As Missouri's Mark Twain once wrote about himself: “The report of my death was an exaggeration.”
As for the 2009 Tour of Missouri, it's not dead either.
The bicycle race will go ahead as scheduled Sept. 7-13 after Gov. Jay Nixon on Tuesday released $1.5 million in state funds to help cover the $3.3 million budget for the third meeting of the bicycle race.
Nixon last week had included the Tour of Missouri funding among millions in cuts that he had to make to balance the state's budget.
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder immediately attacked the governor (they're in different political parties) for cutting funds for the bicycle race. Critics pointed out that the race was responsible for about $30 million in spending by racing fans, about half of whom came from outside the state.
On Friday, members of the state Tourism Commission gave their overwhelming support to use state funds for the bicycle race.
On Tuesday, Nixon issued a statement which said in part:
the 2009 Tour of Missouri should go forward. The race will go on this
year, and Missourians deserve to know that state funds for the event
are used transparently and accountably. They should know precisely how
money for the Tour of Missouri is being spent, and that the event is
being run in a way that minimizes the cost to taxpayers.”
See all the details at Save the Tour of Missouri blog.
With the unfortunate demise of the Tour de Georgia, the Tours of Missouri and California are the only two top-notch bike races in the US that draw ProTour teams.
Among the cycling teams scheduled to race this year:
- Astana (KAZ)
- BMC Racing (USA)
- Cervelo Test Team (SUI)
- Garmin-Slipstream (USA)
- Jelly Belly (USA)
- Liquigas (ITA)
- OUCH presented by Maxxis (USA)
- Quick Step (BEL)
- Team Saxo Bank (DEN)
- Team Columbia-Highroad (USA)
Although no cyclists are committed yet this year, you can bet that defending champion Christian Vande Velde of Garmin will be on the roster. Others who have raced in the first two years include Mark Cavendish, Levi Leipheimer and George Hincapie, who won the inaugural tour in 2007.
Above photo from 2008 Stage 1 criterium in Kansas City.
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