A North Carolina sports management firm has announced preliminary plans to organize a 27-stage transcontinental “Tour of America,” with an $11 million prize list.In a release issued Wednesday, Aqu, Inc. promised to reveal further details – including dates – at a press conference scheduled for Thursday at the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas.In its release, the company said it expects the race will be “the largest spectator event in the history of U.S. sports, covering approximately 4000 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.”

Organizers of the tentative 30-day, 27-stage race expect to invite “25 of the most elite cycling teams in the world and will boast a prize purse currently pegged at $11 million, the largest purse of any international cycling event.”While no dates or route information has been made available, the Tour will purportedly reach 22 states as it works its way across the U.S."This event will be the greatest international cycling event in the world," said Aqu, Inc. President Frank Arokiasamy. "The Tour of America will provide the largest prize pool to international cyclists ever offered in history and will ensure quality competition from beginning to end. We are excited to finally bring one of the world's largest spectator sports to the United States through a major international competition."The company has established a website (www.aqusports.com), which will be made available after Thursday's press conference, but what appears to be a preliminary website has already been established at www.TheTourofAmerica.com. (That site is not part of the company's official news release, so should be viewed with that in mind. Editor)If accurate, the proposed schedule of the Tour of America would put the race at odds with the Vuelta a España, the world championships and the second edition of the Tour of Missouri.