The two most talked about cyclists in the Tour de France likely won't compete at next month's Tour of Missouri. But interest in the race hasn't soured.

Lance Armstrong, the seven-time winner of the Tour de France, and Alberto Contador, winner of the 2007 and 2009 Tour de France, are both believed to have other obligations - Armstrong in Canada for a Livestrong event, and Contador competing in the Tour of Spain (La Vuelta a Espana), which begins Aug. 29.

Chris Aronhalt, managing partner with Medalist Sports, the company directing the tour, said during a press conference Thursday that last month's cancellation scare boosted interest in the race, which begins Sept. 7 in St. Louis. The sixth of the race's seven stages ends in St. Joseph on Sept. 12.

The scare came in early July when Gov. Jay Nixon considered yanking state funding for the tour as he looked to balance the state budget.

"It completely was the opposite," Aronhalt said when asked if the cancellation talk dissuaded public interest from the tour. "The grass roots support for the Tour of Missouri was amazing from the communities and the organizations that support economic development."

Aronhalt said 112 countries have logged on to the Tour of Missouri Web site to glean information about this year's tour. Cycling enthusiasts in 45 countries watched the race via streaming video on the site last year and 400,000 people lined the race route. The statewide economic impact is around $40 million.

In regard to Armstrong and Contador coming to Missouri, Aronhalt said "things can always change."

"The best we can do is make the argument," he said, adding that there is a possibility that Armstrong could show up during the final weekend, but not as a competitor.

The race has moved into the top five professional bicycle races in the world, said Aronhalt, behind the grand tours of France, Italy, and Spain and the seven-stage race in California. Fifteen teams, seven of which competed in the Tour de France, will send eight riders each for the Missouri tour.

Riders will begin the sixth stage in Chillicothe and wind their way to St. Joseph, entering town on St. Joseph Avenue before hitting the Parkway to Frederick and then to the downtown area. The finish line will be in front of City Hall on Francis Street between 9th and 10th.

The 110-mile route from Chillicothe to St. Joseph is expected to end in a sprint, which likely will include Mark Cavendish, the world's top sprinter.

Other top riders competing in the tour include George Hincapie, Christian Vande Velde, Franco Pellizoti, Francesco Chicchi, Michael Barry, Levi Leipheimer, and Floyd Landis.

Reporter Jimmy Myers can be reached

at jimmym@npgco.com