The 2019 Amgen Tour of California cycling race will be the longest and most challenging in its 14-year history, according to details announced earlier this year by AEG, owner and presenter of America’s only UCI WorldTour race.
Throughout seven stages over seven days (May 12-18, 2019), the world’s elite professional cyclists will contest mountain roads, highways and coastlines from Sacramento to Pasadena. The 773-mile course through 13 Host Cities will ante up 14 Sprints, more than 68,000 feet of elevation gain and 25 King of the Mountain (KOM) climbs, the most in race history, and a fan-favorite Mt. Baldy summit finish. More than half of the seven stages feature 120+-mile courses.
With seven new courses between them, the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM will run concurrently May 16-18, using many of the same routes as the men’s course. Also the longest women’s race in event history, the 177.8-mile, three-stage road race course will see the athletes climb more than 20,800 feet, including eight QOMs.
“The Amgen Tour of California is the pinnacle of cycling in America. The 2019 race course is incredibly demanding – there’s more climbing and more long road days than ever before. With the best of the best in cycling coming to California to contest it, we are in for another memorable race,” said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen Tour of California and executive vice president of AEG Sports. “We look forward to shining a spotlight on the beauty of California and the dedication of these athletes for fans, in person and via the worldwide broadcast, in what will be one of the most exciting sporting events in the country this year.”
“We are thrilled the Amgen Tour of California overall finish will occur in Pasadena,” said Michael Ross, chief executive officer of the Pasadena Center Operating Company, “This signature event attracts top cyclists from around the world and brings international awareness to our historic and world-class city. It is a tremendous privilege that Pasadena will once again get to play a part in such a storied sporting event for the sixth time.”
Santa Clarita and Pasadena have a storied tradition of hosting the Amgen Tour of California’s grand conclusion. While this may look like an easy stage on paper, there will be challenges from start to finish as teams protect their GC riders from attacks and set up their sprinters to win the stage. The race’s traditional start in Santa Clarita will be at the Town Center Mall. The route will then turn north out of the city on Soledad Canyon Road, through the Antelope Valley, to the first sprint of the day in Acton. Turing onto Aliso Canyon Road, the riders will work their way onto Angeles Forest Hwy and into the Angeles National Forest.
The first climb will come at Mill Creek Summit, then downhill and left onto Upper Big Tujunga to the final climb of the race at the intersection with Angeles Crest Highway. It will be downhill as the riders pass Redbox and Mt. Wilson. A quick dash through La Canada Flintridge will take the race down Rosemont Avenue to the famed Rose Bowl for the ultimate race finish.
This stage shares a common start and finish for the women and men, with two slight differences. Whereas the women will come straight up Angeles Forest Highway to Angeles Crest Highway, the men will turn on Upper Tujunga to add mileage and one final climb. The women conclude the day first, coming to the finish line and completing one lap. Just as they began the week with three Capitol circuits during Stage 1 in Sacramento, the men will blaze through three circuits of the Rose Bowl to conclude the race. Following the awards ceremony, the Rose Bowl will be hosting the inaugural Rose Pedal, open streets event where attendees can cycle, run or walk the closed course and participate in fitness activities for the remainder of the day.
In addition to lining the race course, fans of all ages will once again have the opportunity to experience the race as a VIP from an all-inclusive hospitality tent or through once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
To learn more visit amgentourofcalifornia.com.
