The Amgen Tour of California Bike Race

The Amgen Tour of California is an international long-distance bicycling stage race modeled after the Tour de France. The first annual race was held in 2006. Teams of professional cyclists start in Northern California, making their way to Southern California in seven stages over eight days. It is not a continuous race in one long route down the coast. It is eight separate segments with transportation in between. Some of the segments are straight sections from city to city; others are loops through the mountains that start and end in the same place. Festival activities with a cycling and fitness theme take place in each of the cities on the tour.

The routes and participating cities change each year.

Race Facts

Race Dates: February 14-22, 2009

Sponsor: Amgen biotechnology company and its Break Away From Cancer initiative

Race Length: 750 miles

Number of Teams: 17

Number of cyclists: 366 (+/-)

Race Segments

Day 1: Prologue - Sacramento Individual Time Trials around Sacramento landmarks
Day 2: Stage 1 - Davis to Santa Rosa
Day 3: Stage 2 - Santa Rosa to Sausalito
Day 4: Stage 3 - San Jose to Modesto
Day 5: Stage 4 - Merced to Clovis
Day 6: Stage 5 - Visalia to Paso Robles
Day 7: Stage 6 - Solvang Loop. Individual Time Trial course begins and ends in Solvang
Day 8: Stage 7 - Santa Clarita to Pasadena
Day 9: Stage 8 - Rancho Bernardo to Escondido

2009 Race Teams

Ag2r-La Mondiale (FRA)
Astana (KAZ)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Cervelo Test Team (SUI)
Colavita/Sutter Home Presented by Cooking Light Team (USA)
Fly V Australia presented by Successful Living Foundation Team (AUS)
Garmin-Chipotle (USA)
Jelly Belly Cycling Team (USA)
Liquigas Team (ITL)
Ouch Presented by Maxxis (USA)
Quick Step(BEL)
Rabobank Cycling Team (Netherlands)
Rock Racing Team (USA)
Saxo Bank (Den)
Team Columbia (USA)
Team Type 1 (USA)

Official Amgen Tour Website: www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

Go to Tour Pasadena Festival Schedule

Go to Amgen Tour Santa Clarita Festival Schedule