I just received this info today:

Discovery Channel Team Makes Missouri Final U.S. Race
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Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain and American Levi Leipheimer, the third place finisher at that race, have been announced as participants in the inaugural Tour of Missouri, September 11 th - 16 th . It marks the first time since Greg LeMond (in 1986) that a Tour de France champion raced in a major American stage race after winning the Tour. Contador and Leipheimer led the Discovery Channel team which recently dominated the Tour de France with two overall podium places, two stage wins, and laying claim to the best young rider classification and overall team classification.

Also included on the Discovery Channel roster in Missouri are: prerace favorite and current U.S. National Champion George Hincapie of Greenville, S.C.; 8 th place Tour de France finisher Yaroslav Popovych of the Ukraine; Tony Cruz of Long Beach, CA; 2007 3 rd place finisher of the Amgen Tour of California Jason McCartney of Coralville, IA; up and coming U.S. star John Devine of Dixon, Ill., and Fuyu Li, the first Chinese athlete to compete at the elite Pro Tour level.

To have Johan Bruyneel commit to bringing Discovery Channel’s Tour de France “dream team” to the Tour of Missouri is special for this race,” said Race Director Jim Birrell. Added Bruyneel: “I have always enjoyed directing in the U.S. because of our success and an amazing group of fans that come to see us race. It is sad to think that this will be one of the last times I will be directing, but I am glad it will be in front of a such great fans."



Woohoo!!!! I think I will need to take a couple of personal days. It starts in KC and ends in St. Louis. What a great event for Missouri! More info here:

Tour of Missouri