Come for the trade show, stay for the Gran Fondo – and do some good in the process. The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) announced that this Saturday’s RTC 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo Pinarello Presented by Vector Media will welcome more than 560 cyclists from more than 30 states as part of its efforts to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The cyclists, who prepared for the race through the organization’s Team In Training program, will join more than 1,000 other cyclists registered to participate in the event.
Team In Training (TNT) riders have been training for months for Viva Bike Vegas and many will ride as a tribute to loved ones with cancer. Rosemarie Yu of Las Vegas is riding in honor of her father who she lost to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Another TNT rider, Timothy Talbot of Alabama, is currently battling chronic myelogenous leukemia, but continues his training for Viva Bike Vegas. Bob Heubeck of Ohio has cycled in half a dozen century rides and will also be participating in Viva Bike Vegas in honor of his son Kurt, who has battled Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society provides months of training for each rider, and they, in turn, raise money to support cancer research and patient services.
“The stories of these cyclists are amazing and heartwarming,” said Chris Fenton, vice president of Team in Training. “We are glad to be able to partner with the RTC to offer this unique ride to our dedicated participants who are raising awareness and money to help fund blood cancer research and provide services to patients and their families.”