Route details for 2008 Amgen Tour of California

The 2008 Amgen Tour of California is about three months from now, and organizers are announcing the stage details for the eight-day bicycle race that blasts along 650 miles of road from February 17-24.

This is the third year for the event, which drew an estimated 1.6 million roadside spectators in 2007. For those not lucky enough to travel to California in February, it looks like the Versus cable network will offer coverage and Adobe TourTracker will return for online live video and commentary.

It's too early for pro cycling teams to announce, but top-notch teams like Discovery, CSC, and Predictor Lotto — to name but a few — competed in 2007. Discovery has disbanded, but let's hope international cycling teams with strong contingents of American cyclists return in 2008.

Host cities

Organizers have chosen 12 host cities. They are: Palo Alto-Stanford University (new in 2008), Sausalito, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, Modesto (new in 2008), San Jose, Seaside, San Luis Obispo, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita and Pasadena (new in 2008).

Here's the information released from Tuesday's Tour of California press release (see map below):

Prologue: Palo Alto-Stanford University (Sunday, February 17, 2008)
At 1 p.m., riders will kick off the 2008 Amgen Tour of California with a short, but intense, individual time trial of just more than two miles.  The flat and fast route will likely take each individual cyclist less than five minutes to finish.  Although it is short, the Prologue, sponsored by CSC, will be packed with excitement and high speed.  The Stanford Oval will give spectators the chance to see the riders complete a full 360-degree loop before they head to the finish line at the intersection of Palm Dr. and Museum Way on the Stanford University campus.

Stage 1: Sausalito to Santa Rosa (Monday, February 18, 2008)
(Start time: 11 a.m.) Starting on the northern side of the San Francisco Bay, Stage 1 will cover nearly 100 miles from Sausalito to Santa Rosa.  The stage, sponsored by Herbalife, begins with a climb from Mill Valley up to Mt. Tamalpais State Park before turning toward Muir Beach.  The relatively flat route will take the riders north toward Bodega Bay and Coleman Valley Road, a landmark climb in Northern California.  Spectators can watch the stage win unfold as the field heads downhill from Occidental for three finishing circuit laps in downtown Santa Rosa.  In previous years, the Santa Rosa fans have set the mark for one of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the entire race.

Stage 2: Santa Rosa to Sacramento (Tuesday, February 19, 2008)
(Start time: 10 a.m.) A scenic start through several Sonoma County wineries will quickly turn into one of the most significant climbs of the race as Stage 2, sponsored by Union Bank of California, takes the peloton east en route to the state's capital, Sacramento.  Twelve miles from the start, Trinity Road's vertical climbs and treacherous decent into the wineries of Napa Valley will make it one of the most difficult climbs of the entire race, as proven during the 2007 Amgen Tour of California.  Continuing east past Lake Berryessa, the peloton will head through the cities of Winters and Davis, which recently was named the best cycling town in the United States by Bicycle Magazine.  With a quick turn to the north, the route will follow the Sacramento River to the Tower Bridge and on to Capitol Mall in Sacramento.  The stage concludes with three circuit laps through downtown, finishing on the front steps of California's Capitol building, a perfect viewing location for race spectators.

Stage 3: Modesto to San Jose (Wednesday, February 20, 2008)
(Start time: 10 a.m.) A new course for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California, Stage 3 will begin with a neutral start of parade laps through Modesto's revitalized downtown area before heading south through California's scenic farmlands.  After passing through Patterson, the cyclists will encounter a defining portion of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California.  A 26-mile section full of twists and turns with constant climbing will take the riders past the rugged beauty of the Frank Raines Regional Park, leading to a relentless climb over the backside of Mt. Hamilton.  With an elevation of 4,360 feet, Mt. Hamilton will be one of the highest elevations ever reached in the Amgen Tour of California.  After the descent, the riders will head to Sierra Road, another epic climb.  Once the riders crest Sierra Road, the peloton will complete the course with a quick 18-mile run into the finish line in San Jose.

Stage 4: Seaside to San Luis Obispo (Thursday, February 21, 2008)
(Start time: 10 a.m.) The remarkable views of Stage 4 have distinguished it as a race favorite for riders and spectators alike.  Beginning in Seaside with a short neutral lap and traveling along a similar route to previous years, the peloton will head south on scenic Highway 1 where sweeping vistas of Big Sur and redwood forests flank the Pacific Ocean.  At more than 130 miles and with three KOMs (“King of the Mountain” competitions), Stage 4, sponsored by Olevia, is the longest stage of the race and has proven to be a test for the riders with consistently hilly and technical terrain.  The long day will take the riders down the California coastline by Hearst Castle before shifting inland toward the finish line at the intersection of Osos St. and Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo.

Stage 5: Solvang Individual Time Trial (Friday, February 22, 2008)
(Start time: noon) The quaint Danish village of Solvang annually hosts some of the ProTour teams for training camps as well as some of the largest cycling events in the United States.  At only 15 miles, slightly longer than the 2007 individual time trial and with the start and finish lines located only one block apart, Stage 5, sponsored by ADT Security Services, is an ideal location for spectators to view the race.  The route will highlight some of the most beautiful areas of Central California, winding through quaint towns, vineyards, farms, and one short, but steep, climb.  This year's short, flat and fast time trial will create a challenging test for the riders and is expected to be a decisive day of the race.

Stage 6: Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita (Saturday, February 23, 2008)
(Start time: 11 a.m.) Stage 6 could be the pivotal stage for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California.  The stage is one of the longest at 105 miles, and it is heavy on climbs with four KOMs, three sprints and a demanding finishing circuit in Santa Clarita.  With the individual time trial late in the race again this year, there is the potential for several riders to be separated by just a few seconds as they begin the stage.  After a start in view of the Santa Barbara shoreline, this stage, sponsored by Health Net, will take the peloton to Highway 192 and through the town of Carpinteria.  The route will then take the riders on Highway 150 where they will face two KOMs before passing Lake Casitas and riding into the scenic town of Ojai.  The third KOM will be just a few miles outside Ojai, and then the course will head downhill into Santa Paula.  The ominous Balcom Canyon will be the final climb of the day, where in 2007 nearly 25,000 fans formed a narrow corridor for the riders.  The cyclists will end the day with three circuit laps in Santa Clarita that finish at McBean Parkway at the Valencia Town Center.

Stage 7: Santa Clarita to Pasadena (Sunday, February 24, 2008)
(Start time: TBD) By configuring the final stage of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California as a difficult point-to-point road race, there is a chance to see an overall lead change, as well as a change in the KOM jersey leader on the last day.  The first 25 miles of Stage 7, sponsored by Amgen, include a gradual climb from Santa Clarita to the intersection of Angeles Forest Road.  The route continues uphill to the highest elevation ever reached by the Amgen Tour of California on the towering Millcreek Summit (4,906 feet).  Descending with an eight-mile run to Angeles Crest Highway, the route begins a fast plunge to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.  After more than 60 miles from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, with the mountains and the Rose Bowl serving as the backdrop, the peloton will complete the stage and the race, with six five-mile laps on a very demanding circuit around the Rose Bowl.  Organizers expect a hard sprint to the finish; as with all the Grand Tours of Europe, winning the final stage of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California is a prize coveted by the riders.

The Tour of California website will have downloadable course maps. Additional resources such as log sheets, elevation profiles and recommended viewing locations will be added to the Web site in the coming weeks.