Great race course, thousands of excited fans, top level athlete participation, uplifting theme, and a commitment to helping charities and the local community.
The USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar (NCC) race on Sunday, May 6th, will again attract the nation’s top professional and amateur racers to the beautiful Pacific Coast community of Dana Point California. The 2011 Dana Point Grand Prix was officially recognized by USA Cycling as the largest participant 1-day criterium in America and this year’s 2012 race is projected to equal or surpass last year’s standard.
This year’s DPGP event is gearing-up to be one of the most star studded to date, confirmed athletes for the NCC DPGP include; current NCC point’s leader Hilton Clarke leading his UntitedHealthcare pb Maxxis team along with past NRC champion and peloton big-man Karl Menzies, last year’s 2011 DPGP champion Brad Huff with his Jelly Belly pb Kenda team, last weekend’s Athens Twilight and Historic Roswell criterium winners and team mates, Luke Keough and Ben Zawacki (Team Mountain Khakis-SmartStop), Eric Marcotte (ELBOWZ Racing) fresh off a stage 3 win at Joe Martin, and last year’s DPGP hero Devan Dunn (CashCall Mortgage) in a thrilling last few lap effort in the 2011 DPGP finale.
Internet webcast provider Uride.tv will stream live the 6th Annual Dana Point Grand Prix Presented by Amgen Breakaway from Cancer® beginning at 11:00am PST (2pm EST) with the Women Category Pro 1-3 and culminating with the NCC Men’s Pro 1 race at 4:10pm PST (7:10pm EST). Uride.tv will capture live exciting race action with interviews, features and highlights and the late afternoon West Coast start time of the DPGP NCC main event facilitates prime time webcast viewing in the Mid-West and East Coast time zones, please go to Uride.tv for more details.
Dave Towle, the voice of American bicycle racing will again be announcing the live action in the booth and will be joined by Dana Point hometown hero and Olympic Champion Steve Hegg along with Roger Worthington, President of the Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation, organizers of the DPGP.
Jamie Paolinetti (Monster Media Powered by MRI) American cycling stalwart, will be filming another segment of his continuing cycling reality series, ‘Race Day’at the DPGP. Said Paolinetti; “in this episode, the old guys of MM try to hold their own against the best pros at the biggest crit in the country in Dana Point”. Some of the Monster Media Powered by MRI Team will be doubling-up for the day, seeing action in both the Master 35+ race and NCC Pro 1 event.
Sterling BMW of Newport Beach California will provide the official BMW DPGP pace vehicle throughout the day with rumors of a surprise sneak peek of the new exciting BMW M6 to be on display and possibly in action around the race course.
Roger Worthington encourages everyone to come on down and become part of the action. “Every year we get bigger and better. This year will be no exception. The buzz began building the moment the incredible pro race ended last year. With projected 72* temperatures, we anticipate record setting fields, huge crowds, tons of kids, high speed racing, and the ultimate — a chance to reflect, to thank our lucky stars and honor cancer patients just before the main pro event by participating in the inspiring Breakaway Walk”.
The DPGP six turn L-shaped .8 mile criterium course will once again wind through neighborhoods overlooking beautiful Dana Point Harbor and finish on the iconic Pacific Coast Highway. The race course offers ample areas to view and cheer our nation’s top amateur and pro cycling athletes with amateur racing set to begin at 7:00 am. In addition to offering world class action on the race course, the DPGP showcases live music, a beer garden on the finishing stretch, expo area on the race course, In ‘n Out Burger trailer, and our popular, Kids Zone. Public, kids, amateur and pro events will race all day, from 7 am to 6 pm PST.
