The 2010 Amgen Tour of California will travel to 16 host cities beginning May 16 in Nevada City and concluding May 23 in Thousand Oaks, race officials announced Thursday.
After a four-year tenure in February, the date change will allow the event to include for the first time a mountain summit finish.
Although specific stage distances weren't announced, the race will cover more than 750 miles. The eight-day event will conclude in title-sponsor Amgen's hometown community of Thousand Oaks.
The 16 stage start and finish locations include: Nevada City (new city for 2010), Sacramento, Davis, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Modesto, Visalia, Bakersfield (new city for 2010), Pasadena, Big Bear Lake (new city for 2010), Los Angeles (new city for 2009) and Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village (new city for 2010)/Agoura Hills (new city for 2010).
Highlights of the new route will include the race's first voyage in the Sequoia National Forest and the mountaintop to stage 6 in Big Bear Lake.
The race will also travel through the city of Los Angeles for the first time in stage 7, an individual time trial.
Competing teams and individual riders were announced, but the 16-team field will likely feature eight ProTour squads and eight domestic-based teams.
Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France titlist, and three-time defending race titlist Levi Leipheimer, teammates on the new RadioShack squad, confirmed their participation in the event Thursday morning via Twitter. George Hincapie (BMC), the 13-time Tour de France finisher, also confirmed he'll ride in the event as did Dave Zabriskie, who finished second in this year's race.
Here are the stage for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California:
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 – Pasadena to Big Bear Lake
Stage 7: Saturday, May 22 – Los Angeles (individual time trial)
Stage 8: Sunday, May 23 – Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills
For further information, visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
To read more on the 2010 event, visit:
Lance Armstrong confirms he'll race 2010 Tour of California
Yosemite National Park rejects two Tour of California race proposals
Nevada City gets stage 1 start, Solvang time trial out in 2010 Tour of California
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