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posted by Brent Hugh at 1:26 PM
The folks in St Joseph sent out a team of high school photographers to take photos of everything associated with the St Joseph stage.
From those photos they have put together a really neat slideshow of the St Joseph stage of the 2009 Tour of Missouri: Click here to see the original version of the slideshow on the City of St Joseph web site .
posted by Brent Hugh at 2:59 PM
Today Lieutenant Governor Kinder's office released the results of the economic impact survey for the 2009 Tour of Missouri--half a million spectators, $38 million economic impact, and about 7 million viewers of the cable TV roundup shows.
That's not bad for a $1.5 million investment from the state of Missouri: Lt. Governor Kinder Presents 2009 Tour of Missouri Economic Impact Study
posted by Brent Hugh at 3:25 PM
According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, a group of prominent Missouri Democrats has sent a letter asking Governor Nixon to support the Tour of Missouri in 2010:
Today, the Tour released a letter signed by seven Missouri Democratic lawmakers asking Gov. Jay Nixon — who hasn’t been a big supporter of the Tour — to back continued state funding for the race. The significance of this letter is simply that the Tour of Missouri has broad, bi-partisan support, from leaders and members of both parties and from big cities, suburban areas, small towns, and rural areas. Missouri has two million bicyclists--who recognize that even if they themselves never race and have no particular interest in bicycle racing, the Tour is good for Missouri and good for bicycling in Missouri. The decision to continue or not continue the Tour of Missouri for 2010 will most likely be made by the end of the year--so I encourage you to continue calling and emailing Governor Nixon's office:Email: http://governor.mo.gov/contact/
posted by Brent Hugh at 2:55 PM
This editorial recently appeared in the Kansas City Star:
Sports fans across the nation and in 111 other countries watched as bicycle racers zipped by the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, through the Ozarks and past Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial during the just-ended Tour of Missouri. As we've mentioned before, keeping those calls, letters, and email messages coming to Governor Nixon is key: Email: http://governor.mo.gov/contact/
posted by Brent Hugh at 12:56 PM
According to several news sources, Lance Armstrong called Missouri Governor Jay Nixon last week to encourage him to continue the Tour of Missouri in 2010 and beyond:
Nixon spokesman Jack Cardetti says Armstrong called the Democratic governor late Friday afternoon, according to the Associated Press.The decision to continue or not continue the Tour of Missouri for 2010 will most likely be made by the end of the year--so I encourage you to continue calling and emailing Governor Nixon's office: Email: http://governor.mo.gov/contact/Representatives from MoBikeFed met with the Governor's staff last week and they seemed very open to the idea of supporting common-sense policy positions in support of better, safer bicycling in Missouri. But the more Missouri citizens ask, the more Governor Nixon will listen.
posted by Brent Hugh at 9:09 AM
Here are a few of our photos from the Tour of Missouri Stage 7 in Kansas City:
                                                                                            
posted by Brent Hugh at 11:04 PM
Stage 6 was characterized by continuous attacks and very fast riding. In the end no breakaway was able to stay away and the stage ended in a very fast sprint finish taken by Francesco Chicchi of Liquigas-Cannondale.
Dave Zabriskie retained yellow and I don't think I've ever heard a rider more deliriously happy as Zabriskie was in the post-race press conference. Zabriskie said he was "on cloud nine" and from all appearances, it was quite true. The Local Organizing Committee for the Tour in St. Joseph had planned a full day of activities--children's bicycle races, adult tricycle races, bicycle stunt demonstrations, and a large, active expo area--that brought crowds of people out to the finish line area by the time I arrived at 10AM. The crowds only built by the time the race arrived around 5PM.                                                                                  
posted by Brent Hugh at 10:51 PM
At today's stage of the Tour of Missouri we saw an absolutely amazing display of bi-partisan support for the Tour as an event that is good for Missouri and for communities large and small, urban and rural, that are touched by the Tour.
A large and appreciative crowd at the Stage 6 awards ceremony saw Lt Governor Peter Kinder (R) joined on stage by Senator and President Pro Tem of the Missouri Senate Charlie Shields (R) and by Jean Carnahan (D), wife of deceased Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan and former U.S. Senator from Missouri, Tom Carnahan, her son, and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D), her daughter--who is currently running for U.S. Senate to replace Senator Kit Bond. This set into dramatic relief the refusal of Governor Jay Nixon to visit the Tour, appear on the stage, or even spend a few minutes shaking hands with members of the public at the Tour--when the Tour passed within a few feet of his office Thursday, where he and his staff were working. Reportedly Governor Nixon's motorcade was stopped by barricades and street closures as the Tour was setting up--but even then he did not get out and spend even a couple of minutes greeting spectators. One begins to wonder how much of this is really looking out for the interests of the people of Missouri and how much is simply a personal grudge or political gamesmanship. Please keep those calls & emails in support of the Tour coming: Email or call Governor Nixon's office (573-751-3222) and ask Governor Nixon to support the 2010 Tour of Missouri.
posted by Brent Hugh at 10:33 PM
Utahn Dave Zabriskie took the time trial and the yellow jersey today in the Tour of Missouri Stage 5 time trial held in Sedalia.
Will he be able to hold the yellow jersey all the way to Kansas City? For those who asked about Stage 4, which finished in Jefferson City yesterday: Yes Governor Nixon was in town; no he didn't show up at the stage finish immediately adjacent to the Capitol; yes, he was invited. Please keep those calls & emails in support of the Tour coming: Email or call Governor Nixon's office (573-751-3222) and ask Governor Nixon to support the 2010 Tour of Missouri.                                  
posted by Brent Hugh at 10:27 PM
One of the great things about the Tour of Missouri is the many local events that local cities put on before, after, and during the Tour.
The ride from the Katy Depot in Sedalia to the state fairgrounds where Stage 5 took place, was a great example of such an event. They had some really neat old bikes there!                    
posted by Brent Hugh at 9:30 PM
After the Stage 4 of the Tour of Missouri, won in a dramatic fashion by J.J. Haedo of Team Saxobank in an uphill sprint finish, the UCI's tiebreaking system (see p. E0109) came into full play to determine that Haedo is also the GC (yellow jersey) winner--for now.
See the complete explanation of how the UCI's tie-breaking system works, after the photos.
Photos from Stage 4 finish area:                                                       How did Haedo come out as both the stage winner and GC winner today? Haedo, Hushovd, and some other riders all share the same official time--because all riders who arrive together in a group at the finish all receive the same official time. So how is a tie like that broken? There are four levels to the tiebreaking system:
posted by Brent Hugh at 8:04 PM
 Setting up for the Tour all day today in the shadow of the state capitol building in Jefferson City, it was again impressed upon me how important the Tour of Missouri has been in showing--in a very concrete way--how important bicycling is to Missouri's economy and to Missouri's citizens.The Tour shows in a very definite way that there is huge popular support for bicycling in Missouri and that bicycling can (and should!) play an important part in building Missouri's economy. Support for bicycling in Missouri We know there are two million bicyclists in Missouri--but that figure becomes much more believable when we see a significant fraction of that number out to see the Tour over the course of a few days. MoBikeFed Education Chair Coy Hart has been staffing our expo booth at the Tour and asking hundreds of people to sign our petition in support of Complete Streets in Missouri (remember we want to have 5000 signatures in support of Complete Streets by next legislative session). Of the hundreds of people Coy has asked to sign in support of Complete Streets, virtually 100% have said yes.Economic impact of bicycling in Missouri We already know from studies done by outdoor industry research groups that bicycling is a billion dollar industry in Missouri. But the Tour makes that economic impact very clear and obvious. The state (and many sponsors) are investing money in the Tour. Is it money well spent? Well, the folks who run hotels and restaurants in Missouri would say yes. The Tour is definitely filling hotel beds and restaurant chairs--to the tune of about $30 brought into the economy for every $1 spent on the Tour. Will Missouri's two million bicyclists be the real winner? J.J. Haedo took today's stage--and the yellow jersey--in an amazing uphill sprint finish. But the real winner today needs to be the people of Missouri--when Governor Nixon agrees to support the 2010 Tour of Missouri. Now would be a great time to email or call Governor Nixon's office (573-751-3222) and ask Governor Nixon to support the 2010 Tour. 
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