Columbus, Georgia

OFFICIAL ROUTE ANNOUNCED

FOR THE 2004 DODGE TOUR DE GEORGIA



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Contacts:

Jackie Tyson, Dodge Tour de Georgia Stan Holm, Dodge Tour de Georgia

Phone: 678-362-6228 Phone: 404-463-2146

E-mail: jbtyson@georgia.org E-Mail: sholm@georgia.org



ATLANTA, Ga. (February 5, 2004) ? Seven stages in six days, including one

individual time trial and 11 King of the Mountain (KOM) competitions, will

highlight the official route for this year?s Dodge Tour de Georgia, officials

confirmed today. As the premier professional cycling stage race in the United

States, the Tour will begin in Macon, Ga. on Tuesday, April 20 with Stage One

and end in Alpharetta, Ga. on Sunday, April 25 with a Stage Seven grand finale.

?This year we have modified the route to incorporate a challenging and safe

course for the world?s finest professional cyclists, including an individual

time trial and a series of epic climbs. We have also focused on creating

exciting elements for spectators, while introducing new communities across

Georgia as part of this great event,? said Stan Holm, executive director of the

Dodge Tour de Georgia. ? We are anticipating a world-class roster of teams and

close to a million spectators over the six days?truly, an unprecedented week of

racing in North America.?

Sixteen professional cycling teams from around the world are being invited to

participate in the Dodge Tour de Georgia, including teams from the United

States, Spain, Italy and France. The United States Postal Service Pro-Cycling

Team?, presented by Berry Floor, will compete in the Tour, led by five-time

Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.

?It's a great event for the U.S. at just the right time, as the country and the

sport has been in dire need of a first caliber international stage race that

the cycling community can rally around. Hopefully, year two can be another

stepping stone in building the Dodge Tour de Georgia into America's greatest

stage race,? said USPS Pro Cycling Team Director of Communications & Events Dan

Osipow.

The 2004 edition of the Dodge Tour de Georgia will begin in Macon with an

85-mile stage race. Last year a three-mile prologue was held for Stage One,

which is a traditional European-style format held the opening day of a

multi-day race. Stage One of this year?s Dodge Tour de Georgia will begin and

end in Macon, taking the riders east to Georgia's Antebellum Capitol,

Milledgeville. Macon hosted the second stage in 2003.

Stage Two will depart Wednesday from Thomaston, Ga., located about 30 miles

west of Macon in Upson County. This stage will cover nearly 115 miles, taking

the peloton to Columbus, Ga., with the first two KOM climbs in the Callaway

Gardens/Pine Mountain area. Columbus was a finish city last year.

An epic double-stage will be held on Thursday, April 22. In the morning, Stage

Three will begin in Carrollton and end in Rome, which also hosted the Tour last

year. Later that afternoon, Stage Four will feature a 21-mile individual time

trial from Rome.

Stage Five will depart from Dalton on Friday, April 23, and will include five

KOM climbs en route to the finish in Dahlonega, site of America's first major

Gold Rush in 1828. The rush in 2004 will be from spectators vying to enjoy the

excitement from a variety of exciting vantage points in the Southern

Appalachians, as the peloton navigates the famous climbs of the ?Triple Gap?

route used by local cyclists (Neal?s, Wolfpen and Woody gaps). This stage is

one of the longest, with 128 miles to cover.

The 2004 Tour Stage Six focuses on new territory with a departure from Athens,

Ga., which will assist the city in celebrating the 25th anniversary of its

famous Twilight Criterium, a weekend of bicycle races and music. The Dodge Tour

de Georgia will head back north from Athens to Hiawassee/Young Harris on April

24, another 128-mile stage. There are two KOM climbs on Saturday, one on the

seven-mile assault up the legendary Hogpen Gap. A mountaintop finish on

Brasstown Bald Mountain takes competitors to the highest spot in Georgia, 4,783

feet.

Sunday, April 25, Stage Seven will begin in the foothills of the mountains in

Dawsonville, the home of NASCAR driver and Dodge icon Bill Elliott. The race

will continue south and finish with a four-mile circuit Grand Finale on the

streets of Alpharetta, Ga. At the conclusion of the stage, awards will be

presented for four jersey categories, including Dodge Overall Leader, and the

best team.

"USA Cycling is thrilled that the Tour de Georgia is returning for another

year. As the highest ranked stage race on North American soil, the competitive

racing and star-studded field of competitors will showcase America's top

cycling talent in a world-class event against some of the planet's best

athletes," said Gerard Bisceglia, Chief Executive Officer of USA Cycling.

A route map for the 2004 Dodge Tour de Georgia can be found at

www.tourdegeorgia.com. Additional route and elevation maps will be added to

the web site as details are announced. Information on an official tour company

and accommodations through local convention and visitors bureaus will be added

to the web site to assist spectators and visitors who want to follow the Tour.

ABOUT THE DODGE TOUR DE GEORGIA

The Dodge Tour de Georgia is the largest multi-day stage race for professional

cyclists in North America, and serves as a rolling festival to entertain and

educate spectators across the state. It is sanctioned by the UCI (2.3) and USAC

(2.1) as a premier event for elite athletes around the world. The Tour?s

official beneficiary is the Georgia Cancer Coalition (GCC), raising funds and

proactively promoting the objectives of cancer education, prevention, early

detection and treatment. For 2004, close to one million spectators are

expected over the six days to watch the races and participate in activities in

local communities across the state. Dodge is the title sponsor of the 2004 Tour

de Georgia. Additional information and news from Dodge is available on the

Internet at www.dodge.com. Updates regarding the 2004 Dodge Tour de Georgia

will be posted at the official website, www.tourdegeorgia.com.

ABOUT GCC

THE GEORGIA CANCER COALITION leads Georgia?s comprehensive cancer initiative,

uniting people and organizations to work together to save lives and reduce

suffering from cancer. As a public-private partnership, the Coalition works to

strengthen existing cancer related programs and create new initiatives that

accelerate cancer prevention, early detection, education, and leading edge

research and treatment to make the highest level of care accessible to all

Georgians. Through leadership and funding, the Georgia Cancer Coalition

provides guidance and assistance for using Georgia?s resources in the fight to

reverse the cancer mortality and incidence rates. The Coalition is the first of

its kind in the nation and is fast becoming a national model. MOBILIZING

GEORGIA. IMMOBILIZING CANCER.

ABOUT GPED and GDITT

The Georgia Partnership for Economic Development is a non-profit foundation

which operates as a public-private partnership with the Georgia Department of

Industry, Trade & Tourism in attracting new business investment, encouraging

the expansion of existing industry, locating new markets for Georgia products,

attracting tourists to Georgia, promoting the state as a location for film and

video projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic

development.