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My day at the Amgen Tour of California

2010-05-17T21:29:54Z

It was an exciting day in Sacramento as Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC) rolled through. It kicked-off in Nevada City and returned to the river city with cycling's biggest superstar and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong (seen above).

The Tour de France is the world's premier cycling tour. The ATOC is the Tour de France of North America. Besides Armstrong, the free food and free schwag at the MBT (Shoes) Lifestyle Festival wasn't bad either.

I'm not a huge fan of cycling, but I'm drawn to the ATOC since I first went in 2008. Knowing that cycling's biggest star, Armstrong, would be in the race drew me back since I missed it last year. This could also be my last time seeing the race in Sacramento since I'm transferring to Azusa Pacific University in the fall.

I was planning on going to the ATOC just for the experience but I decided to help out KCRA's Leticia Ordaz as well. My internship with KCRA 3 ends this week.

When I arrived on 10th Street there were vendors as far as the eye could see. Crowds of people were streaming into the tents full of merchandise.

You couldn't walk anywhere without seeing a bicycle and many of the fans at the event were knowledgeable about the sport of cycling. Many of them took advantage of the free bike parking on the State Capitol grounds. It was a great atmosphere even before the race reached Jackson Highway.

Bob Hammond was one of the many fans enjoying the festival and he was glad that Sacramento was getting a taste of professional cycling.

"I really like the fact that it's drawing high quality, professional riders," Hammond said. "The city of Sacramento is really going to benefit. It sees a lot of people coming from everywhere, not only from Northern California but sees people from the western United States."

Local cyclist Luiggi Zuniga, who hails from Peru and recently won a local race with Team Kinetic Cycles was also in attendance.

"(I came) to see the top riders in the world riding around our lovely Sacramento," he said. "Lance Armstrong, of course, he's the best rider in the world."

At the festival activities ranged from buying official ATOC merchandise, taking a picture with Armstrong using a green screen, spinning a wheel to win prizes and keeping up-to-date with current race results at the Radio Shack tent.

I took advantage of anything that caught my eye. Signs, stickers, free samples, you name it, I grabbed one. I even got my body fat checked at the Herbalife tent. I tested at 15.6%, which is considered underweight. Not a surprise to me since I'm five-feet-nine-inches and weigh 156 pounds.

As soon as I heard that the cyclists were coming, I tried to make it back to the KCRA live truck, but the road had been sealed off. I made the mistake of going back to 10th Street when I should have stayed on the Capitol Mall and ran around the border of the route.

To get a decent view of the race on L Street between 10th & 9th streets I had to balance myself on top of a CVC pipe next to a palm tree. A fan's crazy idea for me worked and I got some great photos of the race as the cyclists zoomed by.

Unfortunately, you could hear the reaction of the crowd when U.S. national road racing champion George Hincapie and Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen both crashed.

Britian's Mark Cavendish of HTC-Columbia finished in first place with Argentina's Juan Jose Haredo right behind him for second place. The favored winner of the ATOC, Levi Leipheimer of Team Radio Shack, came in 42nd place and teammate Armstrong finished in 69th place.

Stage 2 started today in Davis, home of the United States Bicycle Hall of Fame, and ends in Santa Rosa. Even though it lasts less than a day, ATOC remains one of Sacramento's biggest events of the year.

From left to right: Paul Mach, Alexander Kristoff, Mark Cavendish and Maarten Tjallingii.

More photos from the Amgen Tour

2010-05-17T17:46:34Z

The first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California ended with a three-lap circuit in downtown Sacramento. These photos were taken at the corner of 18th and P Streets.

Three members of the HTC-Columbia team lead the pack around the corners of downtown Sacramento. Team member Mark Cavendish won the first stage after a powerful sprint to the finish line.

Racers sprint into the four-block stretch on 18th Street.

Lance Armstrong, right, maneuvers around a corner among the riders in the first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California.

Riders lean sharply as they pass through one of the turns in the circuit in downtown Sacramento. After the pack of riders passed, specatators felt a blast of wind created by the speed of the cyclists.

Photos by Ron Nabity.

Late crashes mar otherwise peaceful stage 1

2010-05-17T15:49:30Z

If you're the best sprinter in the world, your competition doesn't matter. Marc Cavendish, who won six stages in the 2009 Tour de France took his winning ways to Sacramento in the first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. His rivals however, were slowed by a crash during the final few kilometers heading up to the finish. Tom Boonen and some of the other chief green jersey contenders hit the pavement and wound up bruised and battered as they crossed the finish line.

Lance Armstrong and heavy favorite three time Amgen winner Levi Leipheimer finished unscathed and received the same race time as all riders in the main peloton. The yellow jersey will be decided on a different day, but one thing is for certain--Cav remains unstoppable on any sprint finish.

Mayor Kevin Johnson presented the stage winner with a poster of Sacramento and much to the delight of the audience, followed traditional podium protocol by giving Cavendish a kiss on the cheek. The crowd, which was estimated in excess of 100,000 lined the streets of the capitol visiting vendor tents and poured out into midtown businesses on what would otherwise have surely been be another lazy Sunday afternoon.

While most of the race glory belonged to stage winner, Cavendish, Davis native and PhD student in Mathematics, Paul Mach rode a small breakaway capturing the king of the mountains jersey and will be wearing the polka dot vest into his hometown where the race starts, Tuesday. It was great to have a local presence on the podium--an honor clearly relished by Mach who himself was not certain he would ride in the Amgen until shortly before the race started.

You can check out Mach’s first hand account of the race at his blog http://paulmach.com/

Cavendish takes lead in Sacramento's First Stage of Amgen Tour

2010-05-17T00:34:08Z

Mark Cavendish, HTC-Columbia, donned the first leader's jersey of the Amgen Tour 2010 in Sacramento today. Following in second place was JJ Hado, Saxo Bank; third place - Alexander Kristoff, BMX Racing Team; fourth place - Robbie Hunter, Garmin Transistions and Jonathan Cantwell, Fly V Australia.

Cavendish is fifth from the right as the tour travelled down Jackson Rd before reaching Folsom Blvd and the final leg of Stage One that ended at the State Capitol.

Traveling at a good clip along Jackson Rd, Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank), Chad Beyer (BMC), Mark De Maar (United Healthcare) and Paul Mach (Bissell) had lead for most of the race.

Lance Armstrong (far right) zipped by.

Unidentified group of racers.

Heading down Jackson Rd before the big push into Sacramento.

Support vehicles follow behind the racers.

Father and son got lucky by grabbing a discarded water bottle and cup tossed by racers.

Tomorrow, the tour leaves Davis, CA to begin the second stage.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Leipheimer ready to repeat as Tour of California champion

2010-05-15T04:13:13Z

The Amgen Tour of California doesn't begin until Sunday, but Levi Leipheimer already is heavily favored to win.

"I think it will be a wonderful race," cycling commentator Phil Liggett said at a news conference Friday. "Levi Leipheimer will still win, but what the hell."

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong echoed that sentiment about the winner of the last three Tours of California.

"If I were looking at it like an analyst, I would say that Levi, Dave (Zabriskie) and Michael Rogers are the big three," Armstrong said. "I guarantee you that Levi will kick (Mark) Cavendish's ass on hills."

Cavendish would do the same to him on sprints, Leipheimer said under his breath. He noted that in previous years the race was held in February, but that professional cyclists' fitness is at a higher level in May.

Leipheimer pronounced himself "ready and here to win it again."

Andrew Messick, president of co-sponsor Anschutz Entertainment Group Sports, presented Mayor Kevin Johnson and County Supervisor Roger Dickinson with yellow jerseys. Johnson praised the tour for bringing $8 million to local businesses. He vowed to keep Armstrong's bike safe and promised never to wear spandex.

Armstrong's time-trial bike was stolen after the race prologue last year, but returned three days later. He said this year he would keep the bike in his hotel room, instead of in a trailer, where it was stored last year.

Leipheimer and Armstrong will be racing on the newly formed Team Radioshack, which Armstrong said is similar to last year's Team Astana. Six of that team's riders remain, two have changed. Armstrong said one of his goals is for his team to win first place.

"We're going to support Levi," he said. "It's like his Super Bowl."

For more information on road closures in Sacramento, visit: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26944/City_readies_for_rolling_street_closures_and_thousands_of_spectators_this_weekend.

For a bird's eye view of the first stage and stage one information, visit this article: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26951/Birds_Eye_View_of_AMGEN_Race.

To view team rosters, visit: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26484/Amgen_Tour_of_California_teams_announced.

For stage maps and other information, visit amgentourofcalifornia.com.

The race will be broadcast on the Versus Network for several hours daily.

Photographs:
1. Left to right: David Zabriskie, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Andy Schleck
2. Lance Armstrong
3. Phil Liggett, foreground: Levi Leipheimer (left), Lance Armstrong (right)
4. Mark Cavendish
5. Left to right: Andrew Messick, Kevin Johnson, Roger Dickinson
6. Fabian Cancellara
7. George Hincapie

The Bicycle Film Festival is Coming!

2010-05-12T05:49:46Z

May is Bike Month, and this weekend is the best time to celebrate. Sacramento has earned a stop on the international tour of the Bicycle Film Festival. The festival will be held Friday and Saturday, with the festivities extending into Sunday as part of the Amgen Tour of California.

The Friends of Fremont Park, along with pizza and panini bar Hot Italian, will host the event. The film festival starts Friday in Fremont Park with movie shorts. They will begin at 9 p.m., but the event will kick off at 7 at nearby Hot Italian, which also will be the site of the night's after-party. And it will continue "as long as people are there and drinking," Lepore said.

"The Bicycle Film Festival is a collection of film, art and music," said Andrea Lepore, co-owner of Hot Italian.

The New Humans will perform at the preparty Friday at Hot Italian and Signal to Red is scheduled before the big presentation Saturday.

The 16 short films range from one to 16 minutes. Among them is "Macramento," a film by Colby Elrick about legendary Italian frame builder Giovanni Pelizzoli. It follows local riders John Cardiel, Squirrel and Ted Shred, aka DJ Ted Shred.

Saturday will begin with a a scavenger hunt, with prizes including bicycle saddles by San Marco, vouchers to the Crocker Art Museum, Hot Italian certificates and messenger bags. The festivities will continue with music in the park, followed by the Bicycle Film Festival features presentation, and concluding with the Urban Velodrome After Party at Venue, at 15th and R streets. The after-party will feature DJ Ted Shred.

There will be a beer garden in Fremont Park at 1 p.m. from which to view Amgen rider. The first leg of the tour starts Sunday in Nevada City and ends in Sacramento. Fans can expect to see the cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, pass at about 3:30.

This is the Bicycle Film Festival's 10th year and its first in Sacramento. Lepore said that cities comparable in size to Sacramento usually have a turnout numbering in the thousands. Many cities charge admission because the films are shown in a museum or a similar venue. Sacramentans can participate in the festival free except for food and drinks.

Other major cities hosting the Bicycle Film Festival include New York, Chicago, London, Melbourne and Tokyo. For more information, visit www.bicyclefilmfestival.com

Amgen Tour of California teams announced

2010-05-08T01:27:01Z

Amgen Tour of California teams were announced Friday morning. The roster includes seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong as well as Levi Leipheimer, winner of the last three consecutive Tour of California races, among others.

The Sacramento Press will continue to cover the Amgen Tour of California, which rolls through the city Sunday, May 16. This will include a pre-race press conference May 14 and race day coverage.

The following is a press release about the team announcement, via Bob Burns of the Sacramento Sports Commission.

The world-class roster of teams and cyclists scheduled to participate in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California has been announced by race presenter AEG. An internationally sanctioned, professional cycling road race, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will host 16 teams, comprised of 127 riders, from 23 countries for the fifth-annual race taking place May 16-23.

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California will bring an exceptional concentration of cycling talent to compete across more than 800 miles of the state of California from Nevada City to Thousand Oaks, home of race sponsor Amgen. Attracting an unprecedented field of riders from around the world, cyclists hail from countries as far away as Belgium, Finland, Spain, France, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden.

“We are proud of the powerful and talented group of international and domestic cyclists set to participate in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. “From Tour de France champions to Olympic medalists and world champions, this field is one of the best that has ever competed on American soil. The growing reputation of the Amgen Tour of California has resulted in a very accomplished field of cyclists, which should make for a great race.”

The field will include riders from well-known teams such as Team RadioShack, Team HTC-Columbia, Quick Step, Team Saxo Bank and Garmin-Transitions, who will all be competing to take the title in the overall team competition. Some of the notable riders planned to begin the race in Nevada City, Calif. on May 16 include:

Team rosters are subject to change.

Tour de France Overall Podium Finishers
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack; first 1999-2005, third 2009
Andy Schleck (LUX), Team Saxo Bank; second 2009
Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack; third 2007

Tour de France Stage Winners
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack (22)
Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team HTC-Columbia (10)
Tom Boonen (BEL), Quick Step (6)
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank (5)
Stuart O’Grady (AUS), Team Saxo Bank (3)
Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Team RadioShack (3)
Jens Voigt (GER), Team Saxo Bank (3)
Heinrich Haussler (GER), Cervélo TestTeam (1)
David Zabriskie (USA), Garmin-Transitions (1)

World Champions
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack
Lars Boom (NED), Rabobank
Tom Boonen (BEL), Quick Step
Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Team RadioShack
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank
Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team HTC-Columbia
Tom Leezer (NED), Rabobank
Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Team RadioShack
Michael Rogers (AUS), Team Columbia-Highroad

Olympic Medalists
Lance Armstrong (USA), Team RadioShack
Theo Bos (NED), Cervélo TestTeam
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank
Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack
Bret Lancaster (AUS), Cervélo TestTeam
Stuart O’Grady (AUS), Team Saxo Bank
Hayden Roulston (NZL), Team HTC Columbia

Current National Champions (by country)
Michael Rogers (AUS), Team Columbia-Highroad, Time Trial
Tom Boonen (BEL), Quick Step, Road Race
Matti Breschel (DEN), Team Saxo Bank, Road Race
Lars Ytting Bak (DEN), Team HTC-Columbia, Time Trial
Andy Schleck (LUX), Team Saxo Bank, Road Race
Stef Clement (NED), Rabobank, Time Trial
Jeremy Vennell (NZL), Bissell, Time Trial
Janez Brajkovic (SLO), Team RadioShack, Time Trial
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Team Saxo Bank, Road Race
George Hincapie (USA), BMC Racing Team, Road Race
David Zabriskie (USA), Garmin-Transitions, Time Trial

American Stage Race Champions
Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack), 2007-2009 Amgen Tour of California
David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions), 2009 Tour of Missouri
George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team), 2007 Tour of Missouri
Janez Brajkovic (Team RadioShack), 2007 Tour de Georgia
Tom Danielson (Garmin-Transitions), 2005 Tour de Georgia
Lance Armstrong (Team RadioShack), 2004 Tour de Georgia
Chris Horner (Team RadioShack), 2003 Tour de Georgia

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California roster includes the following 16 professional cycling teams. The seven ProTour teams compete regularly on the UCI’s ProTour race calendar, including the Grand Tours of Europe – Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.

Pro Tour Teams

1.) Garmin-Transitions (USA)

Steven Cozza (USA)

Thomas Danielson (USA)

Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)

Robbie Hunter (RSA)

Thomas Peterson (USA)

Peter Stetina (USA)

Matthew Wilson (AUS)

David Zabriskie (USA)

2.) Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)

Francesco Bellotti (ITA)

Francesco Chicchi (ITA)

Davide Cimolai (ITA)

Manuel Quinziato (ITA)

Peter Sagan (SVK)

Ivan Santaromita (ITA)

Brian Vandborg (DEN)

Elia Viviani (ITA)

3.) Quick Step (BEL)

Carlos Barredo Llamazales (ESP)

Tom Boonen (BEL)

Kurt Hovelynck (BEL)

Kevin Hulsmans (BEL)

Nikolas Maes (BEL)

Andreas Stauff (GER)

Jurgen Van De Walle (BEL)

Maarten Wynants (BEL)

4.) Rabobank (NED)

Lars Boom (NED)

Stef Clement (NED)

Steven Kruijswijk (NED)

Sebastian Langeveld (NED)

Thomas Leezer (NED)

Paul Martens (GER)

Grischa Niermann (GER)

Maarten Tjallingii (NED)

5.) Team HTC-Columbia (USA)

Lars Ytting Bak (DEN)

Mark Cavendish (GBR)

Bernhard Eisel (AUT)

Tony Martin (GER)

Mark Renshaw (AUS)

Michael Rogers (AUS)

Hayden Roulston (NZL)

Tejay Van Garderen (USA)

6.) Team RadioShack (USA)

Lance Armstrong (USA)

Janez Brajkovic (SLO)

Christopher Horner (USA)

Levi Leipheimer (USA)

Jason McCartney (USA)

Dmitriy Muravyev (KAZ)

Yaroslav Popovych (UKR)

José Luis Rubiera Vigil (ESP)

7.) Team Saxo Bank (DEN)

Matti Breschel (DEN)

Fabian Cancellara (SUI)

Jakob Fuglsang (DEN)

Juan José Haedo (ARG)

Stuart O'Grady (AUS)

Andy Schleck (LUX)

Andre Steensen (DEN)

Jens Voigt (GER)

8.) BMC Racing Team (USA)

Chad Beyer (USA)

Marcus Burghart (GER)

Chris Butler (USA)

Mathias Frank (SUI)

George Hincapie (USA)

Alexander Kristoff (NOR)

Jackson Stewart (USA)

Simon Zahner (SUI)

9.) Cervélo TestTeam (SUI)

Theo Bos (NED)

Joao Correia (POR)

Philip Deignan (IRL)

Heinrich Haussler (GER)

Jeremy Hunt (GBR)

Brett Lancaster (AUS)

Oscar Pujol Munoz (ESP)

Dominique Rollin (CAN)

10.) Bissell (USA)

Rob Britton (CAN)

Daniel Holloway (USA)

Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA)

Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA)

Peer Latham (NZL)

Paul Mach (USA)

Jeremy Vennell (NZL)

Kyle Wamsley (USA)

11.) Fly V Australia (AUS)

Jonathan Cantwell (AUS)

Jai Crawford (AUS)

Benjamin Day (AUS)

Charles Dionne (CAN)

Aaron Kemps (AUS)

Bernard Sulzberger (AUS)

Jay Robert Thomson (RSA)

Phil Zajicek (USA)

12.) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda (USA)

Jonathan Chordoff (USA)

William Dicknson (AUS)

Michael Friedman (USA)

Charles Bradley Huff (USA)

Jeremy Powers (USA)

Kiel Reijnen (USA)

Will Routley (CAN)

Bernard Van Ulden (USA)

13.) Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)

Ryan Anderson (CAN)

Jesse Anthony (USA)

Dan Bowman (USA)

Alex Candelario (USA)

Reid Mumford (USA)

Neil Shirley (USA)

David Veilleux (CAN)

Scott Zwizanski (USA)

14.) SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy (CAN)

David Boily (CAN)

Guillaume Boivin (CAN)

Lucas Euser (USA)

Martin Gilbert (CAN)

Kevin Lacombe (CAN)

Bruno Langlois (CAN)

Francois Parisien (CAN)

Andrew Randell (CAN)

15.) Team Type 1 (USA)

Davide Frattini (ITA)

Ken Hanson (USA)

Aldo Ino Ilesic (SLO)

Christopher Jones (USA)

Valery Kobzarenko (UKR)

Javier Megias Leal (ESP)

Thomas Rabou (NED)

Scott Stewart (USA)

16.) UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis (USA)

Christopher Baldwin (USA)

Matthew Crane (USA)

Marc De Maar (NED)

Max Jenkins (USA)

Karl Menzies (AUS)

Andrew Pinfold (CAN)

Rory Sutherland (AUS)

Bradley White (USA)

Stages for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California include:
Stage 1: Sunday, May 16 – Nevada City to Sacramento
Stage 2: Monday, May 17 – Davis to Santa Rosa
Stage 3: Tuesday, May 18 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Stage 4: Wednesday, May 19 – San Jose to Modesto
Stage 5: Thursday, May 20 – Visalia to Bakersfield
Stage 6: Friday, May 21 – Palmdale to Big Beak Lake
Stage 7: Saturday, May 22 – Los Angeles Individual Time Trial
Stage 8: Sunday, May 23 – Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills

For more information about the Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Photographs one and two credit Anthony Bento. Photographs three and four by Jonathan Mendick.

Tour of California's inaugural Grand Prix event set to roll into Sacramento

2010-05-06T03:12:01Z

The Amgen Tour of California returns to Sacramento, bringing even more cycling competition to the Capitol in 2010. This year, Project Sport, the company behind the San Francisco and San Rafael Twilight Criterium races, and the Sacramento Sports Commission have teamed together to add the Sacramento Grand Prix.

The inaugural Grand Prix event will run in conjunction with the Tour of California competition, which will feature seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. The Grand Prix will act as the precursor to the May 16 Tour event, beginning at 11 a.m. the same day.

The addition of the Grand Prix is an effort to extend the tour's festivities and bring out more fans.

"We're trying to create events for the community," said John McCasey of the Sacramento Sports Commission. "We're excited to roll out the Grand Prix and hope it can be an annual event."

While the men's field is currently sold out with approximately 150 riders participating, tour officials said they are especially excited about introducing the women's field, which will include about 50 riders, believing the Grand Prix to be "the perfect form to do it."

"Sacramento is awesome in terms of biking," said Emily Kachorek. "It's exciting to have so many fans, the whole vibe, the atmosphere." Kachorek, residing in Sacramento, rode for the University of California, Davis, Cycling Team from 2000-2002. She will be joined in the competition by fellow female Sacramento cyclist Heather Pryor, among others.

Participating in the male competition, Ryan Parnes from Davis spoke of the event from the fans' perspective. "This is a fantastic opportunity for spectators," he said, "the race is so fast and so technical."

Riders will be competing for a $6,000 first-place prize for the women's competition and a $4,000 first-place prize for the men's.

The Grand Prix is 1.4 miles long and will loop around the Capitol, duplicating the Sacramento portion of the Tour of California route, held at 3:45p.m. The event begins and ends on L and Eleventh streets, covering Ninth, N and 16th streets as well. Afterward, the public are invited to ride the competition route in the Sacramento Community Ride. The free event is open to all ages, and will feature Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson who will participate in the ride.

Ryan Dawkins, president of Project Sport, explained the goals of the Grand Prix.

"(The Sacramento Grand Prix will feature) local-level champions, elite, and up-and-coming stars who will race in the Tour (de France)," Dawkins said. "There aren't many high-profile events able to garner media attention, top-end prize money and get top riders," he said. The Sacramento Sports Commission and Project Sport hope the 70,000 fans in attendance last year for the Tour of California will return, and enjoy the festivities leading up to the day's main event.

"We have the community interest, the police on board, a route, and finally someone with expertise (in how to run a major cycling event)," McCasey said. "Our hope is that this will be the start of a big deal."

Due to the both competitions' routes, certain areas downtown will be subject to road closures. For more information on the tour route, road closures and parking, visit www.cityofsacramento.org and/or the Amgen Tour of California website.

Photo 1: Project Sport president Ryan Dawkins

Photo 2: Cyclists Ryan Parnes, Heather Pryor, Emily Kachorek and Peter Graf

Stage one of 2010 Amgen tour to end at Capitol

2010-02-10T05:51:19Z

"For us domestic riders, this is our Tour de France," Chris Jones said of the Amgen Tour of California. "It's the biggest race of our year," added the 31-year-old cyclist from Auburn.

Jones and Michael Sayers, a retired professional rider, are Amgen tour veterans. They joined John McCasey, Sacramento Sports Commission director, at a Tuesday press conference at Mason's Restaurant. They introduced the tour's first stage -- from Nevada City to Sacramento -- with Mayor Kevin Johnson and Councilmen Ray Tretheway and Steve Cohn also in attendance.

The event kicked off with a video that provided a glimpse of the scenery cyclists will see when they ride from Nevada City to Sacramento on May 16.

Several months ago, fans learned via Twitter that Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer will race again this year. Starting Monday, preview videos began revealing each stage with aerial shots and and cyclists giving first-person accounts. The videos will continue to be released on YouTube and amgentourofcalifornia.com, two per day, until Friday. Each stage log, with turn-by-turn directions, will also be available on the Amgen tour website.

"Nevada City, the start this year, has a rich history," said Sayers, who is a Sacramento native. "Some of the biggest names in American cycling have competed in the Nevada City (Bicycle Classic), and I think it's a big honor that the race is giving Nevada City a few circuits before the stage starts."

After several miles in Nevada City, the 104.2-mile day will take riders through Grass Valley, Placer County and Meadow Vista before entering Auburn.

"My favorite part is going through Auburn about two blocks from my house," said Jones. "Then we'll head over the (Foresthill) Bridge."

Jones explained in the stage-one preview video that the Foresthill Bridge is the tallest in California. Built in 1973 to accompany the never-built Auburn Dam, the bridge provides breathtaking canyon views 738 feet above the American River.

Aside from a 1,500-foot climb to Cool, cyclists will continue downhill through El Dorado County into East Sacramento, before finishing at L and 11th streets. The stage will favor sprinters, and close to the finish line, cyclists may reach up to 40 mph. Streets will be closed to traffic along the entire stage route, details available here.

Sacramento will host free events May 16, McCasey said, including the mayor's ridealong in the morning and festival sponsor Anschutz Entertainment Group's Lifestyle Festival, from noon to 4:30 p.m. Stage two of the tour will feature a 109.5-mile ride from Davis to Santa Rosa.

The local economic impact of the Amgen tour is considerable.

"You're talking about $8 million," said Mayor Kevin Johnson. "Quality of life, a free family event, 80,000 people downtown, and we'll all look like Chris (Jones) if we cycle enough."

Photos 4 and 5 credit Anthony Bento.

Sacramento to be part of 2010 Amgen Tour of California

2009-10-23T05:17:30Z

At about 9 a.m. Thursday, three-time Amgen Tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer announced via a "tweet" that he was going to defend his title in 2010. It was part of a high-profile Twitter conversation started by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that went something like this:

"@schwarzenegger: Great news for American cycling fans and CA. The 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be better than ever. @lancearmstrong will you join us?

@lancearmstrong: Absolutely! @schwarzenegger, I've decided to ride the #Amgen Tour of California in 2010. Can't wait. What about you @levileipheimer?

@levileipheimer: I'll definitely be racing the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, defending my title."

Then at 4:30 p.m., the defending champion spoke at a press conference for the 2010 race at The Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento.

"It was a lot of fun being in the announcement today on Twitter, so I feel like I'm really a part of the race," Leipheimer said to a crowd of about 50, which included the mayors of Sacramento, Nevada City and Davis, and local legislators.

"Right from the fall of 2005, when we first announced the Tour of California was going to happen, I felt like this was something that I needed to be involved with, and I think that's been the secret to my success the last three years," he added. Leipheimer has won the last three Tours of California.

Mayor Kevin Johnson also expressed excitement that Sacramento be will be involved in the tour again. In addition to hosting the pre-race team presentation and gala on May 14, downtown Sacramento is where the first stage of the tour will conclude May 16, after a start in Nevada City.

"That allows us to have four or five days of activities and make it a really special weekend event," Johnson said. "We're going to have about 70,000 spectators that will participate over the weekend. This event brings in $8 million dollars, and that is very significant."

He also addressed last year's "hiccup": During the race, Lance Armstrong's time trial bike was stolen in Sacramento. The mayor joked that although the chief of police had promised tighter security, riders should bring their own locks, just in case.

Davis's Mayor Dr. Ruth Uy Asmundson and Nevada City's Mayor Reinette Senum said they were honored that their cities were part of the race as well.

A big change in the 2010 tour is that it will be held in May instead of February.

"We did it to showcase the state of California in a better way," said Andrew Messick, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group and tour director. "There's a lot of terrain you can't get to on a bicycle in the wintertime."

Moving the tour dates also means that it will overlap with the peak of the European cycling season. As a result, it is unclear whether Europe's top racers will choose the Tour of California over the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy).

"There are probably some Italians who will end up going to the Giro, but I don't think that we're going to see any impact because of the two races conflicting," Leipheimer said. "(The Tour of California) is better preparation for the Tour de France in July."

Leipheimer, Armstrong, and most of last year's Astana team will ride together, but have moved to the newly-formed Team Radioshack. A 2007 Tour de France doping scandal, near financial collapse and a talent overload (three of the top four 2009 Tour de France riders) sent many former Astana riders elsewhere for 2010.

Armstrong's Stolen Bike Returned

2009-02-19T03:14:45Z

At a press conference held at the Public Safety Center on Freeport Boulevard, Sacramento Police confirmed that cyclist Lance Armstrong's bicycle, stolen on Sunday, February 15, has been returned by an anonymous citizen as of 10:30 this morning.

The bike, which was identified by serial number, was described by the spokesman as being '"in good condition," despite being delivered with the wheels detached from the frame. Police do not believe that the bicycles were specifically targeted by thieves. A police spokesman said, "Our one concern was that the bike would be discarded," once the thieves realized the identity of the bike's owner.

Police declined to comment on the identity of the citizen who returned the bicycle, saying that the while the "Good Samaritan" who returned the bike did provide details, the police department would not be discussing the particulars of the case due to the ongoing investigation. It was confirmed that the citizen who returned the bicycle is not a suspect.

As of this writing, police are still searching for two additional bicycles from Team Astana, which were stolen along with Armstrong's. Initial reports that three additional bikes were stolen proved to be incorrect, as one of Team Astana's missing bikes was discovered to have been misplaced and had been sitting in hotel storage.

Police allowed that they did have multiple suspects, but refused to go into further detail, again citing the ongoing investigation. A police spokesman described the department's attitude as hopeful, saying "We are actively following leads," but cautioned against early speculation.

Sacramento Police were flooded with calls from media outlets and cycling enthusiasts from all around the world, and officers patrolling downtown were stopped and advised by concerned citizens actively looking for the stolen bike.

That the high-profile theft took place in downtown Sacramento was described as an 'unfortunate circumstance' by police.

Armstrong is expected to receive his bicycle in 24 to 48 hours, although at the press conference police stated that they had not been in direct contact with Armstrong's Team Astana.

Armstrong's TT Bike Located?

2009-02-18T22:32:37Z

I’ve just learned that the stolen Lance Armstrong Time Trial bike, valued at $10,000 and used in the Sacramento Prologue of the Amgen Tour of California, has been located. A race announcer breaks the story on the Live Tour Tracker. No confirmation as of yet from local authorities, but it was rumor by the same announcer that someone from local law enforcement leaked the photos on a twitter page. Armstrong's own twitter page claims that another bike has also be recovered, that of Team Astana Cycling's, Jani Brajkovic.

Amgen "prologue" introduces Sacramento's Grid to the world

2009-02-16T00:53:51Z

Pulling victory from the jaws of impending thundershowers, Sacramento's weather and geography cooperated Saturday afternoon to produce a nearly-flawless "prologue" of the Amgen Tour of California.

It was nearly as cold and windy as Sacramento gets, but the rain held off until the last riders were crossing the finish line around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The clear weather continued into the evening as the out-of-town crowds estimated to be more than 50,000 partied into the night and the Grid's monthly Second Saturday events.

Though the race began in earnest Sunday, with 136 racers riding through gusts of wind and significant rain - and Sunday morning was marred by the early-hours theft of Lance Armstrong's $10,000 time trial bike, as well as the bikes of three of his teammates - Saturday marked another leap forward into the international biking world's consciousness.

As many as 1,000 credentialled journalists from around the world, who first showed up for Thursday's press conference at the Sheraton downtown (see pictures), were matched by visitors from as far away as France, all of whom came to see Armstrong's return to racing after a three-year retirement. There were also dozens of top racers in the peleton, including the current Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre of Spain, Tour de France tragedian Floyd Landis in his first post-suspension race, two-time Amgen winner Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, and the ultimate winner of Saturday's time trial, 2008 Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland.

There were many viewpoints along the 2.4 mile course, and most were taken up with the crowd. It was expected to be 75,000 people, but there was really no way to tell how big it was, spread out along the course. But with helicopters buzzing above, police everywhere and thousands showing up on bicycles, there was no question that it was a great day to be on two wheels in the Grid.

There were dozens of parties, some upscale, such as Mulvaney's barbeque at 19th and L, right next to the final turn before the straightaway, and others just in private apartments around town. To view the race, people climbed lamposts, parking garages and even hung out on the concrete overhangs in the 18th Street Lofts (see pictures). The street was the place to be, and spectators cheered on each rider, first announced by a name plate on a preceding motorcycle, then accompanied by a TV crew from the Versus network, and a lag wagon behind. At the turn at 19th and L Streets, the following cars often seemed to be racing to keep up with the riders, who launched out of the corner for the final eight blocks to the finish line.

The sidewalks were full of people, some in bike gear, some in high style, such as the group of four from Lyon, France, who had come to watch Amstrong's return to racing. Another group was from a wedding party, dressed in classic formal wear. Some rang cow bells as the riders raced past. A freight train rumbled on past the last turn, oblivious to the international event happening just yards away.

Downtown businesses took full advantage of the crowds, from Ginger Elizabeth's chocolate shop, which was packed with sweet tooths, to Hot Italian, Andrea Lepore's new two-wheel themed, wood-fired pizza place at 16th and Q, which chose Saturday as its "soft opening," and was filled with many who stopped in for pizza, beer, wine and espresso, as well as to check out the high-end riding gear in its shop (gorgeous $485 riding jackets) and the spectacular upright bike racks that sit outside on 16th Street.

Marcus, the owner of L Bar, stood happily in front of his wine bar, saying, "We're staying afloat, but days like this really help us get through the month." Brian Fischer of the Midtown Grid worked the crowd in front of the Buckhorn Grill at 18th and L, spinning his wheel of fortune and selling beautiful Bikeramento t-shirts, proceeds to be used to buy bicycles for disadvantaged kids in Oak Park. David Aldersebaes of the online cycling magazine Pez Cycling News, of Portland, surveyed the crowd, notebook in hand, and proclaimed himself "impressed" by Sacramento.

Out-of-towners on the Grid included Michael Polsan of Chico, 51, who hadn't seen downtown Sacramento in three years, and was amazed at its transformation. "I didn't realize so much is going on here," he said. "Last time I was in downtown Sacramento, it was pretty sketchy, like a midwestern town on hard times. Now it's really looking good."

Nature, which was the big concern of organizers and crowds, particularly after last year's rainy Amgen finish, when riders had to hold back on the sodden turns, cooperated, and spectacularly so. Not only was there no rain during the race, but the pavement was dry all along the course, meaning that riders could hit corners full-speed, and many did. And after the race was over, and a few sprinkles passed through, a bright rainbow appeared in the northeast, arching over the scene at 18th and Capitol (see picture).

The party continued into the night for Second Saturday, as a whole new shift of people hit the streets. Though the cold temperatures kept the crowd at considerably lower density than a spring or summer Second Saturday, there were still many devoted Sacramentans - and tourists - filling the streets. Among the beneficiaries of the crowds was the new Bike Kitchen shop, on 18th and I Streets.

All in all, it was a spectacularly successful Amgen prologue, despite the theft of Armstrong's and others' bikes from behind the Residence Inn at 15th and L, a downbeat coda to a terrific day in the Grid.

Lance Armstrong in Sacramento

2009-02-13T07:26:45Z

Lance Armstrong, contenders in the Tour of California, and hundreds of global media representatives filled Sheraton Hotel's conference room downtown. The riders, tour organizers, and other public figures such as Mayor Kevin Johnson and commentator Phil Ligget made statements to the frenzied media representatives.

A panel representing perhaps the strongest racing team ever assembled in the United States fielded questions, mainly expressing their excitement for the race, which begins in Sacramento this Saturday.

"It's an honor to have these professional cyclists here in Sacramento," said Mayor Johnson. "You'll see Saturday in Sacramento how thrilled we are. We are pleased to have been a part of this event the last three years."

"This year, because the prologue starts in Sacramento on a Saturday, we're going to generate 8.5 million dollars. People will be staying in our hotel rooms for five nights, 2500 rooms, and our local businesses, restaurants, shops and hotels are very thankful."

One main contender and winner of the inaugural Tour of California, however, was missing. Disqualified Tour de France winner Floyd Landis suffered from a bruised hip after a bicycle crash about two hours before the conference. Though he required medical attention, he will be fit to race Saturday.

Many questions were geared toward Armstrong, concerning his fitness level and past and present doping scandals, as well as his relationships with other riders. He said of his fitness level, "at 37 I feel just as good as 27."

As for questions about doping, Armstrong answered that he was "clean as a whistle". But more interestingly, he added "I'm on twitter, so you'll always know where I am. I think the key is transparency."

Most importantly, however, Armstrong made it clear that his participation in the ride is to raise awareness about cancer.

"Sometimes sensational news comes along and trumps old complacent stagnant news, like the number one killer in this country," he said wryly.

Armstrong mentioned that he was very happy to be riding with friend and Tour De France rival cyclist Ivan Basso, since the Italian recently returned from retirement as well. However, this will be the first time that Armstrong will be riding on a different team than George Hincapie, who refers to Armstrong as his "best friend".

Saturday's race will begin near Capital and 9th and end near L and 11th. Bikes and public transportation to the event are encouraged. The event is free. 75,000 people are expected.