Your map to September's spokes-and-spandex free-for-all
By Sarah Truckey
Photograph courtesy of KOM Sports Marketing
On September 16, 150 professional cyclists representing nearly 25 different countries will complete the last stage of the
Tour of Missouri in St. Louis with a seven-lap, 75-mile circuit course that starts and ends at Union Station. Modeled after the
Tour de France, the six-stage competition begins five days earlier in Kansas City and includes stops in Springfield, Branson
and St. Charles.
Because of the national exposure that the race is expected to bring River City—it’s being billed as the third-largest race of its kind in the country—organizers wanted a route that would showcase St. Louis. There was only one little problem: finding one that didn’t conflict with the Cardinals, Rams and Blues games that are all taking place the same day. “It was a logistical nightmare,” says Ann Chance, the city’s special-events director.
So how did Chance navigate the potential traffic nightmare? She showed us the way.
1. Start Here: Union Station
Not only did starting and ending the race at the historic landmark make sense from a purely logistical standpoint—traffic created by the sporting events downtown would have made it nearly impossible to extend the route farther east—but the fact that the Gateway Mall made for a perfect spot for food vendors was an added bonus.
2. Forest Park Avenue
The day’s inevitable traffic snarl forced organizers to shelve an idea to send the pelaton (that’s bike-speak for “pack”) south, through Soulard and by the brewery. Instead, the idea was to keep things moving west—and Forest Park Avenue was the best option. (It didn’t hurt that a large portion of the roadway is a boulevard, making it possible to use one side for the bikers while keeping the other side open to cars.)
3. Forest Park
Chance wanted the city’s crown jewel to be a bigger part of the race, but the Great Forest Park Balloon Race, which is being held the same weekend, took precedence. “‘Oh my God’ were my first words,” Chance says of learning about the conflict. “But we just used the part of Forest Park that we could.”
4. DeBaliviere
At more or less the mid-point in the race, the course turns north on DeBaliviere. Because professional bikers deserve the best, the streets department will temporarily cover manholes or, as Chance says, “You know, those places where it goes, ‘Buh-boom!’”
5. Delmar
Chance had hoped to map out a route that showcased the city’s high points, and for the most part, that’s what she got. The vacant lots lining Delmar, “the only icky part” of the race, as far as she’s concerned, will be crowded with booths set up by bike shops and various clubs from the area.
6. Lindell
This was a no-brainer because it’s a straight shot back into downtown—not to mention the fact that it showcases local landmarks like the Fox Theatre. But there was one speed bump for the Saturday afternoon race: “We were concerned about traffic in front of the Cathedral Basilica,” Chance says, “but church is out by late afternoon, right?”
