Tour de Georgia in White Co. Sat.

By Stephen Fairbanks

Stage 5 of the Tour de Georgia comes through White County Saturday.

CNI News Service

Doug Davison

White County News€Telegraph

The world's best bicycle racers are heading toward White County in America's biggest bicycle race: the fourth-annual Ford Tour de Georgia.

With its new title sponsor's name in place, the six-day event began Tuesday in Augusta and culminates April 23 in Alpharetta after six stages and 600 miles of racing across some of the most diverse terrain on the world cycling circuit. Ford and United Community Bank are among the sponsors.

Though 2004 champion Lance Armstrong has retired and will not be in the field, event organizers have brought in the two best cycling teams in the world for 2006, along with several other of the sport's household names.

Saturday's 94.5-mile fifth stage, which includes White County, promises to be another epic day in the mountains, as riders begin in Blairsville and finish atop Brasstown Bald, the state's highest peak.

The Stage 5 route takes participants on an extensive ride through White County, beginning at Hogpen Gap at the Union County line on Ga. Hwy. 348 and ending at Unicoi Gap on Ga. Hwy. 75.

Riders should enter White County in Hogpen Gap shortly after 1:30 p.m., while the last rider should exit the county at about 3:15 p.m. The course will take cyclists south on Alt. Hwy. 75, east on Asbestos Rd. and north on Ga. Hwy 75. The Hwy. 75 portion of the ride includes a cruise right through downtown Helen; riders should enter Helen at about 2:15 p.m.

White County motorists will face a rolling roadblock as the race passes through the county, including a detour around Helen for several hours.

Finally, Sunday's 118-mile Stage 6 offers a comparatively easy wrap-up, with the cyclists starting in Cumming and finishing with a circuit of Alpharetta.

For complete race information, including maps, detailed times of arrival at junctures along all six stages and results from past races, log onto the race's official web site at www.tourdegeorgia.com.