will be broadcast live on WLAD-AM80 Radio.

The Tour of Connecticut is presented by North West Connecticut Convention
and Visitors Bureau, Land Rover, the Housatonic Valley Sports Organizing
Committee, Council of Elected Officials and Economic Development Partnership
and Mavic.

The Tour of Connecticut is produced by Sparta Cycling of New York City.
Sparta Cycling, Inc. is one of America¹s top cycling event promoters that
designs and implements world-class cycling events based on strong community
involvement. Sparta properties include the Tour of Connecticut, the
Housatonic Valley Classic and the Univest Grand Prix.

For more information, visit:
www.tourofct.com
www.housatonicvalleyclassic.com
www.spartacycling.com

####