Ready for the Tour of Missouri? Kevin Livingston Is

The Cranks remember and think fondly of Kevin Livingston, a former U.S. Postal teammate of Our Boy Lance. Livingston rode with Cranks' Trek Travel group during the '03 Tour de France (that's me, Tour of '03 with Kevin) and imparted cycling tips that have helped make all of us better riders.

Livingston's name popped up in a story I read this morning about the 600-mile Tour of Missouri, a stage race expected to draw 128 riders Sept. 11-16 that organizers hope will rival the interest that the Amgen Tour of California and the Tour de Georgia have created for professional cycling in the United States.

Who knows? Maybe the sports will be talking about the American classics someday (OK -- maybe not!).

How tough is Missouri?

"It's quite undulating in the Ozarks area, up-and-down, up-and-down," first-year pro Brad Huff said of potential courses in southwest Missouri. "It's all shorter, steeper," he said of the terrain. "Some gradual climbs down in the Branson area. It's short, and steep, and unforgiving."
Livingston, who helped Lance Armstrong to two Tour de France wins, will play a major role in laying out the Tour's course.

Sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale and USA Cycling, the race must have five foreign teams compete.