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KGSN'S STEWART HEADED TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

(September 11, 2006) - USA Cycling announced earlier today that Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada's Jackson Stewart (Los Gatos, Ca.) is among the nine Americans selected to compete in the world cycling championships road race on September 24 in Salzburg, Austria.

"I definitely stepped up this year and had the best season of my career, but this is an opportunity to step up to the highest level of the sport and it's a huge honor. Some great riders never get this chance, so I'm really excited," Stewart said.

Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada General Manager Robin Zellner commented, "I've been around Jackson since he turned pro in 2002, and he definitely has all the tools to compete at this level. We're really proud of the season that he's had, and he earned his shot at this."

Stewart, 26, was an automatic nomination to the pool of eligible riders as the highest-ranked American in the UCI America Tour standings, where all of his points came from a win at the Commerce Bank Lancaster Classic on June 4.

But that victory was just the high point of an otherwise successful season that began back in February with the Most Aggressive Rider jersey from the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California and continued with second-place finishes in four National Racing Calendar events including the Bank of America Invitational in Charlotte, where he drove the winning breakaway for most of the race.

Although this will be his first trip to the road cycling world championships, Stewart is a three-time veteran of cyclocross world's, where he raced once in the Under-23 ranks and twice in the Elite division.

"Knowing the difficulty of those races gives me a clue of what I'm in for," he added.

Stewart's selection will also mark the world championships debut of Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada sponsor SRAM's Force componentry.

SRAM PR & Media Manager Michael Zellman said, “The road group has certainly come a long way in just one season and Jackson is one of the athletes responsible. We are proud to be represented at World’s aboard his bike.”

This coming weekend, Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada will conclude its domestic National Racing Calendar campaign with the Parker Mainstreet Omnium in Parker, Colorado.