The understatement in this sentence in the Tour of Missouri (it starts today) pre-race write-up at VeloNews gave me a chuckle:
“Though the course lacks any major climbs, the rolling roads of Missouri are expected to take a cumulative toll.”
When my friend and I rode our bicycles across Missouri on the cross-country bike tour, we suffered one climb after another through the Ozarks in the center of the state.
We noted in our journals at the time that while the Appalachian climbs had switchbacks, the Missouri roads mostly took a straight shot right up and over each hill. It was exhausting.
Professional cyclists in the peloton noted the hills on the course at the opening press conference. In fact, Nathan O'Neill of the Health Net team sounded like a cross-country cyclist finishing a day on the TransAmerica trail:
“I think Thursday’s stage surprised me quite a bit considering the length of the stage and the profile. It took me six-and-a-half hours and it was a headwind most of the way. … Guys have been saying how few and far between the flat roads are here in Missouri.”
Ivan Dominguez, Toyota-United pro cycling team, also chimed in on the terrain:
“After hearing all this talk, I think they sent the wrong book to my house. They told me it was going to be flat.”
Some bloggers in Missouri have a first-hand look at the race and are worth visiting:
The blogger at Podium Cafe participated in a mass pre-ride of today's stage starting in Kansas City: “I pre-ride Stage 1 of the Tour of Missouri… sort of”;
The Missouri Bicycle Federation blog has stories about where to watch the Tour of Missouri and events for fans and specators.
Roger Kramer Cycling has a self-described “modest preview” that's a scene-setter for what's going on surrounding the race.
See “Following the Tour of Missouri” at BikingBis for information about where to watch the race. You can also follow the news feeds at right.
Recent Comments