2009 Tour of Missouri - Kelly Benefit Strategies Squad
Jonas Carney's Men in Green Gear Up For the Tour of Missouri Team Aim High

Kelly Benefit Strategies Aims to Beat 2008 Missouri Performance
Podium Finish, Most Aggressive Rider Jersey

As the Kelly Benefit Strategies Pro Cycling squad is gearing up this week for the Tour of Missouri, Jonas Carney, Performance Director, remains cautiously optimistic about the team’s chances in one of the toughest stage races in the United States today.

“We had a terrific race last season,” says Carney. “We were on a podium one day, won the most aggressive rider jersey another day and had riders in all almost all of the breaks. We have a stronger team this season so we are expecting more, but it is going to be tough going up against the best teams in the world.”

Heading to Missouri for the 2009 Tour, which starts Monday September 7, Labor Day, is a roster comprising Alex Candelario, David Veilleux – who’s impressive three lap solo in Charlotte, SC recently, turned 30,000 heads.

Candelario are joined by Reid Mumford, Dan Bowman, Scott Zwizanksi, Ryan Anderson, Neil Shirley and Andrew Bajadali, who just placed second in the USPRO Road Race. KBS starts Missouri with 31 1st place wins to the program’s name plus a stellar performance at last week’s USPRO Time Trial and Road Race Championships. There KBS finished 2nd and 3rd in the Time Trial and took three of the top 10 slots in the Road Race, finishing second, fifth and ninth places at what has become the biggest one day race in the United States.

Kelly Benefit Strategies
Tour of Missouri Squad
Alex Candelario
David Veilleux
Reid Mumford
Dan Bowman
Scott Zwizanksi
Ryan Anderson
Neil Shirley
Andrew Bajadali,

“This season we have a lot of talented guys in our program and a deeper, more rounded roster for Missouri than last year, “ adds Carney. “Plus we’ve had a busy, race season and the guys have really come together as a team. We’re going to race to win as ever but this is a very competitive field. We’re looking forward to it.”

For the first time this year, the 600-mile Tour of Missouri routes east to west, starting in St. Louis and finishing in Kansas City. The race takes place over seven stages and seven days and includes two circuit races (St. Louis and Kansas City), one individual time trial (Sedalia), and four point to point road races: Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau, Farmington to Rolla, St. James to Jefferson City and Chillicothe to St. Joseph.

The Kelly Benefit Strategies pro cycling team is managed out of Minneapolis by Circuit Global Sport Management.

About Kelly Benefit Strategies (www.kellybenefitstrategies.com) is a group insurance broker and consultant that specialize in healthcare, and is a division of Kelly & Associates Insurance Group, Inc, headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland. KBS serves thousands of employers ranging in size from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and is committed to bringing its customers affordable group benefits through innovative benefit design, management, and administration.

About Contour Technology (www.thecontour.com) Contour Technology, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota is the leading name in the fast growing world of electronic muscle stimulation technology (EMS). The company specializes in the design, manufacture and marketing of highly innovative eStim devices aimed at helping active consumers and pro athletes tone muscle and workout more efficiently as well as offering solutions for muscular and back pain relief and muscle recovery. For more information contact: www.thecontour.com

About Circuit Global Sports Management (www.circuitsport.com) Minneapolis-based CGSM facilitates strategic alliances between corporate partners and professional cycling initiatives. Previous high-profile clients include Cadillac, Red Bull, Panasonic, DKNY, Dollar Rent a Car, Jeep, Timberland, and the State of Minnesota.

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