Audubon, Pa. (April 23, 2009) – Officials of Pro Cycling Tour, the organizers of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, announced today that momentum is building for the Embrace the Race campaign to save this year’s historic 25^th running of the event.

“We are hearing from people throughout the city, the region and the world who are asking how they can help save the race,” said David Chauner, president of Pro Cycling Tour and race co-founder. “The best way to help is to become a VIP ticket holder. Ticket sales are fueling the effort to fill the funding gap. In fact, we’re thrilled to report that so far, over $50,000 in ticket sales have come in.”

Since news reports broke on Tuesday about the nation’s largest, single-day professional cycling race being in jeopardy, individuals, community-minded groups and cycling fans from around the world have been contacting Pro Cycling Tour to offer their support. According to Jerry Casale, chief operating officer and race co-founder, “We’ve heard from a band in Manayunk who wants to do a concert fundraiser. Another group of law students is taking the Embrace the Race campaign on as a class project. Online, folks are blogging about how much this world-caliber race means to the city and to the neighborhood of Manayunk. You can’t imagine how that kind of feedback connects with us and powers us to keep going to make this race happen on June 7.”

Chauner, Casale and their team launched the Embrace the Race campaign on Monday as a way to drive awareness and ticket sales for the race. They detailed how the economic challenges experienced in both corporate and civic circles have converged to create a shortfall in the operating budget of the race’s 25th year, and the reality of the situation is that unless a mid six figure gap can be closed in the next several days, the race will be cancelled. Their hope is that the thousands of fans that line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and streets of Manayunk each June to watch the world’s best in this sport will rally to help save the 25^th running of the race. Options to support the race are described and being updated through this direct link www.EmbraceTheRace.ticketleap.com or by going to www.procyclingtour.com for complete event information.