Silver City’s Tour of the Gila to
Honor Sen. Ben D. Altamirano
May 2-6, 2007
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(Silver City, New Mexico)
Regarded as one of the
tougher stage races in North
America, the annual Tour of
the Gila, May 2-6, 2007,
will this year honor New
Mexico State Senator Ben
Altamirano.
“We are honored to be able
to name the Tour of the Gila
after Sen. Altamirano,” said
race director Jack Brennan.
“He has given many years of
service to Grant County and
all of southwest New Mexico.
After all he has done for
the state of New Mexico this
is the least we could do for
him.”
The Ben D. Altamirano Tour
of the Gila is the biggest
and most prestigious cycling
event in New Mexico,
annually attracting 450 to
550 participants to Silver
City from all
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Ben
Altamirano. |
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over North America and the
world. Last year, cyclists
from 32 states and 13
foreign countries
participated, with 50
percent of them coming from
Colorado, Texas, Arizona and
California. |
“I
see the Tour of the Gila as an
important event in Grant County,”
Sen. Altamirano said. “People from
all over the country visit the area
to participate in the Tour of the
Gila.”
Silver City, New Mexico |
“We are dedicated to the
continued expansion of the
Ben D. Altamirano Tour of
the Gila, an important step
in the process of proving
the economic viability of
New Mexico in the sporting
world,” Tourism Department
Secretary Michael Cerletti
said. “Small-town events are
the backbone of New Mexico’s
annual $5 billion tourism
industry. The folks in
Silver City are to be
commended for their efforts
in creating what has become
one of New Mexico’s more
popular competitive athletic
events and one that
continues to have a huge
economic impact in Grant
County. We are happy to
provide both financial
support and the help of
department
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marketing staff to help
insure the event’s continued
success.” |
The
Tour of the Gila began in 1987 and
is part of USACyling’s National
Racing Calendar. Stage One (May 2)
follows a 16.15-mile course along
State Road 90 near Tyrone, beginning
around 10 a.m. Stage Two (May 3)
begins at Gough Park in Silver City,
travels 94 miles to Mogollon and
includes nearly 6,000 feet of
climbing. Stage Three (May 4)
follows a 77.9-mile loop, beginning
and ending at Fort Bayard. Stage
Four (May 5) is the one-mile Silver
City Criterium through downtown.
Stage Five (May 6) is the 106-mile
Gila Monster Road Race with 9,131
feet of climbing, starting in Gough
Park and finishing in Sen.
Altamirano’s hometown of Pinos
Altos.
Co-sponsors of this year’s event
include the New Mexico Tourism
Department, Holiday Inn Express, Tim
Schoeny, JBV Coaching, the Town of
Silver City, Porter Oil Company,
Southwest Bone and Joint Institute,
GEO Care, 1st New Mexico Bank of
Silver City, Desert Exposure,
Comfort Inn, Gila Hike & Bike,
Phelps Dodge Mining Company, Gila
Regional Medical Center, Morning
Star, Prudential Silver Properties
and the International Association of
Firefighters Local 2430.
Race
information is available at
www.tourofthegila.com.
Information and Photos
courtesy of:
New
Mexico Tourism Department
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