Grand Rapids, Mich. (February 1, 2007)- ” The Priority Health Cycling Team, Michigan’s only professional cycling team, is competing in the Tour of California, the nation’s biggest and most prestigious cycling race. The team will be riding head-to-head with some of the world’s biggest names in cycling including the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, Team CSC, Predictor-Lotto Pro Cycling Team.
The Priority Health Cycling Team is one of only four national teams to be invited to participate in the Tour and one of only 15 International Cycling Union (UCI) Continental teams in the United States. Managed and based in Michigan, the team features some of Michigan’s top talent – Brian Sheedy of Rockford and Graham Howard of Grand Rapids.
“It is an honor to be invited to compete in this race,” said Mark Olson, Priority Health Cycling Team Manager. “We feel privileged to compete against these high caliber athletes and we are going to work really hard to make a mark in this race.”
The 2007 Amgen Tour of California is a 650-mile, eight-day stage race, modeled after the Tour de France. The race will feature 18 of the world’s top professional teams racing from San Francisco to Long Beach February 18-25. Split between teams who compete on the UCI Pro Tour and those who race predominately in the United States, the field of 144 athletes will be one of the most diverse, accomplished groups of cyclists ever assembled for a stage race in the U.S.
The race will kick off on Sunday, February 18, and will be featured on the cable station Versus from 5 to 7 p.m. Regular updates from the race will also be posted on TeamPriorityHealth.com.
About the Priority Health Cycling Team
The Priority Health Cycling Team, UCI Continental Pro Cycling lineup includes Brian Sheedy, Tom Zirbel, Teddy King, Robbie King, Richard England, Omer Kem, Morgan Schmitt, Ben Jacques-Maynes, Scott Zwinzanski, Graham Howard, Emile Abraham and Garrett Peltonen. Priority Health is the title sponsor. Bissell Inc. is the team’s 2007 presenting sponsor while Advantage Benefits is a key supporting sponsor. Product sponsors include Pinarello, SRAM, First Endurance, Axley USA, Giordana, Easton, Winalda Litho, Emerald Spas, Bell, Schwalbe, Speedplay and DMT. The Priority Health Cycling Team sponsorship supports Priority Health’s commitment to improving the health of the community.
About Priority Health
Priority Health is a nationally recognized health plan company based in Michigan. It serves more than 460,000 members with a broad portfolio of products including HMOs, PPOs, HSAs, Medicaid, and Medicare. Priority Health is a non-profit company governed by a volunteer board of directors. Dedicated to improving health and lowering health care costs, the company is consistently ranked among the nation’s best health plans by the National Business Coalition on Health and the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
