tour of Missouri routes

[John Harter]

The tour of Missouri route has been realeased for the KC stage with the rest coming out this week.

http://www.tourofmissouri.com/stages

[Pink]

How nice of them to include my home, Parkville, not once, but twice in the route. Isn't it cool when good things happen to good people?

[pitbull]

TdM party at Pinks!

[John Harter]

A dam good idea and Pink is buying!! It does not exactly go by his house though.....

[Pink]

TdM party at Pinks!

Good idea Pete. In fact, I've already got an outfit in mind that you can wear as you run along the peloton, like that guy did this year during the TDF:

Pete's TdM outfit.

[pitbull]

Good idea Pete. In fact, I've already got an outfit in mind that you can wear as you run along the peloton, like that guy did this year during the TDF:

Pete's TdM outfit.

Dammit Pink! I told you that was gonna be my B-fest outfit. Now I'll have to figure something else out, 'cause I'd be mortified if someone else were to show up wearing exactly the same thing.

[teambarenaked]

I'm in. Where are we going to drink, I mean watch the action?

[Pink]

The roof of the Power Plant Brewery is pretty much on the wrong side of their building... There will no doubt be plenty of room on FF or 9 highway. We could always meet at my house and then ride there...it's only 1 mile, and nearly all downhill. It's the climbing back that will kill you.

[mcoons]

I guess this is a bigger deal than I thought!


quote from middle of article

"The team said it will still ride in this year's Tour of Spain and the Tour of Missouri."
__________________

Discovery Channel team disbanding, closing out the Armstrong era
The Associated PressPublished: August 10, 2007

PARIS: Lance Armstrong's old team is disbanding.

Discovery Channel said Friday it will cease operations at the end of this season because it has been unable to find a new sponsor. Doping scandals have left cycling reeling and made sponsors jittery.

"I do not think you have seen the last of this organization in the sport," Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France champion and co-owner of the team, said in a statement. "But clearly things need to improve on many levels, with a more unified front, before you would see us venture back into cycling."

Discovery Channel featured the winner (Alberto Contador of Spain) and third-place finisher (Levi Leipheimer of the U.S.) at last month's Tour de France.

On Friday, Contador denied any involvement in doping following accusations he was linked to the Operation Puerto drug investigation in Spain.

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"This was a difficult decision, not made any easier by our recent Tour de France success," Discovery Channel general manager Bill Stapleton said. "We were in talks with a number of companies about the opportunity and were confident a new sponsor was imminent. We have chosen, however, to end those discussions."

The team said it will still ride in this year's Tour of Spain and the Tour of Missouri.

Tailwind Sports, which owns and operates Discovery Channel, suggested in its statement that Armstrong's mentor, Johan Bruyneel, will retire. He coached Armstrong through his record seven Tour wins and Contador through his 2007 title, meaning he oversaw victories in eight of the last nine Tours.

"Everybody is really impressed with our program, our team, our results, but the current climate does not allow us to draw in (a sponsor) of the magnitude we are looking for," Bruyneel said on Belgium's VRT network.

"I'm going to miss the staff, riders and the excitement of the races, but not all the infighting between the teams," he said in the tean statement. "This team has become my family and it is very sad to think that we will not be together next season."

Disovery Channel is only U.S.-based elite professional team in cycling. It was previously known as the U.S. Postal Service team. With the decision to fold, Contador will be one of 27 riders looking for new jobs.

[Aaron]

The Disco Conquistadors are Coming

Read about halfway down the page, right above the news about Zabel.

Schweet.

Aaron

[John Harter]

That is very cool, there will be some BIG names right here in KC! I am ready, let the racing begin!

[Pink]

He's so cute, I wonder if they'll have registered nurses on hand to resuscitate us in the event we swoon as he pedals by?

[Michael Gier]

Downtown stadiums, huh?

I just read the latest news release from the Tour of Missouri, which alerts us to the fact that:

The St. Louis Cardinals play the Chicago Cubs in Busch Stadium the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 16th (1:15 pm).

The St. Louis Rams play the San Francisco 49ers in the Edward Jones Dome the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 16th (noon).

The Tour of Missouri wraps up with a circuit race down Market Street the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 16th (1-4 pm).

Gosh, I sure hope parking doesn't become a problem.

[John Harter]

YES Michael, I think parking will be a CLUSTER F*&$, maybe we can ride our bikes ............

and the rest of that email for those of you too lazy to go to the website but are at least a little curious............This is going to be the THIRD LARGEST BIKE RACE IN THE USA, it is worth checking out!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
STAGE 1 ­ Kansas City to Kansas City, road race, 85 mi. (137 km)
START: 1 PM EST FINISH: 4:30 PM
This out and back course will start in the uptown section of Kansas City in the trendy Plaza District and route north into the rolling Missouri countryside, passing through North Kansas City, Farley, East Leavenworth, Beverly, Tracy and Platte City. After a few potential breakaway attempts, the 120 cyclists should enter the final three five-mile circuits en masse for a finish that will likely feature the top sprinters jousting for position and a chance to not only win the stage but capture the Missouri Tourism Yellow Leader's Jersey. The final circuits will feature some of Kansas City's world-famous fountains. The first point for the Michelob ULTRA King of the Mountains competition will be awarded.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
STAGE 2 ­ Clinton to Springfield, road race, 125.6 mi. (202 km)
START: 11 AM EST FINISH: 3:30 PM
After an hour transfer south to the quaint small town of Clinton, near the trailhead of the state-long Katy Trail, racers will meander through flat to rolling terrain farther south to the All-American city of Springfield. The race will start in the historic district of Clinton before heading adjacent to Highway 13, passing through the towns of Fair Play, Aldrich, and Walnut Grove; including an Edward Jones' sprint line the town of Stockton, before racing into downtown Springfield and two final circuits. Barring a potential odd breakaway, this should be another day for the top sprinters in the field. With time bonuses on the road and at the finish line, a change is the race leadership is possible.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
STAGE 3 ­ Branson, individual time trial, 18 mi. (29 km)
START: 11 AM EST FINISH: 1:55 PM
The caravan will transfer 45 minutes south to the booming tourist town of Branson. The Landing, a new development along the river, will play host to the start of an individual time trial with a finishing climb rolling up to Shepherd of the Hills, at about 1,300 feet. KOM points will be awarded for the final climb up to the finish. Dubbed 'the most decisive day' of the inaugural Tour of Missouri, this 18-mile time trial features very hilly terrain with stretches on a four-lane highway that will keep speeds high for top time trialists. Branson is known for showmanship; therefore, the winner of this stage needs to put on a big performance with the likely result being the yellow fleece which he and his team will most likely need to protect all the way to St. Louis.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
STAGE 4 ­ Lebanon to Columbia, road race, 133 mi. (214 km)
START: 10:30 AM EST FINISH: 3:25 PM
The caravan once again will transfer, this time 90 minutes north to the agricultural hub of Lebanon, for the start of this lengthy stage. The race will snake through the towns of, Guthrie, and Ulman, highlighted by a sprint in Jefferson City and points available for the Edward Jones sprint jersey. The longest stage and potentially the most difficult of the inaugural event, the first part of the race will be flat before rolling as it gets closer to Missouri's beautiful rivers en route to the finish in the educational center of Columbia. The race will finish near the campus of the University of Missouri in the heart of downtown Columbia. It will be a double bonus for Mizzou students as its Parents Weekend.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
STAGE 5 ­ Jefferson City to St. Charles, road race, 126.6 mi. (204km)
START: 11:30 AM EST FINISH: 3:40 PM
The caravan will make a short 30 minute transfer to Jefferson City for the start of the penultimate stage of the race. Starting against the backdrop of Missouri's Capitol building, this stage will be difficult despite no major climbs. Though starting dead flat for the first 25 miles, the course features a serpentine route along Highways 94 and 100 along the Missouri River, passing through the heart of Missouri's booming wine country, hitting Augusta, Herman, Washington en route to the finish in beautiful and historic St. Charles, the second oldest American settlement west of the Mississippi. The race finishes near the famous Lewis and Clark Rendezvous, passes near Davy Crockett's house and includes a quarter mile stretch near the finish line over bricks on St. Charles' historic Main Street. With a reported 6,000-feet of undulated climbing, this stage is ripe for a breakaway that could stick, or at bare minimum challenge the race leader and his team.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
STAGE 6 ­ St. Louis, circuit, 74 mi. (119 km)
START: 1 PM EST FINISH: 3:50 PM
The race makes a short jaunt south and east to Missouri's largest metropolitan area---St. Louis. Peering down Market Street, riders will glimpse at the famous 'Arch' as they start. The start and finish will take place at St. Louis's famous Union Station. Riders will race seven circuits of 10-plus miles through urban terrain. The race, likely a promenade of sorts, still could feature a breakaway of riders way down in the general classification. The course moves west and back east, driving through the northeast part of Forest Park, which played host to the 1904 World's Fair and Olympics. The course sandwiches St. Louis University, passing by the north and south side of the campus. With the Cubs at Cardinals and 49ers at Rams taking place during the early part of the race, the finish could see spill over crowds from those two sporting events, making the finale one to remember for this sports-crazy town. Either way, the backdrop is something the overall champion won't soon forget.

For complete stage maps and profiles online at:
http://www.tourofmissouri.com.

About Tour of Missouri
The Tour of Missouri is a 600-mile, six-day world-class bicycle race patterned after the Tour de Georgia and Amgen Tour of California. It is a race that features point-to-point racing. The race starts in Kansas City, September 11 and concludes September 16 in St. Louis, including legs to Clinton, Springfield, Branson, Lebanon, Columbia, Jefferson City, and St. Charles. The race will feature teams of eight from 15 of the world's top professional cycling teams.

The race is sanctioned by the UCI, the international governing body for cycling, and USA Cycling, the national governing body for cycling. It is ranked as a 2.1, second in ranking to only the Tour de Georgia and Amgen Tour of California in North American cycling. The event's management group is Medalist Sports of Tyrone, Ga., the organizers of both the California and Georgia races. KOM Sports Marketing of Colorado Springs, Colo., is the event's marketing agency.

EVENT SCHEDULE
September 11 ­ Kansas City to Kansas City, road race (out and back)
September 12 ­ Clinton to Springfield, road race
September 13 ­ Branson, individual time trial
September 14 - Lebanon to Columbia, road race
September 15 ­ Jefferson City to St. Charles, road race
September 16 ­ St. Louis, circuit race

For more information: http://www.tourofmissouri.com

[Somefearinhere]

third largest ROAD race:)