Tour of Missouri Announces Additions of Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team and  BMC Racing Team to 2009 Line up Third Annual Elite Pro Cycling Race Takes Place September 7-13

ST. LOUIS, MO (April 1, 2009) --- Event organizers and Missouri Lt.Governor Peter Kinder today announced the additions of two top US-based teams to the 2009 Tour of Missouri line-up. Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team and BMC Racing Team, both returning for the third year, join the previously announced group of Garmin-Slipstream, Columbia-High Road,
Liquigas, and Cervelo Test Team. The Tour of Missouri professional cycling race will take place September 7-13, 2009.

"The number of teams vying to compete in the 2009 Tour of Missouri illustrates the event's growing reputation and enhanced level of competition," said Chris Aronhalt, the managing partner of event organizer Medalist Sports. "Many of the sport's top teams are looking to add the Tour of Missouri to their 2009 race calendars."

Though a stellar world-class field was presented in 2008, the three-year-old race is expected to be even better as the Tour of Missouri was granted an upgrade to one of the top five-ranked events outside Europe by international and national federation's for cycling last month. More teams will be announced in coming weeks and race rosters will be announced in August. 

"To continue to attract some of the top teams in the world shows how important the Tour of Missouri has become," said Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder. "This event has proven to be an economic winner for the state, in terms of drawing tens of thousands of visitors and garnering international exposure for the great state of Missouri."