Tour of Missouri
Arrive early to pin down a spot at the finish line of the Tour of Missouri pro cycling race.
There will be a host of afternoon activities in front of the Boone County Courthouse before the bright colors of jerseys worn by world-class cyclists streak through the streets of Columbia on Sept. 14.
But you’ll need to be on your toes and in position to catch the racers as they make their sprint to the end of a 133.4-mile leg that’s set to begin at
10:30 a.m. Friday in Lebanon, Mo.
Sgt. Tim Moriarity of the Columbia Police Department said
organizers are telling him to expect the riders to reach the city limits on New Haven Road between 3:06 and 4:34 p.m. Organizers also told Moriarity it would take between 10 and 13 minutes, based on the cyclists’ average speed, to reach the finish line. At any given point along College Avenue, the entire pack of cyclists is expected to sprint by in a short time.
“Think about a car driving by at 30 miles per hour,” Moriarity said.
One prime viewing location is the Stephens College parking lot at College Avenue and Walnut Street, where the racers must navigate a sharp left for the final few blocks.
“That’s going to be spectacular,” said Jody Russell of the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, who is the chairwoman of the local race organizing committee. “(There’s) probably going to be some crashes. Hopefully not, but probably will be.”
Other prospects for viewing the racers in Columbia include sidewalks and overpasses along College Avenue, open areas along Rock Quarry Road and at the top of the steep climb from Capen Park to the Stadium Boulevard intersection.
Columbia marks the finish of Stage 4, the most demanding daily route of the six-day, 600-mile race sanctioned by USA Cycling and the UCI, the international cycling union..
“Our stage is a grueling distance,” said Lorah Steiner, executive director for the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Almost nowhere is it a flat grade.”
Thomas McDaniel, the volunteer coordinator for the fourth stage, agrees. “By far this stage is the absolute hardest,” he said. “It’s nonstop and it’s exhausting.”
The finish-line festival is scheduled to begin about 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 in the parking lot at Eighth and Ash streets. It will include a health and fitness expo, team merchandise vendors and booths for state and local sponsors. A giant TV screen will provide live updates of the race in progress.
No one is certain how many spectators will turn out, though similar races in Georgia and California drew large crowds overall.
“This is the inaugural year for the event, so we don’t have a grasp on the size of the crowd yet, but we are expecting a large one,” Russell said.
The top three cyclists to cross the finish line will immediately be taken to the “green room,” where they will undergo drug screening, a routine procedure for professional cycling events, Russell said. A random pool of other cyclists will also be tested.
“It’s going to be a very grueling day for the cyclists, but (their physical) recovery time is quite remarkable,” said Barry Bennett, director of communications for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.
An awards ceremony will be held at the Tour of Missouri stage on the courthouse lawn 20 minutes after the cyclists have crossed the finish line.
Jerseys will be awarded to the overall leader, the most aggressive rider, the best young rider, the King of the Mountain Leader and the high points leader.
The coveted Missouri Tourism yellow jersey will be awarded to the overall race leader, who has accumulated the least amount of time throughout the entire race.
The Drury Inn Most Aggressive Rider jersey will be presented to a cyclist that is voted on throughout the day by judges and race organizers.
“It is almost like an MVP of the day,” Bennett said.
Build-A-Bears Best Young Rider jersey will be presented to the rider under the age of 25 who has accumulated the most points throughout the race. The Michelob Ultra King of the Mountain Leader jersey is awarded to the cyclist who has earned the most points from designated climbing competitions throughout the course.
The Edward Jones Sprint High Points Leader jersey will be presented to the cyclist who has earned the greatest number of points from designated point areas throughout the race.