I love this photo. He had just finished a leg of the Tour of Missouri. Tired, sweaty, thirsty. This photo captures it all.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -
The race will go on. After a week of uncertainty, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced the Tour of Missouri cycling race that ends this year in Kansas City will get the much needed $1.5 million in state funding.
The Tour of Missouri is one of a handful of highly-rated, professional bicycle races outside Europe. This year includes top cyclists, like Lance Armstrong's team. With a lineup like that, Trek manager Scott Stevens couldn't believe the governor even considered cutting funding.
"To find out that they may not be coming and we may not see it, it was actually kind of deflating," Stevens said.
Especially for Tour of Missouri fans in the local cycling community.
"Those teams, they were planning on flying here and they'd be less likely to come here again because their plans are all canceled," cyclist Karen Winterhalter said.
But on Tuesday afternoon, Governor Nixon said the tour must roll on, but only after tourism officials and race organizers agreed to share financial information with the state.
In a written statement, Governor Nixon said, "Missourians should know...the event is being run in a way that minimizes the cost to taxpayers."
It's great news for Kansas City. Rick Hughes, CEO of the Convention and Visitor's Association, expects the tour to bring nearly $6 million to our local economy.
"Most of the people attend the race are outside the state of Missouri, so that's net new dollars, which of course is what we're looking for," Hughes said.
Hughes said the Kansas City circuit will deliberately showcase local attractions, but it's the image of cyclists racing down Missouri roads that has Stevens counting down the days until the Tour of Missouri
"It's going to be exciting, there's going to be a lot of high quality riders here, so who knows, maybe we'll get a glimpse of Lance," Stevens said.
The Tour of Missouri rolls through Kansas City on September 13.
The Tour of Missouri is one of a handful of highly-rated, professional bicycle races outside Europe. This year includes top cyclists, like Lance Armstrong's team. With a lineup like that, Trek manager Scott Stevens couldn't believe the governor even considered cutting funding.
"To find out that they may not be coming and we may not see it, it was actually kind of deflating," Stevens said.
Especially for Tour of Missouri fans in the local cycling community.
"Those teams, they were planning on flying here and they'd be less likely to come here again because their plans are all canceled," cyclist Karen Winterhalter said.
But on Tuesday afternoon, Governor Nixon said the tour must roll on, but only after tourism officials and race organizers agreed to share financial information with the state.
In a written statement, Governor Nixon said, "Missourians should know...the event is being run in a way that minimizes the cost to taxpayers."
It's great news for Kansas City. Rick Hughes, CEO of the Convention and Visitor's Association, expects the tour to bring nearly $6 million to our local economy.
"Most of the people attend the race are outside the state of Missouri, so that's net new dollars, which of course is what we're looking for," Hughes said.
Hughes said the Kansas City circuit will deliberately showcase local attractions, but it's the image of cyclists racing down Missouri roads that has Stevens counting down the days until the Tour of Missouri
"It's going to be exciting, there's going to be a lot of high quality riders here, so who knows, maybe we'll get a glimpse of Lance," Stevens said.
The Tour of Missouri rolls through Kansas City on September 13.
