A stage-by-stage synopsis of the seven -day, 612-mile Tour of Missouri has been announced by race organizers and Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder today.
"We definitely have some surprises in this year's version of the Tour of Missouri," said Jim Birrell, the race's director. "Missouri is a very deceiving state topographically. Because of the many rivers, the terrain is full of short steep hills. And, the Ozarks are filled with non-stop climbs. It will take a strong man to win this race again."
Mark Cavendish of Columbia-HTC - Photo by PhotoSport Intl
On Wednesday, September 9, cyclists will face their toughest challenge of the race, with a hilly 114.3-mile stage in the Northern Ozark Mountains from Farmington to Rolla. After a short transfer on Thursday, September 10, the race will proceed from St. James to Jefferson City, with the circuit finish featuring a steep 300-meter uphill sprint to the finish.
Riders will be able make up time Friday, September 11, during the individual time trial at Sedalia with an 18-mile race against the clock around Missouri's State Fairgrounds. On Saturday, September 12, cyclists will race from Chillicothe to St. Joseph while hitting moderate to hilly terrain.
The weeklong journey through the Show-Me-State concludes with a hilly circuit through the streets of Kansas City. The Kansas City circuit will feature two king of the mountain points with more than 3000 feet of climbing over 72 miles. "I think they did a great job of capturing the challenging terrain of the state," said Rory Sutherland, the current national race calendar leader in the United States and a rider in the past two Tours of Missouri.
Added 2007 race-champion George Hincapie of Columbia-HTC: "From what I know, there are a couple stages that will be very tough. And, with the time trial, and the hilly circuit race at the finish, it could add drama all the way till the end."
Hincapie also added that the wind and undulating terrain play a role in making it difficult for a team to control the race, saying Alpine passes are not always needed to make a race tough.
"We have a top-notch world-class field that I'm sure will make this a great race," said Birrell. " It is a tough race, evidenced by the fact that two of the world's top cyclists have won the past two years (Hincapie, 2007; Christian Vande Velde, 2008.)
Though a stellar world-class field was presented last year, the three-year-old race is expected to be even better as the Tour of Missouri was granted an upgrade to one of the top five-ranked events outside Europe by international and national federation's for cycling last month.
The upgrade has drawn top pro tour teams Astana, Cervelo Test Team, Columbia- HTC, Garmin- Slipstream, Liquigas, Saxo Bank and Quickstep, all recent Tour de France teams, of which won 14 of 21 stages of the world's biggest race.
Domestic teams participating in 2009 include BISSELL Pro Cycling Team, BMC Racing, Colavita / Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, Jelly Belly, Kelly Benefit Strategies, OUCH presented by Maxxis, and Team Type 1. Canada's top team Planet Energy rounds out the field.
The race will be contested over seven days and seven stages. There will be two circuit races (St. Louis, Kansas City), one individual time trial (Sedalia), and four point-to-point road races (Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau; Farmington to Rolla; St. James to Jefferson City; Chillicothe to St. Joseph).
Team rosters will be announced in late August. The race is sanctioned by USA Cycling and UCI, the international governing body for the sport.
Below is a stage by stage summary with times, dates and distances:
2009 Route Maps and Profiles
|  Stage 1 – St. Louis, circuit race, 75 miles (120.7 km)
A new kickoff point for the third Tour of Missouri will be a showcase of St. Louis on Labor Day Weekend. While the terrain is relatively easy, the course is fast and technical, which will make things interesting from the start. Everyone will have fresh legs and a shot at the first yellow jersey of the tour, making this opening day an exciting one. Click HERE to download Stage 1 Map Click HERE to download Stage 1 Profile |
|  Stage 2 – Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau, 112.4 miles (180.9 km)
This new territory for the Tour of Missouri will offer the racers their first taste of state’s rolling hills and scenic countryside. Some early KOM hills and a technical finish on Cape’s riverfront should provide a challenge for the day’s winner.
A great viewing day awaits fans as well. The proximity of I-55 makes it easy to watch the start, catch the sprint in Perryville, and still make the finish with time to spare. Click HERE to download Stage 2 Map Click HERE to download Stage 2 Profile |
|  Stage 3 –Farmington to Rolla, 114.3 mi. (183.9 km)
Perhaps the most challenging stage in the three-year history of Tour of Missouri awaits the riders during this stage. The start in Farmington’s quaint downtown belies the challenges to come in the Ozark Mountains. With over 6,000 feet of total climbing on hill after hill, this day will begin to shape the race for the overall champion. The familiar finish in Rolla could again see a solo winner as it did in 2008 with Michael Barry.
Click HERE to download Stage 3 Map Click HERE to download Stage 3 Profile |
|  Stage Four – St. James to Jefferson City, 109.2 mi. (175.7 mi.)
The only repeat stage from 2008, the challenging Stage Four is back to test the best. It’s gently rolling start hides the sting that awaits the riders on Jefferson City’s famously-challenging finish circuits. Look for the world’s top sprinters to get humbled by the “capitol wall”, a steep 300-meter climb, to the finish line adjacent to the states Capitol.
Click HERE to download Stage 4 Map Click HERE to download Stage 4 Profile |
|  Stage Five – Sedalia, Time Trial, 19 mi. (30.5 km)
A time trial for the purists awaits in Sedalia. This is what time trialing is all about, flat, fast, and wide open. A collection of the best time trialists in the world go full throttle from start to finish on the Missouri State Fair grounds in Sedalia. (Or bring your bike and cruise the Katy Trail, which offers three great viewing points of the course in a five-mile stretch.)
ClickHERE to download Stage 5 Map Click HERE to download Stage 5 Profile |
|  Stage Six – Chillicothe to St. Joseph, 110.3 mi. (177.4 km)
Deceptive is the best way to describe this new stage. On paper this may seem like a flat, leisurely ride through the country, but beware of the winds and shorter, steep climbs toward St. Joseph. Weather could turn this simple stage into a grueling slugfest pitting riders against each other and Mother Nature. The win in front of St. Joseph’s city hall will take more than powerful legs. A strong team will have to work together for this victory.
Click HERE to download Stage 6 Map Click HERE to download Stage 6 Profile |
|  Stage Seven – Kansas City, circuit race, 72.3 mi. (116.4 km)
Not your typical parade stage to finish the tour, this circuit through Kansas City’sgreater downtown area is hard. Countless technical corners and short steep hills await the field this day and the overall champion will have to earn it. After a start at KCLive! in the new Kansas City Power and Light District, Crown Center will welcome that deserving champion at the end of this challenging day.
Click HERE to download Stage 7 Map Click HERE to download Stage 7 Profile |
The start times, with estimated finish times, are as follows:
All times subject to change
