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Switch in Host Communities Add Hills of Wisconsin to Stage 5 Road Race

Minneapolis (Aug. 13, 2009) – In 2010, the Minnesota Bicycle Festival will become the Midwest Bicycle Festival when it adds a Saturday event in the Wisconsin City of Menomonie. Menomonie will host the Stage 5 road race of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, the top ranked stage race on the 2009 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. Menomonie, in mostly-rural Dunn County, is just across the Wisconsin border, 60 miles East of Saint Paul.

Although geographically close, it’s a world apart when it comes to terrain. Dunn County is known for its bicycle-friendly roads, with rolling hills and long climbs that will change the math of the entire Nature Valley Grand Prix. The Menomonie Road Race replaces the Mankato Road Race, which had 80 miles of flat, open terrain before finishing with four laps of a final circuit that included the brutal Main Street Hill. The rural route in Mankato was only selective when it was windy, but it’s been calm for the past two years. The move to Menomonie guarantees that the Saturday road race will be selective under any weather conditions.

“The Menomonie Road Race will favor climbers and strong all-arounders”, said Midwest Bicycle Festival executive director David LaPorte. “The teams have been asking for more climbing, and we’ve moved across the border to grant them their wish. This will be a course where significant blocks of time can be made up or lost and will set the stage for the final showdown the next day in Stillwater.”

“This is an excellent move for the Nature Valley Grand Prix”, said Team Type 1 General Manager Tom Schuler, a native of Wisconsin. “I know Menomonie well. It’s the perfect location for a classic road race.”

Dunn County is home to many cycling enthusiasts and has made great strides in developing itself as a destination for bicycle tourism. The Greater Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce has been a leader in that county-wide effort and is the driving force behind the Menomonie Road Race.

“We’re thrilled that the Nature Valley Grand Prix is coming to Menomonie,” said Mark Lewis, avid cyclist and past president of the Chamber of Commerce, who’s heading the local steering committee. “Many Menomonie area residents have been attending the Nature Valley Grand Prix for years and hosting a stage in our home town had been a dream that has finally come true.”

The top women’s stage race in the United States and one of the top men’s races, the Nature Valley Grand Prix’s six stages will include a time trial; three criteriums in the downtowns of Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Stillwater; and road races in Cannon Falls and now, Menomonie.

About the Midwest Bicycle Festival and Nature Valley Grand Prix

The Midwest Bicycle Festival takes place each June, drawing cycling enthusiasts from around the country. Having just completed its 11th annual event on June 10 – 14, 2009, it is one of the nation’s top celebrations of bicycle culture in the country. Its featured event, the Nature Valley Grand Prix, was the premier stage race on the 2009 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. The 2010 Nature Valley Grand Prix schedule will include stops in Saint Paul, Cannon Falls, Minneapolis, Menomonie, and Stillwater. The Midwest Bicycle Festival is a volunteer-run event, with all proceeds donated to Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, the festival’s benefiting charity. More info at www.MinnBikeFestival.com

About Nature Valley

Nature Valley, the brand that created the granola bar category in 1975, brings great taste to healthy, active consumers looking for wholesome snacks. Nature Valley comes in a variety of delicious bars, Crunchy Granola, Trail Mix Chewy Granola, Chewy Granola with Yogurt Coating and Sweet & Salty Nut Bars. Visit www.NatureValley.com

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