State parks, national landmarks, classic mountains and the state capital will highlight the route of the fifth annual Tour de Georgia, scheduled April 16 to 22, 2007. The announcement of the 12 Host Venues and overview of the seven stages was unveiled today by sports marketing company Medalist Sports and the event’s Presenting Sponsor, the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), the business recruitment and tourism agency for the state.

Expanding its stature from six to seven days, the Tour de Georgia will begin for the first time in its five-year history on a Monday. A full week of professional cycling and community festivals will embark on April 16 from Peachtree City, Ga, located just south of metro Atlanta, and work its way in a clockwise direction around the state of Georgia and include a return to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Highlights of the 600-mile route include a dramatic individual time trial to the top of Lookout Mountain, a return to the epic mountain-top finish on Brasstown Bald Mountain, a stage finish in Stone Mountain Park and a return to downtown Atlanta and Centennial Olympic Park as the Overall Finish.

"Each of these great communities will be able to put its own unique stamp on the event," said Craig Lesser, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. "Adding an extra day to the Tour de Georgia schedule means more people than ever will have the chance to enjoy the excitement of this international event, and will only enhance the Tour's already strong impact on Georgia's economy."

 

2007 TOUR DE GEORGIA ROUTE AND HOST VENUES
Stage 1: Monday, April 16 – Peachtree City, Ga. to Macon, Ga.
Stage 2: Tuesday, April 17 – Thomaston, Ga. to Rome, Ga.
Stage 3: Wednesday, April 18 – Rome, Ga. to Chattanooga, Tenn.
Stage 4: Thursday, April 19 – Chickamauga/Walker Co., Ga. to Lookout Mountain, Ga. (Time Trial)
Stage 5: Friday, April 20 – Dalton, Ga. to Brasstown Bald Mountain/Towns Co., Ga.
Stage 6: Saturday, April 21 – Lake Lanier Islands/ Hall Co., Ga. to Stone Mountain Park/Dekalb Co., Ga.
Stage 7: Sunday, April 22 – Atlanta, Ga. (circuit race)

 The Tour de Georgia is North America's premier, professional cycling event and rolling festival of community activities. 2007 marks the fifth season for this prestigious event, which has been lengthened from six to seven days this spring, April 16 -22. The human drama unfolds on Monday, April 16 as world-class cycling teams will cover over 600 miles of racing from Georgia's historic heartland to Civil War battlefields, crossing rivers and mountains, bringing thousands of spectators to city centers and parks. Sunday, April 22 the Grand Finale will feature a circuit race that will return a world spotlight to a landmark made famous from the Centennial Olympic Games.

Since 2003 the Tour de Georgia has attracted 2.3 million spectators and generated direct economic impact to the Georgia economy that has totaled over $121 million. Close to 4,000 volunteers make this annual event a success. The Tour de Georgia is also proud to support the Georgia Cancer Coalition with over $125,000 in funding for cancer research and statewide publicity for its partners and services.

 The week-long event will maintain its traditional "Tour de France tune-up" slot on the UCI international cycling calendar as a 2. HC (Hors Categorie) professional event, attracting the best teams from North America and across the globe. Two of the past four winners have also won the Tour de France in the same year as winning the Tour de Georgia - Americans Lance Armstrong (2004, US Postal Professional Cycling Team) and Floyd Landis (2006, Team Phonak).