The Tour de Georgia road bike race attracted tens of thousands of fans three weeks ago to see the top cyclists in the world test each other’s endurance and strength in what has become the premier training race for Tour de France competitors.

The attraction of Lance Armstrong certainly had something to do with the numbers. However, the celebrity status showered on many of the other riders and the burgeoning number of recreational road bikers suggests that even without Armstrong next year the Tour de Georgia has a well-established following.

Outdoor Life Network is considering airing the Tour de Georgia live next year. The station is asking viewers to send an email to help them gauge the potential audience for the coverage. Go to www.olntv.com.

Outdoor Life features a weekly two-hour round-up road bike racing news on Sundays from 5 to 7 p.m. The station is also responding to the growing popularity of bike racing with a monthly service that provides live Internet streams of road races not aired on the channel.