2009 Tour de Georgia Route Announced.
November 1, 2008 – 10:00 pmFrom today’s Atlanta Journal Constitution:
Stage 1 (April 21): Beginning for the first time at Tybee Island, the stage runs 71.8 miles through coastal lowcountry to Savannah.
Stage 2 (April 22): Departs first-time host Statesboro and runs 115.7 miles to Augusta. The stage includes the Tour’s first official climb, in North Augusta, and runs into South Carolina for the first time.
Stage 3 (April 23): Starts in Washington for the first time and travels across rolling terrain 109.7 miles to Gainesville.
Stage 4 (April 24): The Tour’s first team time trial — there have been four previous individual time trials — is on the road course at Road Atlanta, a 2.5-mile, 12-turn motorsport track. Each team races all eight riders at the same time against the clock.
Stage 5 (April 25): At 133.4 miles, the Tour’s longest stage — and first mountain stage — passes through 10 counties from Suwanee in Gwinnett County to Dahlonega.
Stage 6 (April 26): The 88.4-mile stage beginning in Blairsville features the signature climb of the week, finishing at the highest point in Georgia, Brasstown Bald (4,783 feet). Race organizers expect more than 25,000 spectators to watch the final 3.12 miles.
Stage 7 (April 27): The final stage in Atlanta begins and finishes at Centennial Olympic Park and runs 10 full laps through downtown totalling 62.7 miles.
