Professional Cyclists Ivan Dominguez and Jose Manuel “Chepe” Garcia of Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team speak with 200+ students

Solvang, CA, - Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team Stars, Dominguez and Garcia, spent a few hours with local students of the Solvang Elementary school teaching about the sport of cycling. The kids were shown proper riding techniques and safety features that professional teams use while they travel and race for the Amgen Tour of California. After the assembly, the attendees were given Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team Cowbells they can bring to the Solvang Stage 5 race of the ATOC on Feb. 22nd. Students were especially “buzzing” all the way back to the classroom holding their bells tightly so they would make it home safely to a place of honor in the home. One of my girls was wrapping hers up in lunch bag, “…so it won’t get scratched in my backpack, Mr. Padfield.”

In preparation for the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling road race, a specially developed classroom curriculum is being distributed to fourth- through sixth-grade instructors and students in the 12 California “host” cities selected for the 650-mile race scheduled for February 17-24, 2008. A free English & Spanish booklet given to students provides information about the state of California, including targeted lesson plans that use cycling as a means to teach core subjects such as math, science and geography.

Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team was proud to participate and share with the students of Solvang Elementary in both Spanish and English at the assembly, and look forward to their support during the Amgen Tour of California 2008.