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Tour of Georgia, USA

18 - 23 April

Preview

Overall Map
Startlist
Photos
2005 Results

Stages
18 April, Stage 1, Augusta - Macon, 207.4K, Map
19 April, Stage 2, Fayetteville - Rome, 186.9K, Map
20 April, Stage 3, Chickamauga - Chattanooga TT, 39.9K, Map
21 April, Stage 4, Dalton - Dahlonega, 191.4K, Map
22 April, Stage 5, Blairsville - Brasstown Bald Mountain, 152.1K, Map
23 April, Stage 6, Cumming - Alpharetta, 190.2K, Map
Total: 967.9K

The Tour of California might have the fun and sun, but the 4th Tour of Georgia has the distinction of being the only HC classified race by cycling's governing body in the United States.

Race organizers have dished up six fun filled days and approximately 1000 kilometers of racing. The first two stages are fairly unimaginative romps through the Georgia countryside before the likely bunch sprint conclusions. Stage 3 will see the only individual test against the clock. It measures at 39.9 kilometers and will be a perfect opportunity for the GC heavy hitters to throw down the gauntlet before hitting the big mountains in stages 4 and 5. Stage 5 will be the queen stage, if you will, of this year's Tour of Georgia. It packs in a category 1 and 2 climb and finishes on the viciously steep hors catégorie Brasstown Bald climb at 1372 meters.

Think back to the 2005 Tour of Georgia. This is where Tom Danielson sealed the fate of Floyd Landis, by romping home to a stage victory and eventual overall victory. The results of this stage will no doubt decide the outcome of the race. The final day's racing has one category 3 climb, but it comes toward the beginning of the stage and is followed by over 140 kilometers of pretty much flat terrain. This will be the final opportunity for the sprinters to flex their fast-twitch loaded muscles, so expect a mass sprint.

Back to defend his 2005 title will be Tom Danielson of the squadra Americana, Discovery Channel. We should see Danielson on some flying form, as not even two weeks after the conclusion of the Tour of Georgia he'll vie for victory in the Giro d'Italia. Team CSC will no doubt bring some heavy hitters, as will the other four Pro Tour teams: Davitamon-Lotto, Phonak, Prodir-Saunier Duval and Quick-Step. The local Jittery Joe's-Zero Gravity squad will once again be a small fish in a very big pond, but this race is on their home turf and they will surely have an axe to grind. They bump elbows with the other big American teams looking to make an impression, Health Net-Maxxis and Navigators.

Stay tuned to BiciRace.com on 18 to 23 April for post race coverage and analysis.
- Paco

Past Winners:

2005 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel
2004 Lance Armstrong (USA) USPS
2003 Chris Horner (USA) Saturn