Tour de France cyclist Chris Horner to ride in Dempsey Challenge LEWISTON, Maine (July 14, 2010). - Professional cyclist and four-time Tour de France competitor Chris Horner of Bend, Oregon will ride in The Dempsey Challenge presented by Amgen, a non-competitive run, walk and cycling event benefiting The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center. Horner joins 14-time Tour de France veteran George Hincapie in a growing list of professional cyclists scheduled to participate in the October event. Currently competing for Team RadioShack in the 97th running of the Tour de France, a three-week, 20-stage bicycle race throughout France and neighboring countries totaling 2,200 miles, Horner is in 25th-place after nine stages and is the second highest ranking American rider behind teammate Levi Leipheimer (6th). He placed a career-best 15th in the 2007 Tour and is a teammate of seven-time champion Lance Armstrong. Horner, 38, turned professional in 1995 and collected his first major victory with a 1996 Tour DuPont stage win. He won the point standings in the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar three straight years from 2002-04 and led Team RadioShack to victory by winning the final stage, and placing first overall, in the 2010 Vuelta al Pais Vasco. He also raced to a fourth-place showing at the Amgen Tour of California in May. "I'm very excited to be able to take part in this year's Dempsey Challenge,” said Horner. “It is a fantastic event that supports a great cause." Horner has earned a reputation as one of the more entertaining personalities in the world of cycling, sporting a smile during physically taxing courses, exclaiming wildly after a win and occasionally mixing in a flying dismount at the finish line dubbed the “bike spike.” The Dempsey Challenge offers a 5K and 10K run/walk on October 2 and cycling routes of 10, 25, 50 and 100 miles on October 3. All events will begin and end at Simard-Payne Police Memorial Park in Lewiston, Maine. Dempsey Challenge weekend will include a family friendly Festival in the Park which plays host to a Health and Wellness Expo, KidZone, vendor fair and live entertainment. Runners and walkers will enjoy the 5 & 10K Café on Oct. 2 while cyclists are invited to take part in a participant lobster bake the following day. The Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Survivor Walk will be part of the closing ceremonies on Oct. 3. Participants are encouraged to create or join teams through the Dempsey Challenge website to build camaraderie and assist their fundraising efforts.  For more information, including participant, volunteer and fundraising information, log on to www.dempseychallenge.org. For more information on Chris Horner visit www.chrishornerracing.com.