California - 2008 Official State Visitor's Guide and Travel Planner - (Page 46) play » race » tour of california CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT Crowds line the 2007 course to cheer on Levi Leipheimer, who ultimately won; Norwegian racer signs for fans. amgen tour of california F rom the beginning, the race offered golden moments. When the Amgen Tour of California debuted on February 19, 2006, California’s own Levi Leipheimer won the opening day’s stage, a short sprint through a sea of raucous spectators in downtown San Francisco. Leipheimer was handed the leader’s jersey by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The following February, 1.6 million fans lined the course— the largest crowd ever to watch a cycling race in the United States—as some of the world’s best riders hammered from San Francisco to Long Beach, covering some 700 miles during WHAT: 2008 Amgen Tour of California the eight-day stage race. The WHEN: February 17–24 Amgen Tour of California will ROUTE: Palo Alto not supplant the fabled Tour de prologue, then seven France anytime soon, but few stages ending in races have gotten off to a more Pasadena auspicious start. INFO: www.amgen “After only two years, the Tour tourofcalifornia.com of California is already one of the Enter greatest races in the world, and I think next year we will see an even better field,” says Leipheimer, a rising international contender who won the 2007 race outright. The Golden State’s rugged terrain serves up a punishing race for the pros; the race’s difficulty is rated “beyond categorization” by the Union Cycliste Internationale, professional cycling’s governing body. Fine. Let the professionals suffer to earn the coveted gold jersey given the Tour winner. For the rest of us, the Tour of California offers the high drama of world-class bike racing, and unique opportunity too. Watching a pack of some of the world’s finest endurance athletes go pedal to pedal up a grueling mountain pass, or lean—as one—into a sharp turn will give you guaranteed goose bumps. But the real memories often take place after the pros have whipped past. Savvy spectators who aren’t content to simply watch can take up their own bikes L great rides] the following [ day for a leisurely ride past the same redwood forests, wine country vineyards, or sparkling beaches, capturing their own private version of California gold. KEN MCALPINE 46 L keyword in Search box at visitcalifornia.com Doug Pensinger/Getty http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com http://www.visitcalifornia.com
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