250 Cyclists Raise Nearly $1 Million in Arthritis Foundation's 12th Annual California Coast Classic Bike Tour Sponsored by Amgen

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 250 cyclists will kick off the Arthritis Foundation's 12^th annual California Coast Classic Bike Tour on Sunday, September 9, in San Francisco.   Participants, who will cycle down the California coastline over eight days, aim to raise nearly $1 million this year for the Arthritis Foundation.  They will finish in Santa Monica at the Yahoo! Center on Sunday, September 16 after covering 525 miles.  This year, the Bike Tour will also include a popular new, 150-mile weekend ride from Buellton to Santa Monica on September 15 – 16. The two-day riders will be welcomed at a celebration dinner in Buellton sponsored by Rabobank. 

"Since 2001, the Bike Tour has raised nearly $10 million, which has supported vital research, education and advocacy for people living with arthritis," said Manuel Loya, C.E.O. of the Arthritis Foundation, Pacific Region and veteran Bike Tour rider. "It has also been a great way for us to let people with arthritis and their families know about the valuable support and programs offered by the Arthritis Foundation."

This year's Bike Tour also features medical honorees Robert C. Klapper, M.D., Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Group and Co-Director of the Joint Replacement Program at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedic Center, and Lynda Huey, M.S., Owner/C.E.O. of CompletePT Pool & Land Physical Therapy.  In addition, the Arthritis Foundation has named ten youth living with arthritis to share their inspiring stories with riders as they make their way south along the California coastline.   

"We want people to understand that arthritis can strike at any age," said Loya.  "Arthritis afflicts nearly 300,000 children in the United States, which is surprising to many people.  When riders meet the children, they understand why their participation in the Bike Tour is so important."     

2012 Arthritis Foundation California Coast Classic sponsored by Amgen

The California Coast Classic Bike Tour sponsored by Amgen is open to adults of all ages and athletic ability. The goal of the event is to raise money to support arthritis research to find a cure, as well as to improve the quality of life for those who are affected by the more than 100 forms of arthritis. Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States, affecting about 50 million Americans.

The 2012 Amgen California Coast Classic Bike Tour will pursue the following route:

• Sunday, September 9 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz
• Monday, September 10 – Santa Cruz to Monterey
• Tuesday, September 11 – Monterey to Big Sur
• Wednesday, September 12 – Big Sur to San Simeon
• Thursday, September 13 – San Simeon to Pismo Beach
• Friday, September 14 – Pismo Beach to Buellton
• Saturday, September 15 – Buellton to Ventura (two-day ride begins)
• Sunday, September 16 – Ventura to Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

To learn more, please call (800) 954-CURE (2873) or visit www.californiacoastclassic.org. A $10 "text-to-give" donation can be made by texting the word "MOVE" to 80-888 from the donor's cell phone. The donation will be added to his/her mobile phone bill.

About Amgen

Amgen®, the title sponsor of the California Coast Classic, is a leading human therapeutics company in the biotechnology industry, and a leader in inflammation research. Amgen has brought important therapies like Enbrel® and Kineret® to rheumatoid arthritis patients.

About the Arthritis Foundation

Striking one in every five adults and 300,000 children, arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability. The Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org) is committed to raising awareness and reducing the impact of this serious, painful and unacceptable disease, which can severely damage joints and rob people of living life to its fullest. The Foundation funds life-changing research that has restored mobility in patients for more than six decades; fights for health care policies that improve the lives of the millions who live with arthritis; and partners with families to provide empowering programs and information.

SOURCE The Arthritis Foundation