Teresa Goodson isn’t necessarily a fan of professional cycling, but the secretary at the CoxHealth Library couldn’t resist joining dozens of other Cox North employees for a glimpse of the Tour of Missouri Pro Cycling Race as it sped by the campus last year.
“A huge group of us lined Jefferson Street to watch the race,” says Goodson. “When we finally saw the riders coming toward us, we started cheering. It was really fun.”
The cheers didn’t last long since the professional cyclists were traveling at high speeds on the straightaway down Jefferson Street towards the finish line at Kimbrough Avenue and East Trafficway.
Gail Lurvey, a graphic designer in the Marketing department, was able to take just a few photographs. “We saw the cyclists and then they were gone. They were going so fast, it was over so quickly,” she says.
The Tour of Missouri is an international cycling event that began in 2007 and attracted an estimated 370,000 spectators to Missouri over six days. This year’s race features one more day, more hills and three new courses to challenge the cyclists.
CoxHealth employees will get to see more of the action during the 2008 Tour of Missouri because of a slight change in the 126-mile Stage 2 route from Clinton as it rolls into Greene County Tuesday, Sept. 9. CoxHealth is once again the Stage 2 title sponsor.
The field of 120 world-class cyclists from 15 elite professional teams will enter Springfield on Division Street. Instead of veering onto Commercial as they did last year, the riders will continue on Division, passing along the north side of Cox North, and then turn south onto Jefferson before heading for three finish circuits around downtown Springfield.
Chris Flouer, director of Cox Fitness Centers who is helping to coordinate the events at Cox North, says the campus will get more attention this year. “We expect more spectators so we are adding more games and entertainment as well as another bleacher to our parking lot,” says Flouer.
Flouer says spectators can visit the Health and Wellness Expo at the Mediacom Ice Park lot, which will feature booths and entertainment from noon through the finish, which is expected around 4 p.m.
The second annual Community Bike Ride will take place on Monday evening, Sept. 8, for families to experience the circuit that the cyclists will be racing the next day.
CoxHealth employees have the chance to take part in the race as volunteers. Barb Baker, a member of the Tour of Missouri Local Organizing Committee, says 300 extra hands are needed to help with the second annual event. “The biggest need is for course marshals who will be manning areas along the course like intersections and driveways to prevent people from crossing the course before the cyclists come through,” says Baker.
Volunteers can view a list of available jobs and sign up to work during the 2008 Tour of Missouri by visiting tourofmissouri.com.
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