Tour Of California Boosted By Lance's Commitment, Switch To May
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Armstrong Has Confirmed He Will Ride In
Tour Of California For Second Year In A Row |
The Amgen Tour of California Thursday announced its schedule and route for the '10 race, with Lance Armstrong "confirming he will ride in the event for the second year in a row," according to Don Norcross of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. The tour next year will span eight days, down from nine in the most recent race, and committed stages to L.A. and Thousand Oaks, both of which "played factors in San Diego County being left out next year." Stage 7 in downtown L.A. will pass L.A. Live, owned by Tour operator AEG, while stage 8 finishes in Thousand Oaks, where Amgen is based. The race also is "not returning to previous stops" in Marin County and San Luis Obispo (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/23). The tour in its entirety will visit "16 cities and feature eight stages" (FRESNO BEE, 10/23).
MAY FLOWERS? AEG Sports President Andrew Messick said that the race was "moved from its traditional February date to a May 16 start because of weather and training issues." Stages next year will include "more mountainous routes that were not available in February because of snow and road closures, and will not include rides across the Golden Gate bridge and a hoped-for start in Yosemite Valley." Messick said Yosemite is "not conducive to professional cycling" (WHITTIER DAILY NEWS, 10/23). In L.A., Diane Pucin notes moving the tour to May was "applauded by riders." The weather is "likely to be less stormy," after rain "plagued the race the last two years" (L.A. TIMES, 10/23). In Sacramento, John Schumacher notes the move puts the race "in competition with the well-established Giro d'Italia, a three-week race around Italy for the world's top riders." But Messick said that he is "confident the Tour of California will attract another quality field" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/23).
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: Messick said, "We aspire to be an important part of the cycling calendar. We felt as though being a February race we were, I don't want to say pre-season, but we weren't a race that most riders were really targeting" (VELONEWS.com, 10/22). In California, Bob Padecky writes the Tour of California is "now ready, willing and believes itself quite able to play with the big boys." The race has "thrust out its chest in front of Italy," and riders and teams now "will have to choose" between the two events. Italy "certainly will not be happy," because a "Grand Tour does not like competition" (Santa Rosa PRESS DEMOCRAT, 10/23).
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