JEFFERSON CITY -- Tour of Missouri riders face another 100-plus mile grind through mid-Missouri hill country as the race makes its way to the Capitol City Thursday.

The first-class cycling event stays in mid-Missouri through Friday, when Sedalia hosts time trials.

Stage three of this year's tour tested the riders' ability to handle the hills and curves of Mjissouri's back roads. It also tested the Missouri Department of Transportation's preparation of the route and the race security.

"The road races are actually fairly easy to handle,” said Matt Myers with MoDOT District 5. “The impacts are fairly minimal.  We look at it as a change for missouri to look good.”

Stage four runs from St. James to Jefferson City. It will follow letter routes and Highway 42 to Vienna, make the turn to Highway 133, and head to Jefferson City by way of Meta and Wardsville.

"You know, it's about 109 miles,” said Myers. “They're leaving St. James around two o'clock.  They'll be in Jeff City about seven."

The stage will finish with a three-lap sprint in the downtown area. Stage five the following day is a time trial in Pettis County. The racers are started at two minute intervals at the fairgrounds in Sedalia, than hit a loop of rural roads southwest of town before returning to the fairgrounds. They challenge the clock, not one another.

"Yes, each one's sent individually,” said Myers. “You're not supposed to get any drafting or help from other races if you happen to catch up with one. So you have really a solo bike racer that's got 19 miles of road to travel.”

The Highway Patrol will use rolling roadblocks and MoDOT will post signs indicating the expected time of any delays this week.

Myers says there are few complications with roads under construction. Assuming the tour returns in 2010, he expects more of a challenge because the state's bridge rebuilding program will be in full swing.

Dozens of back roads will be involved. 

Myers said the race would arrive in Jefferson City around 7 p.m. Race organizers tell locals to plan accordingly as riders could hit the downtown area as early as 6 p.m.  

Check out the route for Stage 4. Maybe the you'll see cyclists racing down your street