Immediate release from USA Cycling!

The GC is pleased to announce that the 2008 Georgia Cup will be supported by USA Cycling for all events! Including marketing, advertising and race day! We are very excited to work directly with USA Cycling to make the Georgia Cup the nation's premier cycling series.

Released today from USA Cycling:
Hi everyone, I can now report the good news that the Georgia Cup race this weekend in Albany is being permitted as we speak, so there are no issues for any professional teams that want to go। It sounds like a great race and part of a great series। I hope to make it to some of them myself this year. Thanks for your patience in this matter. Have fun in Albany! Best wishes, Shawn Farrell Technical Director USA Cycling

www.georgiacup.com

ALBANY WEATHER LOOKING GREAT!

HIGHS in the Low 70's with winds NW at 5 mph for this weekend in Albany!! Looks like a great weekend shaping up! http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdetail/USGA0009?dayNum=4

www.georgiacup.com

HOODIE NOW AVAILABLE!

GC Hoody now available for $35! Purchase on our GC Merchandise page or while you register(Albany) for your event. Pick up will be at registration.

www.georgiacup.com

GC Juniors Leaders Jersey Announced!

Carmichael Training Systems and TriStar Cycling Team are very pleased to support junior cycling through our sponsorship of the 2008 Georgia Cup junior leader jersey. Competitive cycling is a fantastic sport for juniors that builds fitness, teamwork and character" Said Mike Moore, President TriStar Cycling Team. "To enjoy the sport safely, juniors need the support of adult cyclists, cycling clubs and event promoters so we can grow the sport that we all love. And who knows, we might find a future Tour de France champion as well! Organizations like the Georgia Cup are taking the lead to focus on growing junior age competitive cycling and we are excited to support their efforts."

www.georgiacup.com

Tour of Atlanta announces stages!

The 2008 Tour of Atlanta will consist of 7 stages over 5 days. Beginning Thursday night, May 22 - Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day Morning). Finial locations will be released the first of May.

Stage one (Thursday): Sprints followed by 10k TT (PM)
Stage two (Friday): Crit (PM);
Stage Three (Saturday): 20k TTT (AM)
Stage Four (Saturday): 80 - 160k RR (PM)
Stage Five (Sunday): Circut (AM)
Stage Six (Sunday): 60 - 100k RR (PM)
Stage Seven (Monday): Crit (AM)

The epic Tour of Atlanta is a Stage race that showcases Atlanta's various challenging terrain and participants must complete the stage race to be eligible for prize money. There will be NOT be any time cuts in this stage race and there WILL be individual race entries allowed. Individual race entries are NOT eligible for prize money - However, are eligible for prizes, awards and PRIMES. All Tour of Atlanta stages will count toward the GC Leaders race including: Overall series - Yellow, Most Aggressive - MAR, King of the Mountain - KOM.

More information will be released in March.


The next weekend, May 31 - June 1, will be our annual Union City Mayor's Race

www.georgiacup.com

Jittery Joe's Professional CYCLING Team will race the 2008 GC

The GC is pleased to announce that Jittery Joe's Professional Cycling Team (http://www.thebeanteam.com/) will be racing the 2008 GC series. "We have committed to have riders at every GC event this year with the intent to win", said Micah Rice, GM of Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling Team. "Like the GC we are based in Georgia, so the GC is very important to us. With a lot of our sponsors (http://blog.thebeanteam.com/sponsors/) here in Georgia it is very important for us to do well racing the GC." Micah is the tireless General Manager for the Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling team. He is a longtime member of Athens' cycling community and the national racing scene.

"The Jittery Joe's Professional Cycling Team has built an exciting and powerful cycling brand that complements the GC's mission to organize the Southeast's Premier Cycling Series making it accessible and exciting for everyone," said James C. Lowe, III, Director of the Georgia Cup Bike Race Series. "Our organizations share similar values; we both always put our patrons and sponsors first and are committed to improving their experience."





www.georgiacup.com

Aaron's Women's Pro CYCLING Team to race select GC Events

http://www.georgiacup.com/index.php?page=Women

GC taking finial venue requests for the Tour of Atlanta

We are currently taking finial requests for venues for the GC's 1st annual Memorial Day weekend - Tour of Atlanta! The GC handles all permitting and cost involved in the venues. If you have a venue that you think would be a great location for one or more our our 7 stage race weekend please let us know by Friday, March 14, 2008 at 5pm. The venues will then be reviewed and finial venue selection by the GCAB will be complete on Friday, March 21, 2008.


Email info@georgiacup.com the following:

1. Give us details on the location and venue
2. Go to http://www.mapmyride.com/and provide the actual map of the route.
3. Type of race - Crit, Circut, RR, TT, TTT or other
4. Date(s) from Thursday, May 22 - Monday, May 26th - Thursday is going to be sprints at a location in Gwinnett. Friday (1 event), Saturday (2 events), Sunday (2 events) and Monday (1 event before noon).
5. Provide any contact information you have for the venue. Police, city, permits, etc. Who do we need to contact to get the event permitted?
6. Your contact information.

Thank you in advance!

CONTACT GC's OFFICIALS! Upgrades, etc...

2008 GC will follow USA Cycling rules; however, due to conflicts with other USA Cycling events (and other reasons) may NOT all be USA Cycling events. The choice is completely the GC's choice and will continue to use our core cycling officials for these events. There is NO need to panic! You will not notice any differences that will affect your racing or results. The GC will make these decisions on a case by case basis. Even though the event may not a USA Cycling event you are STILL eligible for upgrades! Log in to your USA Cycling account (https://www.usacycling.org/myusac/index.php?pagename=login) and submit your resume of races to be upgraded

____________________________________________________

GC Lead OFFICIALS
John Johnson - Upgrades
404.245.6782
jaldenj@att.net

John Patterson - Officials
770।354.7985

kb4slv@att.net

All State Championships and Juniors events will be USA Cycling events.

2008 USA CYCLING RULE BOOK!

http://usacycling।org/forms/RdTrkCx_rulebook.pdf


The GC follows rules set forth by USA Cycling!

If you are NOT familiar with the rules please take 30 minutes and review these rules.

Particularly:
101 - 111
1P - Protests & Hearings - Ex. 1P3b - Protests must be made within 15 minutes of the announcement of the results posted.
All of section 3 - Road Racing - Ex. 3b1 - Centerline rule - is NOT a 'yellow line' rule. You must not cross the 'center' of the road during an open course. Officials will relegate you to the back and if you blatantly attack the pack you will be DQ'd.
ex. 3c4 - Caravan - USA Cycling officials will announce if Caravan's maybe used. In stage races, order is determined by individual general classification when available. ex. 3d4, 3d5, 3d6, 3F (Team TT's), 3f12 (TTT support vehicles - must be approved by the Chief Official).

READ THESE TO HAVE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RULES.

2008 GC logo for all to use! Appropriately

2008 GC Downloadable Logo - http://www.georgiacup.com/images/gcdownloadlogo.jpg The GC logo 'maybe' used by all participating teams, sponsors, cities, venues & Bike shops। This means that you may put on websites, print, clothing, kits, etc. However, you MUST follow the "Team Style Guide" parameters (contact promoter for more info
http://www.georgiacup.com/index.php?page=contact)and you may NOT sell any items with the GC logo without express written consent from the GC. To date there are many patron teams, bike shops, cities, etc that have used the GC logo - The GC is not affiliated with any entity using the GC logo other than they are a participating team, sponsor, city, venue or bike shop (possibly others). The GC does NOT offer discounts, concessions or any free entries of ANY kind for these entities to use the logo. It is completely optional and at that entity's discretion.

ALBANY BIBLE and FLYER!

Bible - http://www.georgiacup.com/images/LM/GeorgiaCup/races/albany/AlbanyBible.pdf
FLYER - http://www.georgiacup.com/images/LM/GeorgiaCup/races/albany/albany_flyer.pdf
Registration - http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?EventID=5816


Early Bird will END soon!

USA CYCLING - VELONEWS GC Press Release

http://www.velonews.com/article/72089

GBRA First Time Racer $25 Discount!

If you are a first time racer in "GEORGIA" - Fill out this form and get refunded $25. This is a rebate - you must submit to GBRA(GA Bike Race Association) to receive your $25!

GC POSTER

Thank you to George Miko for designing our 2008 Poster! Anyone looking for custom design work please contact George at georgemikodesigns@yahoo.com! PLEASE take our POSTER and put in your local bike shop or anywhere you see fit. Thanks!

SAVE Money and register EARY BIRD!

We have added cost savings this year! Early bird entry is $10 less than last year! Standard entry is the same as last year. The TT is open to everyone for $25 and the TT times will be posted Friday afternoon (see bible and flyer). The GC Premier races are stage races and we will wait before we open up the individual entry until Friday before the race. If you want to 'just' race the crit or RR it WILL open Friday until 5pm. Then registration will be at the hotel Friday night and at the Registration table race day. We know that the prices are higher for individual races - that is because these are stage races not individual races. We will have early bird entry to our S7 events starting at $25 (see www.georgiacup.com for details).

For more info on AMB Chips go to http://www.amb-it.com/chipx-transponders-c-1_3.html.


We hope everyone really enjoys this year's GC.

GC Event Registration Explained!

What is the difference between the GC stage races and the GC Series 7?
Our premier stage races include a Time Trial, Criterium/Circut and an endurance Road Race timed using AMB.it Chip X technology. The Series 7 race weekends are individual races - race and go format. Competitors enjoy the flexibility of racing the entire weekend or just one event.

This means that GC Premier STAGE race weekends are just that STAGE races, thus the additional costs. We promote them as stage races not individual races like the S7. All S7 races WILL have Early Bird, Standard and Race Day entries. STAGE races will only have Race Day entries (Beginning online Friday before the race).

Still don't understand? The GC has made a lot of changes to better service the patrons. Offering the Early Bird gives discounts to those who know they are going to race the stage. It is a stage race, however, if on Friday before the race weekend there is still individual races open we will allow individual race entry.

New for 2008 we have RACE DAY entry for both the stage and individual races - if you want to wait and not register for Early Bird or Standard Registration you are welcome to just show up and register on race day for all events. BUT, there is a "service" fee for waiting. There is a "Cost" for waiting. That is why we added Early Bird registration. If you prefer to wait until the last minute to race then by all means do that but please understand it costs money. Time is money and running a series cost a lot of money. HELP US HELP YOU. Register Early Bird and SAVE $$$$$$. If not, we will accept your late registration but it costs money to add you.

If you still have questions please contact your GCAB representative or read the sponsorship/Info guide - The page that describes the costs to run a series.

We really hope this clearly explained our rationale and hope to see you In Albany!

Reality Bikes becomes the 2008 GC Women's Leaders Jersey Sponsor!

Please visit www.realitybikes.com!
Address:
20 Tri County Plaza
Cumming, GA 30040

Phone: 770-886-1175

Fax: 770-886-1176

Email: todd@realitybikes.com

Shop Hours:
Mon - Thu: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Fri: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sat: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Check out the jersey at http://georgiacup.com/index.php?page=jerseys
* White leaders Jersey's are awarded to the Stage Leader then will be presented to the winner of the stage at the end of the weekend. This jersey is separate from the Series Yellow Jersey.