DENVER, April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The USA Pro Cycling Challenge, formally known as the Quiznos Pro Challenge, today announced that it has entered into a television agreement with the NBC Sports Group to present 25 hours of cycling coverage over seven days.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110405/LA77300LOGO)

NBC Sports will broadcast the final day of the inaugural seven-day professional cycling competition live on August 28, 2011.  VERSUS, a member of the NBC Sports Group, will extensively cover the event with 3.5 hour broadcasts each day from August 22-28.  

The event also announced the change of its name to USA Pro Cycling Challenge in order to showcase the global scale of the event to a worldwide audience.  Quiznos will continue as a founding sponsor with the same level of participation in the event.

"There is no stronger television partner than the NBC Sports Group to present the USA Pro Cycling Challenge," said Shawn Hunter, co-chairman of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.  "With the NBC Sports Group's extensive, 25 hours of live coverage, millions of fans will be able to follow their favorite cyclists as they compete in the most demanding professional bike race ever held in America."

NBC will broadcast the USA Pro Cycling Challenge live for two hours on August 28, 2011, while VERSUS, the official home of the Tour de France in the US, will cover 30 minutes of pre-race coverage and one hour of post-race coverage in addition to live event coverage throughout the entire competition.

"Professional cycling is growing to be one of the largest and most compelling international sports to follow," said Jon Miller, President of Programming of NBC and VERSUS.  "Our goal is to give viewers unique access to the pageantry, drama, and extreme competition that will take place as many of the world's top athletes compete to win the first USA Pro Cycling Challenge."  

USA Pro Cycling Challenge

Effective today, the official name of the international professional cycling competition is now the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.  The event was initially titled the Quiznos Pro Challenge after the event's founding partner, Quiznos.  Quiznos will continue as a founding partner with the same level of involvement and participation.

"As the race continues to build momentum with teams and sponsors from across the globe, and as we significantly increase media coverage nationally and internationally, our new logo will brand the event in a way that better communicates the scale of the event and its audience," said Rick Schaden, owner and co-chairman of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.  "Our goal is to help raise the profile of professional cycling in the United States by hosting an epic race in Colorado that draws the top cyclists in the world and mirrors the excitement of the Tour de France."  

The event also has unveiled a new logo, website www.USAprocyclingchallenge.com and Twitter page @USAProChallenge.  

About the USA Pro Cycling Challenge

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge is expected to be the largest spectator event in Colorado history and one of the largest sporting events to ever take place in the United States.  For seven consecutive days, 128 of the world's top athletes will race across nearly 600 miles through the majestic Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they've ever had to endure, more than two miles in elevation.  It's the best of the best in professional cycling, competing on a challenging course through some of America's most beautiful scenery, including cities such as Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs.  

As the interest in professional cycling continues to grow as a global sport, (which is evident by the addition of two new UCI-sanctioned races this year alone in Beijing and Quebec), it is fitting that the USA Pro Cycling Challenge comes along just in time to put a stake in the ground for the United States.  The USA Pro Cycling Challenge is expected to be one of the biggest and best races worldwide... America's answer to the Tour de France.

The inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge will take place August 22-28, 2011.  With more than one million spectators expected at the event, as well as national television exposure on NBC and the cable network VERSUS, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge will be  the race to celebrate in America.  

Spectators of this race will see Olympians, World Champions and Tour de France competitors.  Fans worldwide will have access to the competition and riders like never before with the most advanced, interactive online, smartphone and broadcast television experience presented to date in professional cycling.

About VERSUS

VERSUS, part of the NBC Sports Group, prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD).  Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and Professional Bull Riders (PBR).  VERSUS also airs NASCAR, NBA, UFC, college football and college basketball programming.  The network is home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else. VERSUS is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

Contact Stacie Lange, EVP of Marketing and Communications 303-592-3800 slange@consumercp.com

SOURCE USA Pro Cycling Challenge