PORTLAND, OR – May 30, 2008 – Cloudy skies and a light drizzle didn’t deter the 200+ cyclists who made their way to Pioneer Square on May 25th to participate in Portland’s first ever New Belgium Urban Assault Ride. Teams of two cycled to checkpoints at Sunnyside School Park, Fat Tire Farm, River City Bicycles, Community Cycle Center, Plan B Bar, and Laurel Hurst Park to complete various obstacle courses, including bike jousting and big wheel races.

Local racers Doug Ollerenshaw of Rock Racing and Jason Sager of Mona Vie Cannondale comprised the winning team with a time of 1:15. Each received a limited edition cruiser bike from New Belgium Brewing, the title sponsor of the event.

The pedal-powered urban scavenger hunt benefited the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, an organization dedicated to opening minds and roads to bicycling. Portland participants pledged to ride 25,200 miles through New Belgium Brewing’s TeamWonderbike, potentially diverting some 25,000 pounds of CO2.

Remaining Urban Assault rides in the 2008 series are Austin (June 22), Fort Collins (July 20), Denver (July 27), Madison (August 24), Minneapolis (September 21) and Chicago (September 28).

About Urban Assault Ride: The Urban Assault Ride is a green event designed to show riders that a bike is a great way to get around town.Its “green focus” extends beyond bike advocacy. The production powers the event with a solar generator, a bio-diesel truck delivers the gear to each city, and almost all event waste is composted or recycled.

Find out more at www.urbanassaultride.com.

source: Sharon Cutler