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Darlington welcomes Tour de Georgia
Apr 28, 2004 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
When the 120 bicyclists in this year’s Dodge Tour de Georgia hit Rome on April 22, the city and Darlington were ready to do their part to make the race exciting and successful. The School was quick to agree when asked to help in several ways with the event, including serving as the location for the start of the time trials, soliciting for volunteers, and providing salad for 400 race people who ate dinner at The Forum after the races.
Spectators were able to watch some of the world’s top riders, including five-time Tour de France Winner Lance Armstrong and famed Italian cyclist Mario Cipollini, start the fourth stage of the race, the time trials, in front of the Huffman Memorial Athletic Center. After leaving Darlington School, the riders raced against time for 19 miles along Black’s Bluff Road, over Mount Alto, and back to the downtown finish line via Shorter Avenue and Second Avenue. The first rider left Darlington at 4 p.m., with other riders starting in one- to two-minute intervals after that. Darlington’s Aramark Facility Services provided security and set up a tent for the time trials start.
After riding into Rome in the third stage, which began in Carollton that morning and ended at the Midtown Transit Station in downtown Rome about 12:30 p.m. and then racing in the time trials later that same afternoon, the riders were more than ready for dinner. About 15 local restaurants, caterers, and businesses, including Darlington’s own Sage Food Services and Manager James Clark and all members of the Hospitality Association of Rome & Floyd County, hosted dinner for them at The Forum that evening.
In addition to the 120 riders, 330 team members, racing staff, and international media correspondents enjoyed the meal. They dined on 300 servings or more of salmon and 600 servings each of chicken and beef, 400 servings of salad (half of which was provided by Sage), 200 servings each of pasta salad, potatoes, cheese and fruit, 600 pieces of break, about 800 servings of various desserts, and at least three trays each of rice and vegetables.
A number of faculty and staff volunteered their time to work during the event as racecourse or time trial course marshals, security, or food service volunteers. School dismissed at 1 p.m. to allow people to leave before the roads were blocked for the time trials; however, many students and faculty stayed to enjoy the excitement and watch the riders.
Lance Armstrong, a member of the U.S. Postal Service team, was crowned the emperor of Rome for winning Stage 3 of the 2004 Tour de Georgia and then earned the yellow jersey for the next day’s race by winning the Stage 4 time trials. He left Rome on April 23 with the overall lead in the race.
Spectators were able to watch some of the world’s top riders, including five-time Tour de France Winner Lance Armstrong and famed Italian cyclist Mario Cipollini, start the fourth stage of the race, the time trials, in front of the Huffman Memorial Athletic Center. After leaving Darlington School, the riders raced against time for 19 miles along Black’s Bluff Road, over Mount Alto, and back to the downtown finish line via Shorter Avenue and Second Avenue. The first rider left Darlington at 4 p.m., with other riders starting in one- to two-minute intervals after that. Darlington’s Aramark Facility Services provided security and set up a tent for the time trials start.
After riding into Rome in the third stage, which began in Carollton that morning and ended at the Midtown Transit Station in downtown Rome about 12:30 p.m. and then racing in the time trials later that same afternoon, the riders were more than ready for dinner. About 15 local restaurants, caterers, and businesses, including Darlington’s own Sage Food Services and Manager James Clark and all members of the Hospitality Association of Rome & Floyd County, hosted dinner for them at The Forum that evening.
In addition to the 120 riders, 330 team members, racing staff, and international media correspondents enjoyed the meal. They dined on 300 servings or more of salmon and 600 servings each of chicken and beef, 400 servings of salad (half of which was provided by Sage), 200 servings each of pasta salad, potatoes, cheese and fruit, 600 pieces of break, about 800 servings of various desserts, and at least three trays each of rice and vegetables.
A number of faculty and staff volunteered their time to work during the event as racecourse or time trial course marshals, security, or food service volunteers. School dismissed at 1 p.m. to allow people to leave before the roads were blocked for the time trials; however, many students and faculty stayed to enjoy the excitement and watch the riders.
Lance Armstrong, a member of the U.S. Postal Service team, was crowned the emperor of Rome for winning Stage 3 of the 2004 Tour de Georgia and then earned the yellow jersey for the next day’s race by winning the Stage 4 time trials. He left Rome on April 23 with the overall lead in the race.
