3 Valley Cyclists to Ride in Tour de Trump

David Brinton of North Hollywood, Thurlow Rogers of Van Nuys and John Tomac of Chatsworth are among a field of 114 for the inaugural $250,000 Tour de Trump, the richest bicycle race in U. S. history, beginning Friday in Albany, N. Y.

Brinton, 22, the 1988 Olympic Trials champion, won gold and silver medals at the 1987 Pan American Games. He is also an actor and stunt man, having appeared in “Family Ties” and “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.”

Rogers finished sixth in the 1984 Olympic road race and turned professional in 1985. He was fourth in last month’s Tour of Texas and seventh in the 1988 U. S. Professional Championships.

Tomac, 21, one of American’s top mountain cyclists, is a leading contender for the $2,000 prize given to the competitor with the best time in the mountain segments. The race includes stretches through the Catskill, Pocono and Blue Ridge mountain ranges.

The 837-mile race begins with a two-mile prologue to determine the leader for Saturday’s first official stage, a 110-mile road race from Albany to New Paltz, N. Y. The 10-day, 11-stage event through five eastern states concludes May 14 with a 24-mile individual time trial beginning and ending in Atlantic City, N. J.

Other competitors include Greg LeMond, the only American to win the Tour de France; Andy Hampsten, the 1988 Tour of Italy winner; and England’s Steven Rooks, the 1988 Tour de France runner-up.

Portions of the race will be televised by NBC and ESPN.

The event is co-promoted by developer Donald Trump, NBC Sports and Jefferson-Pilot TeleProductions, a Charlotte, N. C.-based communications company.