Santa Clarita, Calif., February, 24 2008 — One of the world’s top cycling teams, Bissell Pro Cycling Team, will ride stage seven of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California, an eight-day bicycle race throughout California from February 17 to February 24, in honor of Best Buddies International and their programs dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

They will team up with Buddies Breanna Barlow, 20 of Camarillo, and Travis Raefield, 23 of San Ramon, for the start as a part of Best Buddies International’s “Buddy Up” program in which five of the top professional teams during the Amgen Tour will each dedicate a stage to a person with intellectual disabilities.

“Best Buddies is about providing opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, like Breanna and Travis, by creating friendships,” said Richard Fries, Marketing Director for the Audi Best Buddies Challenge, a Best Buddies charity ride in September. “And at the Amgen Tour, we’ve been able to highlight the power of friendship by “Buddy-ing Up” with some of the best teams and cyclists in the world.”

Barlow and Raefield will join Bissell at the start line, where they will accompany team leader Ben Jacques-Maynes, 29 of San Jose, onto the stage where they will take part in the sign-in ceremony. After that Jacques-Maynes, a four-time U.S. National Champion, along with his Bissell teammates will race over 90 twisty, hilly miles from Santa Clarita to a thrilling finish at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. They’ll ride the entire stage in honor of Barlow and Raefield and the people just like them that Best Buddies supports.

Both Barlow and Raefield are students at Taft Community College’s Transition to Independent Living program in Taft, a post-secondary experience for developmentally disabled adults that emphasizes learning independent living skills.

Visit BestBuddiesChallenge.org for more information. To find out more about Best Buddies International’s programs to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, go to BestBuddies.org.

About Best Buddies
Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.  Best Buddies is now active in each of the 50 United States and operates accredited international programs in 34 countries. Best Buddies programs positively impact more than 350,000 each year.

About the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle
The Audi Best Buddies Challenge is a five-star, luxury cycling experience that features a 100, 62 or 15-mile supported ride down the same spectacular stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway that the pros are riding in stage four, hot showers and professional massages at the finish line and a spectacular gourmet BBQ and concert at the Hearst Ranch.

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Best Buddy sponsor Greg Becker prepares to accompany Team Bissell for Stage 3 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California.		Best Buddy sponsor Greg Becker talks with Team Bissell rider Ben Jacques-Maynes before Stage 3 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California in Modesto.		Best Buddy sponsor Greg Becker meets Ben Jacques-Maynes and Ted King before Stage 3 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California in Modesto. Greg later rode in the Bissell team car for the grueling Stage 3.
Buddies Aaron Olson and Brianna Barlow.		Buddies Aaron Olson Brianna Barlow.		Best Buddies Travis Raefield and Tom Zirbel sign autographs prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Tour of California.
Best Buddies Travis Raefield and Tom Zirbel at the sign in prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Tour of California.		Best Buddies Travis Raefield and Tom Zirbel at the sign in prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Tour of California.		Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California
Bissell Buddy Aaron Olson during interview with buddy Brianna Barlow prior to sign in for Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California.		Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California		Buddy Brianna Barlow watches her Buddy Aaron Olson sign in prior to the start of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California.
Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California		Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California		Best Buddies Travis Raefield and Tom Zirbel prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Tour of California.
Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California		Waiting for the start!		Best Buddy Travis cheers for his buddy, Tom Zirbel, during his breakaway in Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California.
Best Buddies Travis Raefield, Brianna Barlow and Team Bissell prior to Stage 6 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California.		Becoming Buddies at the Team Bissell team car.		Buddies Travis Raefield, Tom Zirbel, Aaron Olson and Brianna Barlow.
Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California		Best Buddies Travis Raefield and Tom Zirbel sign autographs prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Tour of California.		Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California
Best Buddy / Team Bissell autograph line prior to Stage 7 of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California