October 26/17 14:14 pm - Tour of California Announces 2018 Host Cities

Posted by Editor on 10/26/17
 

The Amgen Tour of California, welcomes 11 Host Cities across the state for the 13th edition of the stage race on May 13-19.

Throughout seven stages over seven days, some of the world's best cyclists will contest 600+ miles of roadways, highways and coastlines from Long Beach to Sacramento. The 2018 edition will mark the third time in race history that the peloton will travel the Golden State from south to north.

The Amgen Tour of California Women's race will run concurrently May 17-19, covering upward of 150 miles over three stages.

The annual professional cycling events carry the distinction of being the only U.S. races on the UCI WorldTour calendar and attract some of the most renowned cyclists and teams in the world. With seven new courses between them, this is the 11th consecutive year the event has featured an international platform for both men's and women's racing.

Men

Sunday, May 13 - Stage 1 Long Beach

Monday, May 14 - Stage 2 Ventura to Santa Barbara County (Gibraltar Road)

Tuesday, May 15 - Stage 3 King City to Monterey County (Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca)

Wednesday, May 16 - Stage 4 San Jose (Time Trial)

Thursday, May 17 - Stage 5 Stockton to Elk Grove

Friday, May 18 - Stage 6 Folsom to South Lake Tahoe

Saturday, May 19 - Stage 7 Sacramento

Women

Thursday, May 17 - Stage 1 Elk Grove

Friday, May 18 - Stage 2 South Lake Tahoe

Saturday, May 19 - Stage 3 Sacramento


The 2018 Host Cities include the return of fan and race team favorites, long-time veterans like San Jose and Sacramento, and two first-time destinations: Ventura and King City. A favored site for the women's race, South Lake Tahoe will once again host the men for the Stage 6 finish and welcome back the women for the fourth year in a row. The peloton will revisit Stockton and Long Beach for the first time in 11 years, with the men's overall start overlooking the beautiful Long Beach Waterfront. Folsom returns as a third-time host for an epic stage through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The exciting overall conclusion of both races on the same day in the State Capitol of Sacramento will provide spectators the opportunity to cheer on favorites across both fields.

"The 2018 Amgen Tour of California will captivate fans everywhere with all-star pelotons and new routes that showcase the incredible beauty of the Golden State," said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen Tour of California and executive vice president of AEG Sports. "With a mix of Host Cities that highlight the diversity of California - from urban to remote, ocean to desert, forests to mountains - the race continues its tradition as a dynamic and anticipated event on the international calendar."

The Amgen Tour of California is designed to cover a variety of terrains, allowing different types of specialists among the field of the world's greatest cyclists to shine throughout the week. Highlights of the men's race will include the Queen Stage from Ventura to the summit of Gibraltar Road in Santa Barbara County; a challenging mountain stage with an uphill finish at 6,500 feet elevation in South Lake Tahoe on Day 6; and the highly anticipated sprinter showdowns the race has become known for on many stages. Similar to 2017, the women's overall will be contested on the high-altitude Queen Stage in South Lake Tahoe which features one of the biggest climbs in the UCI Women's WorldTour, while the speedy sprinters will find their opportunities on the first and last stages of the race.