Women's criterium scheduled in Sacramento for opening day of Amgen Tour of California

A pro women's criterium will be held May 16 in conjunction with the stage 1 finish in Sacramento of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California.

The Sacramento Grand Prix will begin at 10 a.m. and travel a 1.4 mile course circling the Capitol. It duplicate portions of the Tour of California circuit just hours before Stage 1 of the fifth annual race is scheduled to finish in downtown Sacramento.

The women’s race will feature cyclists from the U.S. Women’s National Team and 2012 U.S. Women’s Olympic Development Team.

The Grand Prix will offer fans a particularly close look at the elite of women’s cycling. The field of female competitors will feature members of Team Twenty12, assembled to develop cyclists for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, led by Kristin Armstrong, a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist and the current World Time Trial Champion.

A women's criterium was also scheduled last year for the Tour of California but was canceled by organizers.