by Stephanie Struyck Elgin

Eight hundred miles of scenic roadways, breathtaking coastlines and iconic settings, will be the backdrop for cyclists as they race for the coveted crown in one of America’s largest and most recognized annual sporting events, the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.   
The Amgen Tour of California, a prestigious cycling road race features elite professional teams and athletes from all around the world, including Tour de France top competitors, world champions and Olympic medalists.   The tour will begin on May 15 and run through May 22.  For the last five years, the Amgen Tour has brought drama and excitement of professional cycling to California, and it’s coming back for more.  Last year’s event drew more than 2 million spectators, and continues to set records in attendance for a single sporting event in the state of California, as well as any cycling event ever held in the United States.  
Returning as the title sponsor for the sixth consecutive year, Amgen will continue to use this influential race to raise awareness and support for people affected by cancer through its Breakaway from Cancer® initiative.  Founded in 2005 by Amgen as a complementary component to the company’s title sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California, Breakaway from Cancer® is designed to help empower people affected by cancer.  
This Tour de France-style cycling road race is presented by AEG, and will consist of 8 stages, with 15 cities hosting a stage start and finish.  Cities include:  South Lake Tahoe, North Lake Tahoe-Northstar at Tahoe Resort, North Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley USA, Sacramento, Auburn, Modesto, Livermore, San Jose, Seaside, Paso Robles, Solvang, Claremont, Mt. Baldy, and then returning to one of the Amgen Tour’s favorite host cities for the start of the final stage of the 2011 race, Santa Clarita.  The Tour will then conclude in Thousand Oaks.    
The drama and excitement of professional cycling is building up for this popular, action-packed race as it returns to Santa Clarita as the host city for the fourth time. Fans and enthusiasts from all over the world will tune in via television broadcasts while we have the opportunity to see this amazing event up close and personal.
“The City of Santa Clarita has been working very closely with race organizers to make sure that race fans and riders have a great experience on May 22,” states Rick Gould, Chairperson of Santa Clarita’s Local Organizing Committee for the Amgen Tour of California. “The early work is centered primarily around planning the route the riders will take out of Santa Clarita and the staging of the Start ceremonies which will take place at the Westfield Valencia Town Center.  Planning for an event like this takes several months, hundreds of volunteers, sponsor support and cooperation with many different agencies and businesses, but when it all comes together we’ll have an event that the community can really be proud of.”
Leaving Santa Clarita, the race will head out on a flat 13-mile stretch of Hwy 126.  Riders will turn left near Piru and work their way towards the coast and to the base of Balcolm Canyon. This treacherous climb will prove the endurance and tenacity of the cyclists.  Cresting the summit, the race will head through Moorpark and up the final climb of the Norwegian Grade.  The riders will enter the four-mile circuit into Thousand Oaks where they will begin the first of five flat and fast circuits.  
After surviving the longest and most difficult stage race ever in the United States, the winner will be crowned and awarded this prestigious honor of being named champion of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.  
For more information on the 2011 Amgen Tour of California, visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

photos courtesy the city of santa clarita

The Amgen Tour is back in Santa Clarita!  Get ready, as professional cyclists will return to our city for the fourth time on May 22.  Santa Clarita will host the start of the final stage of the race with riders racing to the overall finish in Thousand Oaks and completing more than 800 miles of an eight-day event.

May 15-May 22

Stage 1: Sunday, May 15 – South Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe-Northstar at Tahoe Resort

Stage 2: Monday, May 16 – North Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley USA to Sacramento

Stage 3: Tuesday, May 17 – Auburn to Modesto

Stage 4: Wednesday, May 18 – Livermore to San Jose

Stage 5: Thursday, May 19 – Seaside to Paso Robles

Stage 6: Friday, May 20 – Solvang Individual Time Trial

Stage 7: Saturday, May 21 – Claremont to Mt. Baldy

Stage 8: Sunday, May 22 – Santa Clarita to Thousand Oaks