The bluff of the Duquesne University campus will become a temporary home to about 180 of the world’s most elite cyclists competing in the American Eagle Tour of Pennsylvania this weekend.

A total of about 250 athletes, crew and staff who are in the last leg of the 450-plus mile race from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh will be housed in St. Ann’s Hall on the Uptown campus from Saturday, June 28, through Monday, June 30.

Racers will leave Ligonier at noon on Saturday and are expected to arrive in Pittsburgh around 3:30 p.m. On Sunday from 5 p.m. to about 6:45 p.m., the cyclists will race downtown in celebration of Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary.

This has been called the world’s richest cycling race for elite international athletes under the age of 25.

Duquesne University
Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic research universities for its award-winning faculty and tradition of academic excellence. The University is nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review for its rich academic programs in 10 schools of study for 10,000-plus graduate and undergraduate students, and by the Washington Monthly for service and contributing to students’ social mobility. Duquesne is a member of the U.S. President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for its contributions to Pittsburgh and communities around the globe. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges acknowledge Duquesne’s commitment to sustainability.

This release was posted on Friday, June 27th, 2008 at 4:05 pm and is filed under Community Involvement, General.