Tour of America. Where would you put it?

Question

Do you think the US is ready to host an international bike tour? We too have incredible natural beauty the peloton could wind its way through. Where would you place the tour, and how long would you make it?

Pike’s Peak? The Sun Road of Glacier? The Pacific coastal Highway? Death Valley! Smokey Mountains? A week through corn country? Follow the Mississippi? Or would you include Canada and Central America.

And where would it end? (New York City; Washinton DC; LA; San Francisco; Chicago; Atlanta?)

(I don’t think the tour needs to be restricted to contiguous segments. You may include several hops in your tour design to a different part of the country if you like.)

It's been really fun to imagine each of your answers with the crowds cheering and enthusiasm for biking being spread in the USA with a Tour of America. I noticed many of your designs took elements from the Tour de France. This is appropriate, as it's a proven success.

I should have asked you to give a time frame for the race, because that is important with the variance between the weather of the South, the North East the deserts and the Rocky Mountains.

Perhaps one distinguishing aspect of an American Tour could be a successful no doping policy. To this end, a more human design to the course and its demands upon the athletes might be in order, while still show casing phenomenal biking athlete.

Thanks for all your answers. I enjoyed them very much.

Answer 1

Soccer is on the right path.
Here's some additional routes:
Start in Washington DC.
Go West to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
South on the Parkway to Atlanta.
West to the Mississippi, North along the river.
Somewhere North head West to the Rockies.(thru Yellowstone)
In the Rockies go South heading towards Vegas. (Time trial down the strip)
Vegas West towards San Francisco finish after crossing the Golden Gate. (maybe a lap to two around the Bay)

After reading MyNameAShadi's post, change to a Golden Gate start and a D.C. finish (on the forth of July).

Answer 2

We do have some world class events, now and in the past too. Remember the Tour de Trump?

Unfortunately, America is more taken with cars than bikes, and so while cycling is immensely popular, and our top stars such as LeMond and Armstrong do garner lots of home support, I don't think America is ready for a Tour de America, at least not one that is sustainable year after year.

But if you wanted one Tour, then this is what I would do:an ITT in Philadelphia, the first capital of the United States of America. Several stages through the Catskills and Adirondacks, with finishes in NYC and Boston.

Then through the Appalachians, west through the plains states, then one stage in Alaska and Hawaii (to coincide with the Ironman there, either the day before or after).

A start in the Bay Area, up the 101 along the coast. Mountain stages in Montana, Utah, and Colorado.

Back east through the plains, maybe the Dakota's, Michigan, etc.

One or two more somewhat mountainous stages in the east, maybe Vermont and New Hampshire. Not real mountains, but not bad.

Finish in DC.

Answer 3

I think we are ready. We host 2 world class week long tours, why not a grand tour. We have tons of Mt ranges and great scenary. The midwest would be a sprinters heaven. As far as the path id make in the same as the other grand tours. Start with an ITT. End in the capital (even though the Giro does not) Flats the first week, so sprinters could gain Yellow. (I Think wed have to follow the Tours Jerseys only because that what most Americans would recongnize) Also I would not go into Central America, but Mexico possibly. Canada could get a stage after the Tour has been develops. Mexico probably would just be an enterance while in TX. Nevers its own stage.

Heres Mine

Start in Florida, Georgia (A Southern state but start w/ a Prolouge) Then leave across a few southern states
Then move across the midwest. (up tp stage 6)
Jump over to CA,Flat Stage in Cal, along the coast or connect two major cities (7)
A Time Trial in the heart of LA or SF (Not from Cal so i dont know what would have the best scenary/sights/landmarks, although it might be cool to go over the Golden gate...) (8)
Rest Day
A Flat Stage to get to the Sierra Navadas (9)
A Day in the Sierra Navadas (10)
Three Stages in the Rockies(11,12,13)
Three Stages back across the Midwest, upper though. (14 Stages) (A stage would end in Chicago)
Rest Day
Then a stage that brings us near the Appalachains. (15) Two Stages in the Appalachians (16,17)
A Flat stage around PA Ny boarder.
Then Final ITT in New York City. (Not to familiar but we'd have 55K to play with and the roads are grided, so we could hit all the sites of NY along the Route.) This stage would always be the same though.
The Finaly Stage would be Blatimore to DC. Its short so they we do some curuits in DC. The curcuit would take us in front of the White house, down the mall, in front of congress and then over the river around Arlington and the Pentagon. (Showoff off capitol)

The reasoning.
I left out many Mt ranges (Ozarks, Smokey, Adorandacks, Catskill) However the Sierra navadas and the stage to get there (From CA), every year you just take those to stages and you can get to one of those ranges easily from route. (Ozarks, one more flat stage before the Appilacans and go Ozarks-Appilachians back to back) Same could be done w/ the Smokeys. The Adorandacks, have that flat stage take us up through NY's Wine country. That will be a chaning thing for every year. Rotate those in and out. Rockies always get 3, Appilachains alwasy get 2. Plus one extra.

I touched most major cities. We can always stop in them along the way, but at least 3 of them have permanat stops.

Edit-We cant have an ITT down the strip. Thats not showing the bueaty of America, its showing our obsession w/ sex money and partying. Thats just not a good image to show the world when your trying to showcase Americans natual and man-made beauty. However I do think it would be awesome, but just not practical.

Answer 4

A true Tour of America would start in Washington DC and then have Allegeny Mountain stages. Followed by some flat stages across the plains states. Then the second mountain stages are in the Rockies. With a finish coming in San Fran complete with a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Answer 5

we already have 2 world class tours: Tour of California, and Tour of Georgia