Learn More About the Stride & Ride and Sprint to the Capitol Happy Hour Events

Win a VIP ridealong from St. James to Jefferson City in the Tour of Missouri race caravan
Want to get an up close and personal viewing of the Tour of Missouri?
A ride in the race caravan allows you to do just that. You’ll hop in a car and ride with the cyclists as they travel to Jefferson City. Tickets are $10--which enters you for 5 chances to win! Come by the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau and purchase your tickets today!

Tour of Missouri Announces 2009 Start Times
Third Annual Elite Pro Cycling Race Takes Place September 7-13
JEFFERSON CITY, MO (July 22, 2009) --- Event organizers and Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder today announced the start and estimated finish times for each of the seven stages for the third Tour of Missouri professional cycling race, scheduled for September 7-13, 2009.

The following cities will play host to a leg of the 2009 Tour: St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Rolla, St. James, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Chillicothe, St. Joseph, and Kansas City.

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).

The start times, with estimated finish times, are as follows:

All times subject to change

Stage by stage courses will be announced Thursday, July 30 in Kansas City.

The overall course will take on a very different slant in 2009. For the first time, the race will route east to west, starting in St. Louis and finishing in Kansas City. The past two years, the race routed west to east starting in Kansas City to finish in St. Louis.

The overall mileage for the course is expected to be more than 600 miles.

Though a stellar world-class field was presented last year, the three-year-old race is expected to be event 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 pro tour teams Astana, Cervelo Test Team, Team Columbia HTC, Garmin Slipstream, Liquigas, Team Saxo Bank and Quickstep. 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.

Last year, the event drew more than 435,000 spectators over seven days. Missouri Tourism noted an direct and indirect economic impact of almost $30 million to the state.

The event is sanctioned by USA Cycling, the national federation for cycling in the United States, and the Union Cycliste Internationale, the international governing body for the sport of cycling.

Listen to Jefferson City's Road to the Tour of Missouri Podcast with Sarah Stroesser

Great news!
Thank you for your support and for sharing your enthusiasm with the Governor. Our voices were heard. The race is on! The state funds for the Tour of Missouri have been given approval to be released, and the 2009 Tour of Missouri is on track for the most successful year yet! Read the full story.

World's No. 1-Ranked Team
QuickStep Announced for Tour of Missouri
Third Annual Elite Pro Cycling Race Takes Place September 7-13

April 14, 2009 (Jefferson City, Mo.) - The current world No. 1-ranked team, QuickStep of Belgium, has been announced for the third Tour of Missouri professional cycling race, scheduled for September 7-13, 2009.

QuickStep is the team of international superstar Tom Boonen, who won Sunday's Paris-Roubaix for the third time, Stijn Devolder of Belgium and Australian Allan Davis, who has led the UCI's Pro Tour standings much of the year.

It will be QuickStep's first time racing at the Tour of Missouri.

"It is a big win for Missouri that the world No. 1 ranked team has chosen to participate in one of the world's top bike races," said Lt. Governor Peter Kinder. "The caliber of athletes and teams will translate directly into more spectators and more economic impact for the state and host cities."

"To add the current top-ranked team on the world circuit to the Tour of Missouri is phenomenal," said Chris Aronhalt, the managing partner of event organizer Medalist Sports. "The stature of the event continues to grow, and the participation of QuickStep re-inforces how far the Tour of Missouri has matured in two short years. We are proud of the race's impeccable reputation, and pleased that several of the world's top-ranked teams have requested invites. We now have six Tour de France entrants in the race, a staggering amount for a young race."

QuickStep joins one of the top fields assembled outside of Europe this season.

Previously announced are top United States-based teams Garmin-Slipstream and world No. 3-ranked Columbia-High Road, as well as the world No. 2-ranked Cervelo Test Team, 2009 Tour de France favorite Astana, and one of Italy's top pro tour teams Liquigas. Domestic-based Jelly Belly and recent Paris-Roubaix team entrant BMC Racing have also been announced.

The overall course will take on a very different slant in 2009. For the first time, the race will route east to west, starting in St. Louis and finishing in Kansas City. The past two years, the race routed west to east starting in Kansas City to finish in St. Louis.

According to Aronhalt, race organizers are close to two other big-name team signings. A total of eight teams have been announced to date. A total of 15 teams will be slotted in for the September line up.

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).

The overall mileage for the course is expected to be more than 600 miles.

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. The upgrade will guarantee more top teams. Additional teams will be announced in coming weeks.

American Christian Vande Velde won last year's race, while countryman George Hincapie won the inaugural race in 2007.

The Tour of Missouri's premier sponsors to date are Missouri Tourism, Missouri Farm Bureau of Jefferson City, Drury Hotels, and Edward Jones, both of St. Louis.

2009 Jefferson City Tour of Missouri Sponsors