PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Rick Baraff
Tel: +1-415-359-0730
EM: rbaraff@o2sm.com
www.norbanationals.com

First NMBS Race Set to Roll in the High Desert

Big Bear Lake, CA -- The NOVA Desert Classic, first stop on the 2006 National Mountain Bike Series, is set to showcase some of the country's top pro and amateur mountain bike riders at McDowell Regional Park in Fountain Hills, Arizona on March 24th.

While the NOVA Desert Classic encompasses plenty of racing and non-racing events for everyone from kids to the pros, the Marathon race is the sole event that will count towards NMBS series points.

Reborn in 2003 from Arizona's long-standing Cactus Cup, the NOVA Desert Classic has continued to be a popular early season race for pro riders.

With the venue for this year’s race being so close to the metropolitan areas of Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, the NMBS is making good on their promise to make mountain biking more accessible to urban areas.

"The course that the Marathon riders will race on is called 'Competitive Track' and was designed and built specifically for mountain bike racing by the racing community," says Jerry Sieve, director of Team NOVA, a youth-oriented cycling foundation. "McDowell Park is a fantastic venue for bike racing or just a day out of the city to enjoy the festivities. There’s easy camping, a giant site for the tech and expo areas, and plenty of parking right across the road."

The NOVA Desert Classic was instituted to help raise money for the NOVA Youth Cycling Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization which helps promote youth mountain bike racing through education, training, scholarships, and a mentorship program.

The NMBS is the premier mountain bike racing series in the United States with eight stops in six states including Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado, North Carolina, and Vermont.

The series looks to make a mark beyond the racecourse by promoting the fun and health of biking through a number of community outreach programs at schools and bike shops near the venues.

The National Mountain Bike Series continues on May 5-7, in Southern California with a multitude of downhill, cross country, and short track races which will count towards NMBS points.