Portland Twilight Criterium

Friday, August 12, 2011
NW 9th and Couch

WHO'S COMING

At the Portland Twilight Criterium presented by Subaru, the North Park Blocks will be packed with vendors, exhibitors and a food cart arena. Widmer is hosting our beer garden.

Subaru is a proud sponsor of the Portland Twilight Criterium. This is one of the premier cycling events in the country, and Subaru will be on hand to take in all the cycling action. Subaru will have a display area set up at the event, so feel free to stop by and check out their top of the line vehicles. With Symmetrical All Wheel Drive standard on all our vehicles, they are a perfect fit for the adventure driven outdoor enthusiast. So when you’re at the race, pedal on by our display area and see them for yourself.

	MAJOR SPONSORS
	What started as a dream for two ordinary brothers who just loved beer has now become a reality for two ordinary brothers who still just love beer. Kurt and Rob Widmer helped lead the Pacific Northwest craft beer movement in 1984 when, in their twenties, they dreamed of brewing American interpretations of authentic European style beers. In 1986, Widmer Brothers Brewing introduced the first American-style Hefeweizen; today, the unfiltered cloudy beer is the company’s signature brew and one of the best selling wheat beers in the country. Based in Portland, the brewery currently produces a variety of European- and American-style beers including Drifter Pale Ale, Drop Top Amber Ale and Broken Halo IPA. For more information about Widmer Brothers Brewing, visit Widmer.com.

		The Twilight Criterium is downtown Portland's showcase bicycle race. The excitement of criterium racing on a summer evening in the North Park Blocks is an event that has attracted considerable attention from Portland's downtown community. In 2009 the race was in jeoparty when a major sponsor announed they were pulling out. Loss of the race would have been a real blow to the Oregon race season, and the loss of a tradition to dedicate a portion of the race proceeds to local worthy causes like Bikes to Rwanda and the Community Cycling Center.
	One day, during a weekly Lawyer Ride up the West Hills intense hillclimb interval circuit, local race master Brad Ross was lamenting the potential end of the Twilight Crit. Between gasps for breath, a plan was hatched to save the Twilight Crit by banding together and creating a shared fund of proceeds to salvage the race. Local race stalwart Mark Ginsberg and Ray Thomas teamed up with a changing cast of lawyers to donate to the race. That tradition continues this year as Mark and Ray donate time and money to make the race happen. The lawyers both have some skin in the game: Mark is a Cat 1-2 racer who has won the Twilight Crit in the past (as a Cat 3) and Ray's son Chris (a soon-to-be lawyer) is racing as a Cat 3.

		Rapha creates the finest cycling clothing and accessories in the world. Designed without compromise for the most discerning rider, Rapha products blend style with optimum performance. A passion for road racing means Rapha is more than just a product company, and Rapha in Portland supports the Portland Twilight Criterium to prove it.

		Be sure to grab the August 11 edition of the Portland Mercury for the two-page spread Race Guide. The Portland Mercury supports the Rose City Rollers.

HANDBUILT BIKE SHOW

Portland is a special place where bicycles are loved: ridden with love, admired with love and created with love.Our city has a stong faction of bicycle constructors - craftspeople creating custom bicycles made with love.

Meet the builders and check out their steeds in our special Handbuilt Bike Showcase at the Portland Twillight Criterium.

Past exhibitors have inclide:
Joe Bike
One Ghost
OBCA
Signal Cycles
Tsunehiro Cycles
Winter Bikes
and many others!

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