World Military Games Cancelled // Mlujeak to be on Cheerios Box
Thursday, August 28, 2003

Cyclists,

This report is just a collection of information that I thought you’d be interested in knowing – some has gone out in previous news releases:

World Games Cancelled
You may or may not be aware that the 3rd Military World Games (CISM), scheduled for Catania, Italy in September have been postponed. The cycling portion has been cancelled completely. This is very disappointing for the members of our Armed Forces Cycling Team who have been so focused on this event for the entire season.

Hessen-Rundfahrt (Tour of Hessen), Germany
Prior to the cancellation of the World Games, the U.S. Armed Forces Cycling Team was accepted to ride in the Tour of Hessen as a preparation race for worlds. This is still on! Riding as a U.S. National Team, our Armed Forces athletes will be riding against some of the best teams in professional cycling. All race details can be found at http://www.hessen-rundfahrt.de/
I will try to send out updates from the road but I’m not sure if this is possible. Try these sites for updates: www.armedforcessports.com, www.usacycling.org, and www.cyclingnews.com

The U.S. Armed Forces Team is in Europe until 23 September – I’ll send out the remainder of the race schedule as we firm it up. Our acceptance into the Tour of the Rheinland Pfalz is pending.

U.S. National Military Mountain Bike Championships
This championship will be held 30 August at Keystone, Colorado. We’ll name one female and one male U.S. Military National Mountain Bike Champion. The military championship is for racers in NORBA category expert and above for cross country only. Good luck to everyone who participates! I hope this is the start of something great for the mountain bike side of our program! Check out the web site at
http://www.warriorscycling.com/snakeriver.php

U.S. Forces Europe Road Cycling Championships
For those of you who participated in this event, send me an email requesting results and I’ll forward the excel file out to you. I can’t send it to this list of now more than 1000 military cyclists. Also, if you send me your mailing address, I’ll get the photo CD out to you – this won’t likely happen until October – but I promise it will happen!

Cheerios!!
Steve Mlujeak, team leader for the U.S. Armed Forces Cycling Team, has his photo on a Cheerios box!! In a sponsorship agreement between General Mills and Armed Forces Sports, a special Cheerios box was created to highlight military athletes. Steve was chosen to represent the Coast Guard. These boxes are supposed to start showing up in military commissaries beginning today (28 Aug). Please show your support for this program by buying a box of Cheerios!
All Armed Forces Athletes who are appearing on the boxes will have "box signings" at their home base commissaries today (28 Aug). We have a bonus for cycling fans in Europe — the entire U.S. Armed Forces Cycling Team will be at the Vogelweh Commissary on 11 September from 4-6pm and at the Ramstein Commissary on 15 September also from 4-6pm.
Congratulations Steve!!

Licenses for Overseas Cyclists
If you are stationed and have been racing outside of the U.S. and need to get your USA Cycling license and category correct for when you move back to the states, please contact me and I’ll help you with this. I am working with our liaison at USA Cycling to make sure we get you licensed in the correct U.S. category based upon your overseas resume.

Verge Uniforms
Verge Sport is a sponsor of our Armed Forces Cycling Team and they have also sponsored our Military National Champion jerseys for the past two years. If your club needs jerseys or, better yet, complete cycling uniforms — Verge can make you a deal!! They can do as much of the work as you’d like all the way from the artwork and design. Their military prices are very reasonable, they are prepared to sell small quantities. They also have the best turn-around time in the business.

Psycho Lube and AT&T
Our other Armed Forces Cycling sponsors — Psycho Lube and AT&T — also appreciate your support.

See you at the races,

Debra Ponzio
USAFE Fitness & Sports
Manager, U.S. Armed Forces Cycling
[email protected]

photos by Jonathan McElvery, Jack Milton, and BikeReg.com