RUTGERS LAUNCHES EASTERN COLLEGIATE CYCLING SEASON INTO ORBIT, NINE
WEEK SERIES BEGINS WITH RACE OF TRUTH

Piscataway, NJ (March 4-5, 2006) - The colleges and universities of the
northeast are to emerge from winter hibernation this weekend to begin the hunt
for intercollegiate cycling glory. The Rutgers University Cycling Team presents
the first event in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) 2006 Spring
Road Series. This premier event kicks off the nine week countdown to the
Eastern Championships with a three-event feast in the relatively mild "southern"
climate of New Jersey. Rutgers has assembled a fantastic package for a record
number of new teams and riders coming out from across the northeast.

The first test of the weekend is the "no aero" individual time trial, held in
beautiful Johnson Park on Saturday, March 4th, 2006. This six kilometer race of
truth against the clock is an ideal way to see how well everyone's winter
preparation has progressed and will establish the early pecking order among
riders. "Rutgers' visionary decision to mandate mass-start-legal road bikes for
the event, free of aerodynamic time trial equipment, will level the playing
field and match rider against rider," predicted ECCC Conference Director, Mark
Abramson. He continued, "Riders such as Eddy Merckx would be proud of this
exceptional event."

An on-campus criterium follows Saturday afternoon at the Busch campus of
Rutgers, adjacent to the famous Rutgers stadium. The fast, flat, four-corner
criterium event features riders completing many laps of the short one kilometer
course with several intermediate sprints for team and individual points. With
the new ECCC sprint competition leader, the elite "A" women and men will be
sprinting ever harder for these "prime" intermediate sprints.

Sunday, March 5th features the second running of the Livingston Campus Circuit
Race held on a windy five kilometer loop. This longer event, held on the gently
rolling hills of the Rutgers campus, will be the initial test of endurance for
Eastern collegiate cyclists. At the conclusion of this first event, the initial
team rankings will be set in the Division 1, Division 2, and Ivy League ECCC
overall standings. As if school pride and honor were not enough to lure
students to the frozen tundra of North Jersey, the promoter has lined up a whole
host of amenities for race participants including professional massage.

The Rutgers Season Opener is promoted by The Rutgers University Cycling Team and
sponsored by Accelerade, All Brunswick Cyclery, Maul Electric, Inc.,
Cycle-Smart, Jamis Bicycles, and Verge Sport.

For more information check out: www.rutgerscycling.com

The Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) includes colleges in Delaware,
New England, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. As they compete from early
March through April, ECCC teams vie for the top of the season-long team point
standings, Collegiate Road Nationals qualification team spots, and the Ivy
League trophy. The inexpensive races feature team-oriented bicycle racing for
all abilities with team pride, glory, and honor as the only prize list

For further information check out: www.rutgerscycling.com