Tom Ritchey among those committed to attend Brasil Ride

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Mountain biking pioneer Tom Ritchey is attending the 2011 edition of the Brasil Ride. He is set to race the seven-day mountain bike stage race from October 23 to 29 in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia in Brazil.

Ritchey accepted a personal invitation from Brasil Ride founder Mário Roma.

"This kind of experience is the focus of 2011 Brasil Ride - to promote the interaction between amateurs and professionals from around the world to share good time during seven days in the Chapada Diamantona. Tom has a very busy calendar and to have him is a big surprise," said Roma.

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Ritchey is a former national level racer, passionate rider and resourceful product designer with a unique, common sense approach to building the best road and mountain components. Ritchey was on the scene with other pioneers in the early days of mountain biking and he saw numerous ways to improve the equipment they were using.

Ritchey was inducted into the Mountain Biking Hall of Fame in 1988. He still puts in 10,000 miles a year on his bike, constantly thinking of ways to make it better.

In addition to Ritchey, other riders including Roberto Heras, Ivone Kraft, Agustina Apaza, Jeff Kervove, Sonya Looney, Brian and Jennifier Smith, Kristian Hynek, Milan Spolc, Abraão Azevedo, Daniela Genovesi, Adriana Nascimento, Hugo Prado Neto and Robson Ferreira are signed up to race.

The inaugural Brasil Ride was run in 2010. Robert Novotny and Kristian Hynek (Free Cycling/Factor Bike) won the men's duo category while Ivonne Kraft and Celina Carpinteiro (Bionicon Loule) won the women's duo.