The often-rumored inclusion of the Lake Tahoe area in the Amgen Tour of California appears closer to becoming a reality with the event's site inspectors scheduled to visit the resort area in the next week to evaluate a proposed course.
Andy Chapman, director of tourism for the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association (NLTRA), told the Sierra Sun newspaper the NLTRA and the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority — the business associations of Tahoe's North and South shores — will showcase a proposed race route beginning in South Lake Tahoe and encompassing a course that would take the peloton around the lake.
The stage-ending area, according to the newspaper account, could be Northstar-at-Tahoe resort or Squaw Valley, with the selected area also serving as the start of the next day's stage.
The article speculated the Lake Tahoe area would serve as the grand departure for the race's sixth year. Following two days in Lake Tahoe, the event would return to Sacramento, progress to Santa Rosa and advance to the San Jose area.
The 2011 Tour of California route is expected to be announced in September.
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) of Australia won the 2010 event, with Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) second and Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack) third overall.
Leipheimer, 13th this year in the Tour de France, won 2007-2008 and 2009 editions of the Tour of California. Floyd Landis won the inaugural edition in 2006.
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