Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 29, 1993 TAG: 9309290183
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
\ It was a long climb for Roanoke Valley officials trying to bring the Tour DuPont to the area for the first time.
Now it's the riders' turn.
Tour officials announced Tuesday that Roanoke will play host to Stage 5 of the nation's premiere cycling event, the first uphill individual time trial in the Tour's history.
"I want to know which fiend added more mountains to this thing," said Jim Copeland, a member of the Chevrolet/L.A. Sheriff's Team, which won the team competition last year.
Copeland, who won the 11th stage of last year's race and the Most Aggressive Rider award, specializes in time trials. He said Roanoke would be the first substantial test besides the prologue in Wilmington, Del., to create a lead change.
"A rider sitting close to the leaders could have a good time trial [in Roanoke] and take the overall lead," he said. "You're generally going to see mountain goats do well in a stage like that."
The sixth annual event, formerly known as the Tour De Trump, begins May 4, 1994, in Wilmington and concludes May 15 in Winston-Salem, N.C. The approximately 1,000-mile race includes stops in Fredericksburg, Richmond, Lynchburg, Blacksburg and at The Homestead in Hot Springs.
Roanoke City Councilman Delvis "Mac" McCadden, who has been coordinating the regional effort to bring the race to Roanoke the past two years, described the stage as an opportunity for the valley to drop its label as an area not interested in sports.
"If this fails, I will do nothing else to bring in another [sports] event," McCadden said. "We have to show that we're not a no-draw city. I expect citizens of the valley to uphold their end of the deal."
McCadden estimated the Tour stop will bring more than $1 million to the valley's economy. He said his next step would be to start soliciting sponsorships and volunteers.
"I'm relaxed now because we can actually start planning," he said. "I want to generate excitement about this. I want it to be professionally done, systematically done so that it will be fun."
The route cyclists will take through the area has not been set, but McCadden said he would like to see at least three of the valley's four jurisdictions (Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Salem and Vinton) included.
Roanoke, which was denied a spot on last year's route, was among 33 cities that made extensive bids this year to Medalist, the Tour's Richmond-based organizer.
"Last year, [Roanoke] was still on the learning curve," said Plant, who also is president of Medalist. "The requirements we must have are not small. After last year, I think they saw the economic impact the race can have on a city and came back with a superior proposal.
"This year cooperation was key and Roanoke's was outstanding."
Plant said the Tour had two confirmed teams and probably would have a complete list of between 15 and 18 teams by March.
Plant is working on landing the world's premiere cyclists, including American stars Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong, Spain's Miguel Indurain and Mexico's Raul Alcala, last year's Tour DuPont winner.
"[LeMond] told us as late as last week that he wants to ride," Plant said. " . . . I've talked with Lance and have no doubt he will be there to compete."
"You have to understand that we're dealing with a professional sport with salaries that range from $50,000 to $1 million . . . negotiations are complicated."
The event has expanded from 11 to 12 days in 1994 with a minimum purse of $200,000, making it the fourth-largest cycling event in the world.
Also, the Tour hopes to upgrade the number of points given to participants by cycling's international federation, which Plant said would attract more of the world's top riders.
Points determine international rankings, salaries and entry into the Tour de France, the world's top race.
by CNB