Kia Canada Inc. extends official automotive partnership for 3rd consecutive year with the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes WorldTour Events

• 82 Kia vehicles provided for two elite cycling events
• The Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes take place on September 7^th and 9^th, 2012, respectively

MONTRÉAL, June 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Kia Canada Inc. announced today that they will extend their official partnership with the 2012 UCI WorldTour's Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes for the third consecutive year. With the partnership, Kia Canada will be the exclusive automotive supplier of over 80 vehicles to serve as active support throughout the two elite cycling events.

"We are proud once again to partner with two high profile sporting events such as the Québec City and Montréal Grands Prix Cyclistes," said Robert Staffieri, Director of Marketing for Kia Canada Inc. "With the growth of cycling in Canada, both recreationally and as a mode of urban transportation, Kia is pleased to support the only two North American stops of the UCI WorldTour."

As the official automotive partner of the 2012 UCI WorldTour events of Québec and Montréal, Kia will supply vehicles from its wide-ranging product line-up to all 18 ProTeams and three Pro Continental Teams invited to the event. Kia will actively assist with event logistics, media, and VIP transportation. Kia will provide a total of 82 vehicles from their world-class product line-up, including the award-winning Optima mid-size sedan, Forte compact, Soul urban crossover vehicle, Rondo urban utility vehicle and Sedona minivan.

During the 2012 season, there will be 28 road races bearing the official UCI WorldTour label. Teams that have been awarded the ProTeam label are required to compete in each event. There are two events held in North America: the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal. These two events on the UCI WorldTour Circuit bring the world's most elite cyclists along with their support staff to Quebec City on September 7^th, 2012, and Montreal on September 9^th, 2012 - more than 400 people in all and will contribute to promoting Kia's world-wide participation in cycling.

About Les Grands Prix Cyclistes Québec - Montréal:

In 2009, the Grands Prix Cyclistes Québec-Montréal (GPCQM) organization was granted the first and only two UCI WorldTour licences for races in North America. The organization has been responsible for planning and putting on these world-class cycling races in Québec City and Montréal since 2010. Please visit the website www.gpcqm.ca for more details on these races at the premier level of world cycling. The GPCQM organization would like to highlight the contribution of the following partners: the Government of Canada, the Government of Québec, the City of Québec, the City of Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, Québecor, Kia Canada and Air Transat.

Kia Canada Inc. (www.kia.ca - www.facebook.com/kiacanada) -- a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart -- is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) in Korea was founded in 1999 and sells and services high quality class leading vehicles like the Soul, Forte, Optima and Sorento through a network of 173 dealers nationwide. Kia Canada Inc. employs 162 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters and four regional offices across Canada. Kia's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

Kia Canada Inc. Media Contacts:

Cathy Laroche
Public Relations Manager
(C): 514.554.0843
e-mail: [email protected] 

Daniel Ponzini
Public Relations & Events Coordinator
(O): 905.755.6415
(C): 647.462.8986
e-mail: [email protected]