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(Atlanta, GA) – The Board of Directors of the Tour de Georgia Foundation, Inc. announced today that the 2010 race, which had been scheduled to take place in the last week of April 2010, is officially canceled, postponing the return of the Tour de Georgia until at least 2011.

“This was not an easy decision, but one that was best in the current economic climate. The Board of Directors and our advisers did all we could to tailor a race to fit within the economic realities of today and we are understandably disappointed in this announcement, but we are committed to bringing back the Tour as soon as possible. I commend the Board for their tireless efforts to bring a race together and thank all our supporters, especially our friends with USA Cycling, and look forward to a future race,” said Tom Saddlemire, board member of the Tour de Georgia Foundation, Inc.

The Tour de Georgia has received a tremendous amount of support throughout the state as well as within the racing community. Georgia sponsor corporations, host cities and cycling enthusiasts throughout Georgia have built an incredibly successful event in years past. The Board of Directors and its advisers thoroughly examined every potential avenue to bring a race together this year, but despite good fund raising efforts, there simply were not enough sponsorship dollars available to stage a Tour de Georgia in 2010. The current economic headwinds, as well as a continued expectation of slow consumer spending, kept many potential sponsors from moving forward at this time.

The Tour de Georgia is North America’s premier professional cycling race. First held in 2003, the Tour de Georgia is an international professional sporting event that brings thousands of spectators and cycling enthusiasts to the State of Georgia. The 2008 Tour de Georgia Presented by AT&T was a six-stage race, covering more than 600 miles across the state. Traditionally, some professional teams have used the Tour de Georgia to prepare their riders for the most challenging tours held in Europe, including the Tour de France. The Tour de Georgia Foundation, Inc., a tax exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and its Board of Directors is fully committed to bringing the Tour de Georgia back as soon as possible.