Team Time Trials Added to '08 Tour de Georgia

Braselton -- The Tour de Georgia is coming up April 21^st and this year there are some “firsts” for a race that has become the premier cycling event in North America.

In addition to starting on Tybee Island for the first time, two other new features have been added.

Today, event coordinators announced this year’s race will include team time trials at a new venue. This will be the first time in 15 years there’s been team time trials in a cycling events in North America.

The team trials will be held during Stage Four of the race at the Road Atlanta race track in Braselton.

Tour event director Chris Aronhalt said one reason for the team trials is because most European cycling events have them and the Tour de Georgia has become a world-class race.

He said they chose Road Atlanta for the team trials because of its location.

“As we looked at the route, geographically, this area is where we wanted to host the team time trials,” Aronhalt explained. “Honestly, Road Atlanta is a great fit for it with the 2.5 mile track we have here. It just all kind of came together,” he concluded.

Aronhalt said they’re not sure if the team time trials will become a regular feature for future Tours de Georgia. He said that decision will depend on the layout of future courses.

Over the past five years, more than 2.8 million spectators have traveled to Georgia to watch the event resulting in an economic impact totaling $148 million dollars.

Tour de Georgia is sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale and is part of the USA Cycling Professional Tour USA, Inc. making it one of the top stage races for elite athletes around the world.