DAVIS, CA (BRAIN)—A weekend of festivities kicked off tonight and will continue all day Saturday as four legends of the sport are inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. The HOF also celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Hall of Fame executive director Joe Herget expected a record crowd of more than 300 for the induction ceremony and awards dinner Saturday night at the Freeborn Hall on the U.C. Davis campus near the Hall of Fame’s new headquarters and museum. Bob Stapleton will be the keynote speaker.
Among the inductees is Specialized founder and president Mike Sinyard. He’s joined by world champion, national champion and Olympian Ruthie Matthes, road and track competitor Marty Nothstein and veteran road and track competitor Bobby Walthour.
In addition, USA Cycling will present its Developmental Athlete of the Year Awards.
But the day will kick off with a road and track legends symposium hosted by Peter Rich at 9 a.m. The three-hour panel discussion will cover 10 elite American cyclists from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Panelists will include Jack Disney, Bob Tetzlaff, John Butterfield, Prof. Jim Manning, Rick Bronson, Ted Ernst, David Rhoads, Bob Bergen, Nick Van Male, Bobby Walthour IV and Tom O'Rourke. “This is our second year doing it,” said Herget, of the seminar, which will be held in city council chambers across from the Hall.
In the afternoon, the Hall of Fame hosts its Mountain Bike History Celebration from 1 to 3 p.m., where early pioneers of mountain biking will gather, including Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher, Ned Overend, and Charlie Kelly among others. It will also have 20 vintage mountain bikes on display, including the Breezer #1 which is considered the first modern mountain bike built by Joe Breeze in 1977.
"The birth of mountain biking occurred right here in Northern California and is a major part of American cycling history. We are pleased to host this outstanding special exhibit of vintage mountain bikes", said Herget.
Both the symposium and mountain bike exhibit are free and open to the public. Tickets for the induction ceremony awards and dinner, which starts at 5:30 p.m., will be sold at the door.
