Amgen Tour of California Expanded For 2009 With Sacramento Start
http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/147/1/Amgen-Tour-of-California-Expanded-For-2009-With-Sacramento-Start/Page1.html
By James Raia
Published on 07/23/2008
The expanded Amgen Tour of California will start in Sacramento next Feb. 14 and will feature 16 start and finish cities on a new nine-day, 800-mile route, race organizers announced Wednesday. Sacramento, which has been a road stage finish city the past two years, will host the start and finish of stage 1 of the country’s largest professional cycling race.
The expanded Amgen Tour of California will start in Sacramento next Feb. 14 and will feature 16 start and finish cities on a new nine-day, 800-mile route, race organizers announced Wednesday.
Sacramento, which has been a road stage finish city the past two years, will host the start and finish of stage 1 of the country’s largest professional cycling race. The race began with a short individual time trials in San Francisco its first two years and in Palo Alto this year.
In addition to Sacramento, Davis, Santa Cruz, Merced, Clovis, Visalia, Paso Robles, Rancho Bernardo and Escondido are new starting or finishing locales. Santa Rosa, Sausalito, San Jose, Modesto, Solvang, Santa Clarita and Pasadena will return as starting or finishing cities.
The race’s previous longest stage from the Monterey Peninsula along the Pacific coastline to San Luis Obispo has been replaced. Instead, during stage 3, the field will ride from Sausalito to Santa Cruz on a course that includes crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.
"I think that that having the start and finish here in Sacramento is a testament to the fans in Sacramento and they should thank themselves for the honor," said Michael Sayers, who competed in the race during its first two years. Last year, even in poor weather, they showed up and demonstrated what dedicated fans they are.”
Following a more inland route than previous editions, the Tour de California will for the first visit the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and San Diego County.
The race will end Feb. 22 with the ninth stage from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido. Last year, the race was eight days and included about 650 miles.
“Each year, we strive to make the Amgen Tour of California better,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “And after getting input from riders and fans last year, we decided to expand the race to better showcase the great state of California.”
Neither individual riders, teams, prize money nor exact stages mileages were announced. But 2007 and 2008 race titlist Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, Calif., is expected to defend his victory as captain of the Kazakhstan-based team, Astana.
"It's very exciting to see the Tour of California evolve into one of the biggest races in the world in such a short time,” said Leipheimer, the third-place finisher in the 2007 Tour de France. “To think that the race will be nine days and will cover so much terrain is an amazing accomplishment by Amgen and AEG.”
Leipheimer, whose team is not participating this year in the Tour de France, was victorious last year by 49 seconds over David Millar of Great Britain. Christian Vande Velde of Boulder, Colo., was third, trailing by 1 minute and eight seconds.
2008 Tour of California Final Standings
1. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Astana, 29 hours, 24 minuts, 32 seconds.
2. David Millar, Great Britain, Slipstream, 49 seconds behind.
3. Christian Vande Velde, Boulder, Colorado, Slipstream 1 minute, 8 seconds behind.
4. Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland, CSC, 1:18 behind.
5. Gusta Larsson, Sweden, CSC, 1:18 behind.
6. David Zabriskie, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1:36 behind.
7. Chris Horner, Bend, Ore., Astana, 2:07 behind.
8. Jurgen Vandewalle, Belgium, Quick-Step, 2:11 behind
9. Robert Gesiink, Netherlands, Rabobank, 2:18 behind.
10. Alexandre Moos, Switzerland, BMC, 2:27 behind.
2007 Tour of California Fiinal Standings
1. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Discovery Channel, 24 hours, 57 minutes, 24 seconds.
2. Jens Voigt, Germany, CSC, 21 seconds behind.
3. Jason McCartney, Coralville, Iowa Discovery Channel, 54 seconds behind.
4. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., CSC, 1 minute, 6 seconds behind.
5. Stuart O’Grady, Australia, CSC, 1:16 behind.
6. Christian Vande Velded, Boulder, Colo., CSC, 1:24 behind.
7. Michael Rogers, Australia, T-Mobile, 1:32 behind.
8. Ben Day, Australia, Navigators Insurance, 1:38 behind.
9. Franco Pellizotti, Italy, Liquigas, 1:41 behind.
10. Ryder Hesjedal, Canada, Health-Net, 1:57 behind.
2006 Tour of California Final Standings
1. Floyd Landis, Murrieta, Calif., Phonak, 22 houurs, 46 minutes, 46 seconds.
2. Zavid Zabriske, Salt Lake City, Utah, CSC, 29 seconds behind.
3. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., CSC, 34 seconds behind.
4. George Hincapie, Greenville, S.C., 45 seconds behind.
5. Nathan O’Neill, Australia, Health-Net, 1 minute, 10 seconds behind.
6. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, California, Gerolsteiner, 1:10 behind.
7. Cadel Evans, Australia, Davitamon-Lotto, 1:29 behind.
8. Tom Danielson, Boulder, Colo., 1:49 behind.
9. Christian Vande Velde, Boulder, Colo., 1:55 behind.
10. Jason McCartney, Coralville, Iowa, 1:58 behind.
Sacramento, which has been a road stage finish city the past two years, will host the start and finish of stage 1 of the country’s largest professional cycling race. The race began with a short individual time trials in San Francisco its first two years and in Palo Alto this year.
In addition to Sacramento, Davis, Santa Cruz, Merced, Clovis, Visalia, Paso Robles, Rancho Bernardo and Escondido are new starting or finishing locales. Santa Rosa, Sausalito, San Jose, Modesto, Solvang, Santa Clarita and Pasadena will return as starting or finishing cities.
The race’s previous longest stage from the Monterey Peninsula along the Pacific coastline to San Luis Obispo has been replaced. Instead, during stage 3, the field will ride from Sausalito to Santa Cruz on a course that includes crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.
"I think that that having the start and finish here in Sacramento is a testament to the fans in Sacramento and they should thank themselves for the honor," said Michael Sayers, who competed in the race during its first two years. Last year, even in poor weather, they showed up and demonstrated what dedicated fans they are.”
Following a more inland route than previous editions, the Tour de California will for the first visit the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and San Diego County.
The race will end Feb. 22 with the ninth stage from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido. Last year, the race was eight days and included about 650 miles.
“Each year, we strive to make the Amgen Tour of California better,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “And after getting input from riders and fans last year, we decided to expand the race to better showcase the great state of California.”
Neither individual riders, teams, prize money nor exact stages mileages were announced. But 2007 and 2008 race titlist Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, Calif., is expected to defend his victory as captain of the Kazakhstan-based team, Astana.
"It's very exciting to see the Tour of California evolve into one of the biggest races in the world in such a short time,” said Leipheimer, the third-place finisher in the 2007 Tour de France. “To think that the race will be nine days and will cover so much terrain is an amazing accomplishment by Amgen and AEG.”
Leipheimer, whose team is not participating this year in the Tour de France, was victorious last year by 49 seconds over David Millar of Great Britain. Christian Vande Velde of Boulder, Colo., was third, trailing by 1 minute and eight seconds.
2008 Tour of California Final Standings
1. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Astana, 29 hours, 24 minuts, 32 seconds.
2. David Millar, Great Britain, Slipstream, 49 seconds behind.
3. Christian Vande Velde, Boulder, Colorado, Slipstream 1 minute, 8 seconds behind.
4. Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland, CSC, 1:18 behind.
5. Gusta Larsson, Sweden, CSC, 1:18 behind.
6. David Zabriskie, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1:36 behind.
7. Chris Horner, Bend, Ore., Astana, 2:07 behind.
8. Jurgen Vandewalle, Belgium, Quick-Step, 2:11 behind
9. Robert Gesiink, Netherlands, Rabobank, 2:18 behind.
10. Alexandre Moos, Switzerland, BMC, 2:27 behind.
2007 Tour of California Fiinal Standings
1. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, Calif., Discovery Channel, 24 hours, 57 minutes, 24 seconds.
2. Jens Voigt, Germany, CSC, 21 seconds behind.
3. Jason McCartney, Coralville, Iowa Discovery Channel, 54 seconds behind.
4. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., CSC, 1 minute, 6 seconds behind.
5. Stuart O’Grady, Australia, CSC, 1:16 behind.
6. Christian Vande Velded, Boulder, Colo., CSC, 1:24 behind.
7. Michael Rogers, Australia, T-Mobile, 1:32 behind.
8. Ben Day, Australia, Navigators Insurance, 1:38 behind.
9. Franco Pellizotti, Italy, Liquigas, 1:41 behind.
10. Ryder Hesjedal, Canada, Health-Net, 1:57 behind.
2006 Tour of California Final Standings
1. Floyd Landis, Murrieta, Calif., Phonak, 22 houurs, 46 minutes, 46 seconds.
2. Zavid Zabriske, Salt Lake City, Utah, CSC, 29 seconds behind.
3. Bobby Julich, Reno, Nev., CSC, 34 seconds behind.
4. George Hincapie, Greenville, S.C., 45 seconds behind.
5. Nathan O’Neill, Australia, Health-Net, 1 minute, 10 seconds behind.
6. Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa, California, Gerolsteiner, 1:10 behind.
7. Cadel Evans, Australia, Davitamon-Lotto, 1:29 behind.
8. Tom Danielson, Boulder, Colo., 1:49 behind.
9. Christian Vande Velde, Boulder, Colo., 1:55 behind.
10. Jason McCartney, Coralville, Iowa, 1:58 behind.