The Tour of Missouri will have a “huge” impact on Chillicothe and will allow people from around the globe to get a glimpse of the city and the state during the September 2009 event, according to Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.
Kinder served as the keynote speaker of the Chillicothe Rotary Club’s annual Community Service luncheon Friday at the Chillicothe Country Club. He spoke prior to a presentation of the Unsung Hero Award which was awarded to Lesley Patek, local animal shelter guardian.
The lieutenant governor began his remarks by offering a brief history of the Tour of Missouri. He explained that the event’s roots go back to 2005 when Gov. Matt Blunt became intrigued with the idea of hosting a world class cycling event in Missouri and subsequently asked Kinder to form a task force to determine if it was feasible.
So, Kinder said, after forming a panel comprised of representatives from the private sector as well as several state agencies, the idea moved forward and the state will, in September, host its third annual Tour of Missouri, with Chillicothe as one of the host cities for the first time.
Kinder said that the Tour of Missouri is the largest sporting event in the history of the state and the 2009 edition will feature two of the top three finishers of the Tour De France.
He noted that while the sport of cycling may not be on everyone’s radar screen, cyclist enthusiasts are like Civil War buffs — they’re everywhere and they are prepared to come to Missouri again this year to watch the race.............
