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Washington to host 2008 Tour de Georgia bike race
Based on the growing popularity of the race - Lance Armstrong won in 2004 - the stage start here promises to attract international as well as domestic visitors in very large numbers. The third stage of the 667-mile 2008 Tour de Georgia will start at Washington on Wednesday, April 23, 2008, and go to Gainesville, Tourism Director Ashley Barnett said. Based on last year's attendance of more than 500,000 spectators along the course, she said, as many as 20,000 or 30,000 visitors could line the streets here that day as riders start the stage. Barnett and Mayor Willie Burns traveled to Atlanta for the announcement last week, and Barnett will spend next Tuesday at planning meetings in Atlanta to learn how to host the race. "It's an enormous job, and it's going to take the efforts of our very best volunteers to make this work for Washington," Barnett said. The meeting next week will outline the duties of the local organizing committee. The local organizing committee has the responsibility of working with Tour de Georgia officials, and Barnett will be learning Tuesday what the race organizers' operational, technical and additional support requirements will be. "I'm going to learn all the things we need to do to plan for and conduct the event, as well as get suggestions on how to best form our Local Organizing Committee." The exposure for Washington and Wilkes County is enormous, Barnett said. The race last year brought 520,000 spectators to the week-long race, and this year's race is expected to reach a worldwide television audience of 50 million. "It's not the people who come here that day that have the strongest economic impact on Washington," she said. "It's all the people who discover Washington that day and come back for a longer visit. This kind of exposure is like free advertising." Washington is one of five new communities that will host the Tour for the first time, including Road Atlanta/Braselton, Statesboro, Suwanee/Gwinnett Co., and Tybee Island. Other returning Host Venues include Atlanta (2003, 2007), Augusta (2005, 2006), Blairsville (2004-2006), Brasstown Bald Mountain/Towns County ( 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 7 ) , Dahlonega ( 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 6 ) , and Gainesville (2003, 2005). The Tour de Georgia gained international stature in 2004 when Tour de France champion and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong won the event. In 2005 the Tour de Georgia was elevated to a 2. Hors Classe road cycling competition by the world's governing body of the sport, the Union Cycliste International. This made the Tour de Georgia one of the highest rated stage races outside of Europe, and gained the distinction as a tune-up event for the world's best cyclists who planned to compete in the Tour de France in July. And this year, at 667-miles of racing, the Tour de Georgia became the longest professional stage race in North America. The 2007 Tour included 120 athletes from 23 countries. Fifteen professional cycling teams from around the world, each with eight athletes, will be extended special invitations to participate in the event by Medalist Sports. By January 2008, an announcement is expected to describe the details of the projected 650-mile route and the top teams accepting invitations. Barnett has already begun lining up her local organizing committee to prepare for the Tour. "It's going to be an enormous job to host a stage start, and we'll need the help of lots of volunteers, but we will absolutely be ready for the world to come to Washington next April." Tour de Georgia
Host Venues
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