Bikes race through county
TOUR DE GEORGIA

The Tour de Georgia, a 600- mile, seven-day bike race, will provide excitement for Millen and Jenkins County residents as 150 of the world's best professional and amateur cyclists race through the community.

Considered a premier tune-up for the Tour de France, it was won in 2004 by probably the most famous cyclist in the world, Lance Armstrong, who won the Tour de France a record seven times following a long battle with cancer.

Beginning on Tybee Island Monday, April 21, the cyclists will travel much of the northern part of the state, culminating with a circuit race in downtown Atlanta Sunday, April 27. The seven stages are Tybee to Savannah, Statesboro to Augusta via Millen, Washington to Gainesville, a team time trial at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Suwanee to Dahlonega, Blairsville to the top of Brasstown Bald, and 10 laps of 6.27 miles in downtown Atlanta Sunday, April 27.

Posters will be placed around Millen to remind everyone to set aside Tuesday, April 22, for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The riders are expected to reach Jenkins County at Scarboro around 11:30 a.m.

The next edition of The Millen News will have a map showing the route in Millen from Georgia Highway 17 to Cotton Avenue, to Winthrope to Masonic Street/Georgia Highway 23, to Hiltonia Road. Logs showing the routes and timetable for the entire tour can be found at www.TourdeGeorgia.com.