Fresno Famous

NCM Fathom and Citizen Pictures take movie audiences on a ride only the most intense cyclists have experienced – including seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who breezed through Clovis this past spring on the AMGEN Tour – as they compete in one of the world’s most grueling mountain bike races in Race Across the Sky – Leadville Trail 100. Shown exclusively in select movie theaters - locally at the Edwards Cinema - on Thursday, Oct. 22nd, this one-night special in-theater event will feature a panel discussion with Armstrong, his coach Chris Carmichael, six-time defending Leadville Trail 100 (LT100) champion Dave Wiens, as well as other elite and amateur cyclists, in addition to the debut of the documentary, “Race Across the Sky.”

Cycling Olympian Travis Brown, founder and president of the LT100 Ken Chlouber and Ft. Lewis College cycling coach Matt Shriver will also participate in the panel discussion, pre-recorded in Durango, Colo. on Oct. 20th. Panelists will discuss tips on training and conditioning during the cycling off-season as well as stories of overcoming their own personal challenges in this year’s race, including Armstrong’s battle with a flat tire in the final 10 miles of the race.

“The Leadville Trail 100 is one of those events…Like the New York City Marathon or the Ironman, where people say, one day I want to do that,” says Armstrong. “It’s the purest level of passion that you can get.”

Citizen Pictures filmed against the misty backdrop of a former mining town in Colorado that sits at 10,200 feet to capture the drama of the 2009 LT100 mountain bike race. The LT100 began as a running race 27 years ago to draw tourism to Leadville, Colo. The mountain bike race was added in 1994 and has become a competition with more than 1,000 entries and a lottery determining who will compete. The course includes 14,000 vertical feet of climbing and often severe weather changes. Competitors race on dirt trails, mining roads and Forest Service roads, hoping to cross the finish line in 12 hours or less.

Cameras followed the cyclists from the start line to the finish line and the 100 miles in between as they competed in the August 2009 competition – one of the most intense endurance races of all time. Witness breathtaking aerial views as the camera crew follows the competitors as they cycle over 100 miles of dangerous mountainous terrain through extreme climate changes ranging from heat to hail and from rain to snow.

“ 'Race Across the Sky' is an amazing look at the world’s most elite cyclists who come together for this grueling 12-hour battle against themselves, the elements and the clock as they push their way to the finish line two miles above sea level,” says Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. “This exclusive Fathom event will bring cyclists – as well as non-cyclists – together to experience not only this spectacular race but also to hear from Lance Armstrong, his coach Chris Carmichael and other top cyclists on how to apply their techniques to overcome every challenge.”

The "Race Across the Sky" – Leadville Trail 100 appears on the big screen in high-definition with Cinema Surround Sound in select movie theaters, including its presentation at Edwards Cinema, through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

Tickets to the Race Across the Sky – Leadville Trail 100 on Oct. 22nd at 8:00 p.m. are available at the Edwards Cinema box office, www.FathomEvents.com and all of the other usual online sources.

Details and trailer: http://www.ncm.com/Fathom/Sports/RaceAcrossTheSky.aspx