SRAM takes over Gila title sponsorship

Having faced financial difficulty in the past few months, organisers of the Tour of the Gila received the 'golden ticket' as component manufacturer SRAM announced title sponsorship of the event in 2009 and beyond.

"SRAM has given this race security for the next several years and, with their increasing popularity in the peloton, we can only anticipate growth for our event. And SRAM's professional neutral race support, along with their great team relationships, make them a perfect long-term partner," said Tour of the Gila race director Jack Brennan.

"Despite the tremendous grass-roots support for the 'Gila', the event was facing some financial challenges, and we wanted to come onboard and give the race a secure place in the calendar for the next several years," explained David Zimberoff, SRAM's global marketing director.