From Savannah newspaper -- Oh well no fun ride and watch the race day.

Dan


Tour De Georgia cancelled for 2009

Organizers cite 'tough? economic times and hope to resume the race in 2010

After struggling to pay its 2008 obligations, and missing out on Lance
Armstrong's return to racing, the Tour de Georgia will announce today that
it's going to skip 2009 and focus on returning to the state's roads in 2010.

"The rise in the cost of gas" and the current "tough" economic picture hurt
us, said Phil Jacobs, a member of the race's board of directors.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who is the chairman of the board, said the decision
"will strengthen" the event in the long run. "We look forward to using 2009
to plan the 2010 tour, and I am committed to playing an active role in that
process," he said.

The event's outlook was much brighter on April 22 when the 2008 Tour de
Georgia began at Tybee Island. That first stage took a circuitous 70.4-mile
route through Chatham County before finishing at the Civic Center, and the
next six stages sent some 100 professional cyclists across the state before
concluding April 27 in Atlanta.

The initial reports on the race were positive, accenting a reported 40
percent increase in direct economic impact over 2007, and the more than
$500,000 that was raised for the event's targeted charities, the Aflac
Cancer Center at Children's Healthcare in Atlanta and the Georgia Cancer
Coalition.

The race also received some $400,000 from the state Department of Economic
Development, the same amount given in 2007.

But, despite those high hopes, problems soon began to appear.



Tour draws mixed reviews

Harry Spirides, the chief executive officer of the Ocean Plaza Beach Resort
on Tybee Island, said the tour booked all 205 of his rooms in the "three or
four days" before the race began. The eventual bill rung up by the tour,
including rooms, meals and other considerations, was $30,246, he said.

Several months later, Spirides said he began getting e-mails and calls from
an attorney representing the tour.

The end result of those conversations, he said, was an $8,000 "take it or
leave it" offer and a warning not to sue "because you'll be in court for the
rest of your life."

The economic times being what they are, "$8,000 is better than nothing,"
Spirides said, so he took the settlement, but he's still disappointed with
the turn of events.

"We did everything possible to live up to our side of the bargain," he said.
"The thought never occurred to me" that the tour wouldn't pay in full.

Bob Coffey, the general manager of the Savannah International Trade and
Convention Center, had a better experience.

The center hosted a gala introduction of the teams and riders the weekend
before the race, and attendance was lower than expected, but Coffey said he
and event organizers were able to arrive at an amicable settlement that was
"favorable to both sides."

Coffey said he'd be willing to host a Tour de Georgia event in the future,
if organizers can get the race back on the road.

Thursday morning, Jacobs said that Spirides didn't present the entire
picture concerning his debt. The Ocean Plaza billed the tour for $155,248.
Of that amount, the tour paid $133,000, or 86 percent of the total bill,
Jacobs said.



Big name may hold key

That may have occurred in 2009 - if seven-time Tour de France champion
Armstrong had followed through on his earliest comeback announcements. In
early September, when the 37-year-old American shocked the sporting world by
saying he wanted to compete in the 2009 Tour de France, he listed the 2009
Tour de Georgia as one of his preparatory events, giving event organizers
hope that his presence would enable them to sustain the race without a
break.

Those hopes were dashed, however, when Armstrong subsequently released a
revised schedule for 2009 that included races in California, Australia and
Europe, but not the Tour de Georgia.

The decision was then made to skip a year. But at least one veteran
organizer is optimistic the decision will not doom the race.

The move to regroup in 2009 and come out stronger in 2010 was a "smart one,"
said Chris Aronhalt, managing partner of Medalist Sports, the company which
runs the Tour de Georgia, and the tours of California and Missouri.

With its history and reputation, said Aronhalt, the Tour of Georgia can
"quickly regain its role as one of the 'great tours of the U.S.,' as long as
it has the proper support and vision."

Tour de Georgia winners

2008: Kanstantsin Siutsou of Team High Road

2007: Janez Brajkovic of Discovery Channel

2006: Floyd Landis of Phonak

2005: Tom Danielson of Discovery Channel

2004: Lance Armstrong of U.S. Postal Service

2003: Chris Horner of Team Saturn