San Jose and the Bay Area have "been bypassed for the first time in the 11-year history of the Amgen Tour of California," which runs May 15-22 "from San Diego to Sacramento," according to Elliott Almond of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. San Jose was the "only town to play a role for the first 10 years" of the event. San Jose Sports Authority Exec Dir Patricia Ernstrom said, "We fully understand the difficulty associated with accomplishing these changing route goals without also changing and varying the geography of the weeklong stage race." Almond notes San Jose has "played host to 11 stages," three of which "determined the overall winner." The tour is "traveling south to north for the second time since it launched" in '06 (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 10/23). In Sacramento, James Raia notes the city, which hosted the race start in '14, will "stage the final day" of the '16 men’s eight-day event and the final day of the women’s four-day competition, "both May 22." Sacramento will "be involved in the event for the eighth time" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/23). The event's first stage will "start and finish in San Diego, the farthest south the event has ever gone; the finish line will be at Mission Bay" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 10/23).
CALIFORNIA DREAMING: Santa Rosa Economic Development Specialist and organizing committee co-Chair Raissa de la Rosa said that it will "cost about $300,000 to host the stage, including funds to cover additional law enforcement and public works personnel and lodging costs for race teams and event staff." Donations from sponsors including businesses, the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce and "other benefactors will help cover the expenses." In California, Kevin McCallum notes the city with the exception of '11, "hosted a stage in seven of eight races" between '06-'13. The city in '12 "hosted the coveted ... overall start to the race," and the following year "hosted the equally coveted overall finish." But the city announced it would not seek the tour in '14, citing "donor fatigue" (Santa Rosa PRESS DEMOCRAT, 10/23). Also in California, Luke Money writes Santa Clartita will "host the finish of the second stage" of the '16 tour. News of the city's involvement in the tour in recent years has "become more of an expectation than a surprise." Santa Clarita Dir of Parks Recreation & Community Services Rick Gould said that the event is "a big deal for Santa Clarita for a number of reasons," including that it "helps expose Santa Clarita to an international audience" (SANTA CLARITA VALLEY SIGNAL, 10/23).
MAKEUP CALL: In California, Sebastian Foltz writes South Lake Tahoe will "host the Stage 5 finish of the men’s race, as well as the official start and finish of the first stage of the women’s race," both on May 19. South Lake Tahoe "previously hosted two stages of the women’s race" in '15, and a men’s stage was "canceled due to weather" in '11 (TAHOE DAILY TRIBUNE, 12/23). Also in California, Adam Jensen writes the cancellation of the Tahoe stages of the men’s race in '11 due to snowy weather was "definitely a disappointment, but the energy surrounding the women’s race this summer was impressive." Jensen write she is "excited to see the men’s race make a comeback to Tahoe" (TAHOE DAILY TRIBUNE, 12/23).
