April 15, 2007 – With seven stages and a total distance of 667 miles, the 2007 Tour de Georgia will be the longest in the Tour’s history and one of the longest professional stage races in the U.S. this year.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has awarded the Tour de Georgia a 2.Hors Classe rating, recognizing it as one of the top-ranked stage races in the world in terms of difficulty. Consequently, it is considered an important lead-in race for the European Grand Tours later in the season. In fact, two of the past four winners of the Tour de Georgia – Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis – have gone on to win the Tour de France in the same year.

Two Canadian riders will compete in this year’s race: Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net p/b Maxxis) and Charles Dionne (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light). Hesjedal has had a good 2007 season so far. At the Tour of California in February of this year his team leader, Nathan O’Neil was forced to sit out of the race after being hit by a car during training. Hesjedal took over the team leader position along with team mate Rory Sutherland and ended up coming in 10th overall.

Dionne returns to cycling with the Colavita/Sutter Home team after an injury-filled season riding for Saunier Duval-Prodir last year. The Quebec native is an excellent sprinter and, with his injuries behind him and a winter spent building up strength, Dionne will be looking to come back strong.

This year’s race course is one for climbers. On three of the stages, climbs will exceed 1,750 feet over several peaks. The individual time-trial this year includes a 1,500 foot climb and on stage five, the infamous Brasstown Bald Mountain awaits the riders.

Stage 1 — Monday, April 16
Peachtree City to Macon, 97 miles (156km) Start 12:00 noon. Expected finish 3:30 – 4:00 pm

The Tour de Georgia has passed through Fayette County and Peachtree City twice before, but this is the first time the overall start will be hosted by Peachtree City.

Stage 1 is just over 150km of roughly flat terrain – a stage for the sprinters. Freddy Rodriguez of Predictor-Lotto won the Sprint Leader’s jersey last year and will be returning to the race this year hoping for another win. He’ll be looking to pick up points here on the first sprint of the race.

Stage 2 — Tuesday, April 17
Thomaston to Rome, 135 miles (217km) Start 11:00 am. Expected finish 4:00 – 5:00 pm

The longest stage of the race this year begins in Thomaston and takes the peloton all the way to Rome, a city that has been a part of the Tour de Georgia since its inaugural year of 2003.

Stage 2 starts to get a little hilly, but no major climbs yet. The stage finishes with a 10 mile flat finish for another edge-of-your-seat sprint to the line.

Stage 3 — Wednesday, April 18
Rome to Chattanooga, TN, 118 miles (190k) Start 12:00 noon. Expected finish 4:15 – 5:00 pm

For one day, the race will move into part of Tennessee and here in Chattanooga, the big climbs begin.

Stage 3 includes three serious climbs each ranging from roughly 1750 to 2000 feet. Watch for Discovery Channel’s young Jason McCartney who has a good shot in the King of the Mountain competition. He won the title last year and also in 2004.

Stage 4 — Thursday, April 19, 2007
Chickamauga to Lookout Mt., Individual Time Trial, 18.9 miles (30.4km) Start 11:00 am. Expected finish 11:40 am — 2:00 pm

As usual, the time trial will likely be key to determining the winner at this year’s race and this time trial is going to be a tough one with a 1500 foot climb up Lookout Mountain. Floyd Landis won the time trial last year and went on to win the overall race.
Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal of Health Net has been known to shine in the individual time trial. It’s an event that he has been focusing on in training this year and fans should watch for a strong performance from him here.

Stage 5 — Friday, April 20
Dalton to Brasstown Bald Mountain, Town County, 107 miles (172km) Start 11:00 am. Expected finish 2:50 — 3:30 pm

If you can only catch one stage of this year’s Tour de Georgia, this will be the one to watch. 15 miles out of Dalton the riders will hit the first climb powering up nearly 3000 feet followed by a heart-stopping decent. Around mile 80 they will climb again to 3300 feet and again have to descend over 1000 feet straight down. Then, just to finish off the day, Brasstown Bald Mountain awaits them at the finish.

The signature climb of the Tour de Georgia, Brasstown Bald Mountain has beaten some of the best riders in the world. The highest point in the state of Georgia, it drives riders up roughly 4700 feet of tortuous climbing, rivalling some of the great peaks of the French Alps and Pyrenees. The last climb of the race, this mountain may well decide the overall winner.

Stage 6 — Friday, April 21
Lake Lanier Islands to Stone Mountain,
113.5 miles (183km) Start 11:00 am. Expected finish 3:00 — 3:45 pm

Stage 6 begins and ends at two of Georgia’s most popular tourist destinations. Lake Lanier Islands Resort is Georgia’s most popular lakeside resort destination and Stone Mountain Park is Georgia’s most visited attraction, drawing nearly four million guests each year.

Stage 6 is a relatively flat stage where we’ll see the sprinters shine again.

Stage 7 — Saturday, April 22
Atlanta Circuit Race, 77 miles (123.9km) Start 1:00 pm. Expected finish 4:00 — 4:30 pm

The overall finish returns to Atlanta and Centennial Olympic Park for the first time since 2003. The final stage will be a circuit race, which starts and ends at Centennial Olympic Park.