CSC send David Zabriskie and Lars Michaelsen to the ABBC: HC; but the real stars are the Buddies

David Zabriskie and Lars Michaelsen of CSC join the ABBC: HC, but the real stars are the Buddies

Now you'll have the chance to ride along with a few more pros as David Zabriskie and Lars Michaelsen of Team CSC are all set to ride in the 2007 Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle. Zabriskie, the only American to win a stage in all three Grand Tours (Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana), is the reigning United States National Time Trial Champion and a past wearer of the yellow jersey in the Tour de France . The recently retired Michaelsen is a past stage winner of the Vuelta a Espana and twice placed fifth in Paris Roubaix .

The two CSC riders will join an all-star cast of cyclists at the 2007 ABBC: HC. T-Mobile's Belgian legend and Olympic medalist Axel Merckx, Olympic medalist Mari Holden, two-time National Champion Kimberly Baldwin, Kim Anderson and Aaron Olson, along with Jelly Belly pros Alex Candelario and Mike Jones and Kona's United States National Mountain Bike Champion, Ryan Trebon, will be riding.

Yet the real stars on the road to the Hearst Castle won't be the Tour de France veterans or the Olympic medalists, they'll be the 30 intellectually disabled Best Buddies program participants--the Buddies. Buddies like Michael Kelly, of Los Angeles, who will return to once again ride the full 100 miles with his Buddy, James Stankard of San Francisco.

Thanks to everyone's hard work fundraising, you've helped put smiles on the faces and friends on the minds of hundreds of thousands of people just like Michael who ordinarily might not have those opportunities. This year Best Buddies programs will impact more than 350,000 people with intellectual disabilities world wide, and it’s you we have to thank for that!

On behalf of Best Buddies International, we thank you for your fundraising efforts. Keep it up, and we will see you at the ride!