Podiumwear is the Official Supplier of Leader Jerseys for the Northstar Grand Prix

“Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world.”
— Grant Peterson

On the corner of 32nd and Holmes in Uptown Minneapolis, standing just behind a gate separating me from one of six sharp corners on the 0.88-mile course, I hear a stampede approaching. Thankfully it’s not a rush of water buffalo like in Disney’s iconic movie “The Lion King.” Rather, it is a fearless pack of elite cyclists attacking the neighborhood corner and zooming down the next straight at 35-mph. This 28-40 lap (women’s and men’s races run separately) urban criterium will once again occupy the Friday night slot of the 11th annual Northstar Grand Prix, a 5-day stage race taking place June 11-15 in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Podiumwear is a key sponsor for the event and will be collaborating with another Twin Cities cycling apparel company, Twin 6, to produce leader’s jerseys for each Northstar Grand Prix Series races and the Women’s Prestige Series races. Additionally, Podiumwear and Kakookies, a Plymouth-based healthy cookie company, have partnered to provide bib shorts for the Women’s Collegiate All-Star racers to sport throughout the competition. We are excited to work together with local business to help sponsor the Northstar Grand Prix 2014 and to showcase cycling in the Midwest.

Northstar Grand Prix 2014 Schedule

The 5-stage event will start with a 5-mile prologue time trial on East River Road.  The day’s event continues in downtown Saint Paul at the Capital building on Wednesday evening with an action-packed criterium — men’s and women’s pro/elite races — and the Park Dental/Shimano Kids Fun Race. On Thursday the races will migrate to the popular tourist destination of Cannon Falls, MN. The 95-mile elite races will weave through Goodhue County and finish in downtown Cannon Falls.  In addition to the men’s, women’s, and kid’s races there will be live music by Dave Carpenter & Friends. Racers will move into the third stage of the Northstar Grand Prix on Friday evening in Uptown Minneapolis. Six tight corners and energetic crowds are characteristic of this stage — definitely one to attend if you can! The 4th annual Menomonie Road race will take place Saturday morning starting with the departure of the Gran Fondo, open to citizen and amateur cyclists. Men’s and women’s pro racers will cover the long distance courses while an amateur criterium circles through downtown Menonomie. The final stage race, which happens to be in Stillwater, MN is considered one of the most challenging criterium’s in North America! Racers conquer the famous Chilkoot Hill each lap (men’s race is 23 laps, women’s race is 14 laps). Let’s get out and support the athlete’s on this grand finale and very challenging stage!

Women’s Prestige Cycling Series 

This year marks the 11th annual Women’s Prestige Series, which was developed to spotlight high-caliber female cyclists in a national, women’s-only series. The Women’s Prestige Series 2014 made its debut in Redlands, CA during the first week of April. The Northstar Grand Prix is the second stop of the series, with the Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, OR and the Gateway Cup in St. Louis, MO finishing out the season.