Fifty Plus (50+) - Tour of Missouri

I'm very much looking forward to the Tour of Missouri this week. It promises to be a bigger and even better event than last year. More teams and one more stage.

Last year, prior to the event, I read a number of posts from racers unfamiliar with Missouri who predicted bunch sprints to decide every daily stage winner. In the actual race, the opposite played out. Only the circuit races in Kansas City and St Louis were decided by field sprints. The "knobs" spread out the field on all of the road stages.

This year the run into St Charles, where I live, has been changed. Following the big hills surrounding Augusta there will be over 20 miles of table top flat road leading up to the finish line.

Like last year my wife and I will probably ride our tandem into St Charles to watch the finish. It was a great carnival atmosphere with big screen TVs to watch the events out on the course leading up to the finish. I loved it.

Have fun. There is nothing like the excitement of watching a big time bike race. Do you plan to watch any other stages?

I live in Kansas City. I'll probably ride down to the Plaza to watch the local events, but I am not professional enough to participate.

Dang!!!!! Grew up in Missouri, live in Cebu PI. (and sometimes Ky, USA) Got a brother in St Charles and another in Jeff City. I guess I should plan a visit.

Well fiddlesticks.

I was ready to walk the 10 blocks to watch the Tour make the turn at Meyer Circle when my wife said I want to go. Super lets go. Can you wait 15 minutes while I finish up something on the computer? Well I guess but we might miss them. No we will be fine. Ok. I wait the 15 minutes only now after the 15 minute wait, she says she doesn't want to go. So I zoom out of the house only to miss not only the leaders but the bulk of the pack.

I guess I am a tiny bit miffed, having the wife hold me up only to then decide not to go. I guess it is really only a bike race. Maybe they will do it again next year? If they do it next year perhaps I will be leaving the house on my schedule.

Retro- where would you recommend to watch, and when?

Retro- where would you recommend to watch, and when?

My top pick by far would be the finish line in St Charles. The finish is expected to be around 4:15 or 4:30 but come early to experience the vendor booths and carnival atmosphere. You can watch the race action on big screen TVs. We rode our tandem into St Charles last year and avoided any parking issues. It was great!

My second pick would be the KOM hot spots on Schlursberg hill which connects Hwy 94 with Hwy F, or maybe on Old Colony Rd which connects Hwy F with Hwy DD. Schlursberg Road attracted a sizeable crowd last year. I can't imagine where they all parked. Old Colony wasn't on last year's route but it's relatively narrow with no good parking places that I can see.

The route goes around St Peters on Hwy B and Hwy C. That area, as you are aware, is tabletop flat so I expect the peloton to catch anybody who broke away on the hills. If you happened to be in place to see the catch, that would be neat but otherwise I'm thinking it would be a long wait to watch a minute or two of action.

I'd resist the temptation to watch fron Schlursberg hill and then try to drive into St Charles to see the finish. Some friends of mine tried that last year but got held up by traffic and missed the finish.