Vande Velde to Race in D.C.'s ING DIRECT Capital Criterium

The organizer of the ING DIRECT Capital Criterium powered by
CycleLife announced Wednesday that Garmin Chipotle rider Christian
Vande Velde, fifth place overall finisher in this year’s Tour de
France, will be among riders competing for more than $50,000 in prizes
in the Washington, D.C., race scheduled for September 21.

The field competing for the big money purse, which will also feature
$5000 worth of ING DIRECT Orange Saving account primes, is a
star-studded cast representing America’s most decorated teams and
riders.

In addition to Vande Velde's Garmin Chipotle team, teams Toyota,
Colavita, Kelly Benefits, Toshiba, Healthnet Maxis, Jittery Joe’s,
Symmeterics, Time, Successful Living, Calyon Pro, Rite Aid, and more
will send riders to race the streets of the District of Columbia.

The course’s start/finish line sits directly on Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW (at 12th Street) ─ America’s grandest avenue, perhaps best known
around the world as the Presidential inauguration route from the U.S.
Capitol to the White House, which will be used this January by the 44th
President of the United States.

“While this race occurs late on the race calendar just before
InterBike and was officially announced only recently, we are extremely
pleased with the team and rider commitments thus far. There was a lot
of informal ground work laid before the announcement,” said Race
Director Mark Sommers. “The top-tier field racing the inaugural running
of this event is proof positive that a marquee cycling event in the US
Capital was long over due. Of course, the hefty prize money doesn’t
hurt either.

The race
course’s prime real estate was not lost on District of Columbia Mayor
Adrian Fenty, who added, “We want to use this bike race to create
mainstream public awareness of the significant health benefits of
cycling and its obvious green, non-polluting form of traveling.”

Garmin Chipotle directeur sportif Jonathan Vaughters commented,
“We’re sending some big names to the race, as this event has great
legacy potential. You’ve got the US Capitol in the background for the
finish, the course is challenging, and there is over $50K in prize
money. Having a cycling ambassador like Mayor Fenty involved is great
for the sport. I can’t think of a better place to stage a downtown
criterium than the Nation’s Capital.”

The event promoter plans to release the start list next week prior to the race.