The 2008 Tour de Georgia will kick off its first stage with a run between Tybee Island and Savannah. The stage takes something of a lollipop-shaped out-and-sort-of-back approach over 70.4 very flat miles.

The peloton will start at Tybee Island* at 10:30a. They’ll head toward Savannah through the salt marshes on the only road connecting the island with the rest of the state. They’ll pass through downtown, make a loop through the western suburbs, and return for a downtown finish on Tatnall Street between 1 and 1:30p.

From start to finish, there will be three sprint points and four time bonus opportunities. The course does involve a number of railroad crossings (and at least one drawbridge), but I don’t expect them to play much of a role in the race. The weather seems to be cooperating, with expectations that it will be a sunny day yielding temps in the high 70s/24-26. More importantly, it’s not expected to be too windy. However, those coastal winds can change in a heartbeat, and if it picks up, it could be a real factor in the open area between Tybee Island and Savannah.

Given the relatively even footing that a flat stage puts the teams on, this may turn out to be a stage in which one of the lesser known domestic teams can make a statement. Local boys Jittery Joe’s can always be counted on to give it a go, and Canadian team Symmetrics Cycling sure could use a high profile win in its search for a new sponsor. Personally, I’d love to see the GE-Marco Polo team surprise us all.

*Part of Georgia’s Coastal Empire region, and one of my own favorite places on the planet.

-Crossposted to PodiumCafe.comÂ