July 15, 2004 – Before heading to Athens in search of additional Olympic glory, Marty Nothstein, the 2000 Olympic Cycling Gold Medalist, will defend his BMC Software New York City Cycling Championship title on August 1 in Lower Manhattan. The winner of the Match Spring gold medal in Sydney, Nothstein, who rides for the Navigators Insurance cycling team, will attempt to repeat his 2003 victory, in which he out sprinted a field of over 100 cyclists in the second addition of the pro cycling tour competition. The 32-year-old Nothstein has been one of America’s most accomplished cyclists since 1996 when he won the Match Sprint silver medal in Atlanta.

This year the field will also include accomplished Fred Rodriquez (Aqua y Sapone), the 2004 National Road Cycling Champion, who also won a stage in the Giro d’Italia this spring. Another prominent cyclist, the 2004 Wachovia USPRO Championship winner, Francisco Ventoso of Spain, (Prodir Saunier Duval) will be part of a field of over 100 top international cyclists. Rodriquez and Ventoso are tied for 1st place in the Pro Cycling Tour point’s category.

Ivan Dominquez won the inaugural New York City Race with a time of 2:06.38, 16 seconds ahead of Lance Armstrong, who raced in New York just days after winning his fourth Tour de France.