The new company that will be building a $4.5 billion microchip factory in Malta hasn’t even been officially formed yet, but it has thrown money behind a world-renowned bicycle race in Washington County.
The Foundry Company the upcoming manufacturing spinoff created by AMD and Abu Dhabi-based investors plans to sponsor the Tour of the Battenkill at $50,000. AMD spokesman Travis Bullard, who will be making the transition to Foundry, said the race is a good way to introduce the new entity to the community.
`We saw it as a good opportunity to get going right away,` said Bullard. `The sponsorship will actually be one of the first community-oriented activities that the new Foundry company will be involved in. It’s one of the first opportunities to introduce the new brand and logo to the community.`
Expect a new identity for Foundry in the next few weeks. That forthcoming name and logo will be the one appearing at the tour.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer made an announcement that appeals from his office helped broker the sponsorship.
`AMD and the Tour of the Battenkill are a match made in heaven,` Schumer said in a statement. `AMD sponsorship of this is a win-win for the region`help extend the tour, bring top professional cyclists to the roads of Washington County and provide a shot in the arm for the local economy.`
The fifth-annual Tour of the Battenkill will take place on April 18 and 19, starting in Cambridge but consisting of a course covering a good chunk of Washington County. It’s the largest pro-am cycling race in the country, on par with European circuits, earning it the title of `America’s Queen of the Classics.` The pros ride the 100-kilometer circuit twice over.
More than 1,200 riders have signed up for the race so far, just a few weeks after registration opened. Only about 1,500 will ultimately ride.
`The first race of the event is actually being able to register,` joked Dieter Drake, promoter and director of the race. `Last year, we had about that many [racers signed up now] by race day in April. It took three or four months to get that number of people.`
For the first time, the race will host a men’s invitational, to be held on Sunday. Foundry’s sponsorship will largely go towards providing food, lodging and travel expenses for elite teams that will be coming in from all across North America.
The Foundry sponsorship comes as something of a relief for organizers. Sponsorships from local businesses has been down this year, and the new the cost of bringing in professional teams alone is well over $100,000.
`It really does help quite a bit,` said Drake of the sponsorship. `It’s a ton of money to put it all together. We would still like to sign a title sponsor [a $100,000 commitment], but times are tough for everybody.`
Bullard said that title sponsorship was too much at the moment, but the tour won’t be the last that the area sees of Foundry.
`We will look into doing additional things down the road, especially as we get officially launched and get dedicated people in place for community relations,` he said.
Washington County businesses will hopefully be helped out when spectators make their way to the region in April. With the invitational race and an ever-expanding presence, organizers expect that well over 20,000 people will descend upon the area.
For information and a future spectator guide, visit www.tourofthebattenkill.com.“