November 3/11 10:37 am - Amgen Tour of California Releases 2012 Host Cities

Posted by Editoress on 11/3/11
 

Race organizer AEG has announced the stage start and finish host cities for next year's seventh edition of the Amgen Tour of California.  Actual route details will follow at a later date.

After last year's problems with snow at Tahoe, causing the cancellation of both the first stage and the opening half of Stage Two, the race has moved back out of the mountains to begin in one of its traditional host cities - Levi Leipheimer's home town of Santa Rosa on Sunday, May 13th.  The stage will start and finish in Santa Rosa.  Stage Two takes riders along the coast from San Francisco to Santa Cruz.  Stage Three starts in San Jose (the only city to be a host city for every edition of the race) and ends in Livermore, followed by some climbing and a probable sprint finish in the Fourth Stage from Sonora to Clovis.

Stage Five is the individual time trial, and takes place in Bakersfield, leaving Solvang after five years.  Stage Six repeats the mountain stage of last year, from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake, followed by another mountain stage from Ontario to Mt Baldy.  The Eighth and final stage will take place on Sunday, May 20th, in downtown Los Angeles.

Stage 1: Sunday, May 13 - Santa Rosa

Stage 2: Monday, May 14 - San Francisco to Santa Cruz County

Stage 3: Tuesday, May 15 - San Jose to Livermore

Stage 4: Wednesday, May 16 - Sonora (new for 2012) to Clovis

Stage 5: Thursday, May 17 - Bakersfield (Individual Time Trial)

Stage 6: Friday, May 18 - Palmdale to Big Bear Lake

Stage 7: Saturday, May 19 - Ontario (new for 2012) to Mt. Baldy

Stage 8: Sunday, May 20 - Los Angeles/L.A. LIVE