Quick contribution from Kathleen Nelson

Further evidence that the Tour of Missouri was a world-class race: Three of the eight members of the U.S. men’s elite team at the World Championships next week raced here.

First, there’s winner George Hincapie, who praised the Tour as ideal preparation for the world road racing championship, set for Sept. 30 in Stuttgart, Germany. He’ll be joined by Danny Pate of Slipstream-Chipotle, who won the stage into St. Charles and John Devine of Dixon, Ill., Hincapie’s teammate at Discovery.

A strong performance would show the rest of the riders in Europe that the Tour of Missouri is ideal training for Worlds. Currently, many of the world hopefuls endure the three-week Vuelta a Espana or have slogged through the wind and rain at the Tour of Poland.

The rest of the world squad:

David Zabriskie, Team CSC - road race, time trial. (He’s signed with Slipstream next year.)
Bobby Julich, CSC - road race
Christian Vande Velde CSC - road race (He, too, will be with Slipstream.)
Jason McCartney, Discovery - road race, time trial
Tyler Farrar , Team Cofidis - road race