Organizers of the Tour of Missouri have canceled the 2010 bicycle race after state tourism officials declined to help fund it.
Tour of Missouri chairman Mike Weiss said that organizers pulled the plug on the race after Governor Jay Nixon's administration refused to support it.
The race, started in 2007, was considered one of the top five cycling events outside Europe and attracted riders including Alberto Contador, George Hincapie and Levi Leipheimer to its peloton. Christian Vande Velde from Team Garmin was, actually, a midwesterner that participated as well.
The 2008 race attracted 434,000 watchers and the state of Missouri estimated a return of just under $30 million in economic impact for their $1.5 million investment two years ago.
Earlier Thursday, a budget committee for the Missouri Tourism Commission endorsed a $13.4 million spending plan that included no state money for the race.
Oh well...
Here's what the Tour looked like back in 2008... when it was better funded...
((HT: TeamKinder))
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