
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 13, 1995                   TAG: 9502140024
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TOUR DUPONT

THE ROANOKE Valley got a ``bad'' reputation last year. The strenuous mountain course it offered for the famed Tour DuPont quickly became internationally recognized as one of the meanest, toughest, baddest, roughest time trials a cyclist could ever endure - if the racer doesn't end up in the hospital, as happened last year to the first to try the course.

The valley, making its DuPont debut on the tour last year, was proud to make this contribution to the top-rated non-European cycling race in the world. And while we hope no participants will be required to visit local medical facilities this year, the valley is pleased to again lend its mountains to the spectacular racing event.

Yep, it's official: The bikers will be back May 1. Same time, same distance, same devilish two mountains to cycle over to get to the finish line in downtown Roanoke. If there's a difference, it's that the course may be even tougher. It has been restructured so that competitors won't hit the Roanoke time trial with fresh legs, but will come directly from an earlier mountain stage near Blacksburg.

But the badder could well prove the better for Southwest Virginia, in terms of local, state, national and international interest in the segments here of 12-day race.

Tangible benefits for communities on the tour are hard to pinpoint. But more than 92 million people in 110 countries are said to follow the tour via television, and millions more get a good introduction to places on the route via newspaper and magazine coverage.

By one estimate, the air time given the Roanoke Valley last year on ESPN and CBS was worth $900,000 in public-relations exposure. Additionally, the tour has a following of live spectators, many from other states and countries, who patronize host cities' hotels, restaurants and shops.

A few complaints were heard last year from retailers on streets that were blocked off temporarily for the racers. But in the big picture, the rewards for a community seem to far outweigh any such loss of business. Not for nothing did nearly 50 cities compete for a spot on the 1995 tour.

For most folks, it's a thrill to join the crowds along the route and watch the colorful whirlwind of racers going by. Tout swell, tout fun, to have a front-row seat for Tour DuPont's tour de force. One more good reason for bad Roanoke to look forward to spring.

by CNB