SKIL to sponsor bike race

SKIL Power Tools has announced it will be the official tools sponsor for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, a professional cycling competition bringing together 136 of the world's top athletes to race more than 500 miles through the high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains. 

The race, scheduled Aug. 22 to 28, will feature 17 teams, including the 23 cyclists on the SKIL-Shimano team from the Netherlands, which recently had one of its own, Marcel Kittel, make history for the team with his victory at the opening stage of the Tour of Poland in July 2011. This was the SKIL-Shimano's first WorldTour win since the team formed in 2005.  

SKIL Tools will be used to help build start-and-finish-line trusses, course-side fencing barriers, start-line and sign-in stages, and the finish-line podium. The brand also will have an on-site presence with an interactive gaming opportunity featuring SKIL Tools located at the festivals in the finish-line cities of Aspen and Denver, and at the time-trial location in Vail. 

Fans can follow the SKIL-Shimano team by tuning in to watch live coverage of the race on the Versus Channel, NBC and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge online Tour Tracker. News and coverage updates will also be shared on SKIL's Facebook page and Twitter handle (@skiltools) throughout the seven-day race.