Unlike its Road to London and Road to Sochi predecessors, for the 2012 Summer and 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games respectively, the Tour will begin the year before the Games, giving fans access to Team USA athletes and experiences earlier than ever before. 

The nine-stop Tour is due to circle the country from July 4, 2015, to September 10, 2016.

In 2015, the Tour will pass through Philadelphia on July 4, San Diego on September 5 and 6, and Boston on October 17 and 18.

The following year it will head to Los Angeles in March, New York City on April 27, Oklahoma City on May 7 and 8, Indianapolis on June 24 and 25, Chicago in July and Boston on August 5, the same day as the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony.

Boston is due to the USOC's candidate city to bid for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. 

The 2015 stops will feature athlete meet and greets and virtual-reality technology, allowing fans to experience pole vaulting, beach volleyball, gymnastics and diving, and capture their own Olympic moment using green-screen technology.

In 2016, the Road to Rio Tour will add additional interactive sport-participation elements, including a basketball and beach volleyball court, a zip line and a stage for live entertainment.

Five-time Olympic medal-winning gymnast Nastia Liukin, who captured gold in the women’s all-around event at the Beijing 2008 Games, will be the athlete spokesperson making appearances at various cities throughout the Tour schedule.

“The Road to Rio Tour is an incredible way for me to meet Team USA fans who share the same passion and love for the Olympic and Paralympic Games as I do,” said Liukin.

“The USOC and its sponsors have created a truly unique experience that brings the Games directly to the fans, while helping fund athletes in pursuing their dreams.

“Each stop will serve as a true celebration of Olympic and Paralympic sport and a way for fans to experience the energy of the Games.”

The USOC claims to have continued to grow and enhance its marketing activation platforms to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Movements to life in the US, while providing USOC sponsors with opportunities to engage with fans.

Associate sponsors supporting the Road to Rio Tour, presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance, include airweave, BP, Citi, Kellogg’s, Samsung and AT&T, which will also serve as the stage sponsor.

"We’re thrilled to return as presenting sponsor of the ‘Road to…’ Tour series and we’re looking forward to bringing the passion of the US Olympic and Paralympic Movements to fans of Team USA, including our tens of thousands of hard-working and service-focused employees, all across the country,” said John Coombe, vice-president of brand management and sponsorships for Liberty Mutual Insurance.

“We know that support from fans and sponsors is a crucial element in an athlete’s Olympic journey as they strive toward achieving their personal bests, and the Road to Rio Tour, presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance, will help to engage, educate and excite fans of Team USA over the next year.”

The 100 day countdown event in New York City has become a celebrated commemoration prior to each Olympic Games.

An abundance of Team USA athletes will showcase their Olympic and Paralympic skills in the iconic Times Square while fans partake in interactive sport elements. 

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