It’s Tour de France time and the fever is high. During the next week, the sport’s greatest race will be on the mind of every cycling enthusiast. With so much excitement around cycling, Lance Armstrong’s record-breaking quest and the support surrounding the tour, spectators are getting the urge to be part of the action.

Competing in the Tour de France may be a long shot, but anyone can take part in this year’s Cycle North Carolina, a recreational bike tour across the state. This year’s version of the seventh-annual ride involves an Asheville to Wilmington trek, from October 1-8, 2005. Cycle NC offers wonderful tourist stops along scenic back-roads and this year’s fall ride promises to be the highlight of the year for cyclists throughout the region.

Post a Job! $9 for 15 days

WHAT: 2005 Cycle North Carolina

WHEN: October 1, 2005 - October 8, 2005

WHERE: Cycle North Carolina will begin in Asheville, NC, and will make its way to the coast to Wilmington, NC, with 1,200 bicyclists expected to participate.

Cyclists will see several breathtaking sites along the way, including:
· Blue Ridge Mountains · Chimney Rock Park · Dennis Vineyards · Battleship North Carolina

REGISTRATION: Registration brochures are available now at www.cyclenorthcarolina.org. Cycle
North Carolina will be capping registration at 1,200 riders, so interested riders are encouraged to register early, to avoid missing out on the race of the year for bicycling in North Carolina.

CONTACT: For additional participant and event information call Sherry West at 919.361.1133 ext. 4 or sherry.west@ncsports.org or Kristin Kelly at 919.277.1180 or kkelly@fwv-us.com

BACKGROUND: Hosted by North Carolina Amateur Sports (NCAS), Cycle North Carolina is a fully supported cross-state recreational bike tour of the Tarheel state. Formed in 1999, Cycle North Carolina is designed to promote physical fitness and health, and provide economic impact and publicity to rural communities across the state while showcasing the state’s beauty, scenic attractions and cultural diversity.