photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
The Tour of California bicycle race is set to kick of Stage 2 on Monday, May 16th, at Squaw Valley USA. Stage two will take cyclists from Squaw to Truckee then up over Donner Pass and down to Sacramento. Sounds like a helluva ride. It’s gonna be fun to ski Squaw and watch the start of the race on Monday.
“Who exactly is gonna be in the race?” you ask. Welp, we’ll let the Official Tour of California website tell ya:
photo: AP Photo/Michael A. Mariant
Race Draws Top Cyclists, Including Three-Time Champion Levi Leipheimer
LOS ANGELES (May 11, 2011) – The preliminary start list for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California has been announced by AEG, presenter of the race. A world-class roster of more than 140 riders from 18 elite cycling teams are set to compete in the sixth-annual Amgen Tour of California, which kicks off this Sunday, May 15, in Lake Tahoe. The race will cover nearly 800 miles of picturesque California roadways and highways from May 15 – 22. The race, which has become the largest cycling event in America, will feature an extraordinary field of riders from around the world, including competitors from Belgium, Spain, France, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden.
“The preliminary rosters for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California once again feature some of the top talent in the world,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. “The caliber of riders participating this year will create a challenging race and a fierce competition starting on Sunday.”
The field will include riders from well-known teams such as Team RadioShack, HTC-Highroad, Saxo Bank Sungard, Leopard Trek and Team Garmin-Cervelo, who all will be competing to take the title in the overall team competition. Some of the notable riders planned to start the race include:
Tour de France Overall Podium Finishers
- Andy Schleck (LUX), Leopard Trek; second 2009 and 2010
- Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack; third 2007
Tour de France Stage Winners
- George Hincapie (USA), BMC Racing Team (4)
- Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack (2)
- David Zabriskie (USA), Garmin-Transitions (1)
- Thor Hushovd (NOR), Team Garmin-Cervelo (8)
- Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank Cycling Team (4)
- Andy Schleck (LUX), Leopard Trek (2)
- Kurt-Asle Arvesen (NOR), Sky Procycling (1)
- Linus Gerdemann (GER), Leopard Trek (1)
- Rubens Bertogliati (SUI), Team Type 1 – sanofi-aventis (1)
- Haimar Zubeldia (ESP), Team Radio Shack (1)
- Baden Cooke (AUS), Saxo Bank Sungard (1)
World Champions
- Thor Hushovd (NOR), Team Garmin-Cervelo
- Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team
- Michael Matthews (AUS), Rabobank Cycling Team
- Lars Boom (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team
- Matthew Goss (AUS), HTC-Highroad
- Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank Cycling Team
- Danny Pate (USA), HTC-Highroad
Current National Champions (by country)
- Andy Schleck (LUX), Leopard Trek, Time Trial
- Thor Hushovd (NOR), Team Garmin-Cervelo, Road
- Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team, Time Trial
- Gustav Larsson (SWE), Saxo Bank Sungard, Time Trial
- Rubens Bertogliati (SUI), Team Type 1 – sanofi-aventis, Time Trial
- Svein Tuft (CAN), Team Spidertech Powered by C10, Time Trial
- Will Routley (CAN), Team Spidertech Powered by C10, Road
American Stage Race Champions
- Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack), 2007-2009 Amgen Tour of California, 2010 Tour of Utah
- David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Cervelo), 2009 Tour of Missouri
- Jeff Louder (BMC Racing Team), 2008 Tour of Utah
- Christian Vandevelde (Team Garmin-Cervelo), 2008 Tour of Missouri
- George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team), 2007 Tour of Missouri
- Chris Horner (Team RadioShack), 2003 Tour de Georgia
The2011 Amgen Tour of Californiaroster includes the following 18 professional cycling teams. (Please note: Due to operational issues, previously announced Columbian-based Movistar Team will not be participating in the race.)
*Team rosters are subject to change
1.) TEAM RADIOSHACK (USA)
- Levi Leipheimer (USA)
- Matthew Busche (USA)
- Chris Horner (USA)
- Markel Irizar (KAZ)
- Jason McCartney (USA)
- Dmtiriy Muravyev (KAZ)
- Ben King (USA)
- Haimar Zubeldia (ESP)
2.) TEAM GARMIN-CERVELO (USA)
- David Zabriskie (USA)
- Thomas Danielson (USA)
- Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)
- Thor Hushovd (NOR)
- Daniel Martin (IRE)
- Andrew Talansky (USA)
- Johan Van Summeren (BEL)
- Christian Vandevelde (USA)
3.) HTC-HIGHROAD (USA)
- Tejay Van Garderen (USA)
- Bernhard Eisel (AUT)
- Matthew Goss (AUS)
- Bert Grabsch (GER)
- Leigh Howard (AUS)
- Danny Pate (USA)
- Martin Velits (SVK)
- Peter Velits (SVK)
4.) SKY PROCYCLING (GBR)
- Kurt-Asle Arvesen (NOR)
- Alex Dowsett (GBR)
- Christopher Froome (GBR)
- Mathew Hayman (AUS)
- Greg Henderson (NZL)
- Jeremy Hunt (GBR)
- Ian Stannard (GBR)
- Ben Swift (GBR)
5.) BMC RACING TEAM (USA)
- George Hincapie (USA)
- Yannick Eijssen (BEL)
- Brent Bookwalter (USA)
- Chris Butler (USA)
- Jeff Louder (USA)
- Steve Morabito (SUI)
- Taylor Phinney (USA)
- Tim Roe (AUS)
6.) LEOPARD TREK (LUX)
- Andy Schleck (LUX)
- Stefan Denifl (AUT)
- Martin Mortensen (DEN)
- Jakob Fuglsang (DEN)
- Linus Gerdemann (GER)
- Anders Lund (DEN)
- Martin Pedersen (DEN)
- Jens Voigt (GER)
7.) LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE (ITA)
- Peter Sagan (SYK)
- Damiano Caruso (ITA)
- Timothy Duggan (USA)
- Edward King (USA)
- Daniel Oss (ITA)
- Simone Ponzi (ITA)
- Elia Viviani (ITA)
- Cameron Wurf (AUS)
8.) SAXO BANK SUNGARD (DEN)
- Gustav Larsson (SWE)
- Baden Cooke (AUS)
- Juan Jose Haedo (ARG)
- Lucas Sebastian Haedo (ARG)
- Rafal Majka (POL)
- Nick Nuyens (BEL)
- Jonas Aaen Jorgensen (DEN)
- Brian Vandborg (DEN)
9.) RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM (NED)
- Oscar Freire (ESP)
- Lars Boom (NED)
- Coen Vermeltfoort (NED)
- Paul Martens (GER)
- Michael Matthews (AUS)
- Grischa Niermann (GER)
- Laurens Ten Dam (DEN)
- Maarten Tjallingii (NED)
10.) UNITEDHEALTHCARE PRO CYCLING (USA)
- Rory Sutherland (AUS)
- Robert Forster (GER)
- Christopher Jones (USA)
- Christian Meier (CAN)
- Karl Menzies (AUS)
- Andrew Pinfold (CAN)
- Charles Wegelius (GBR)
- Bradley White (USA)
11.) TEAM TYPE 1 – sanofi-aventis (USA)
- Rubens Bertogliati (SUI)
- Laszlo Bodrogi (FRA)
- Daniele Callegarin (ITA)
- Alexander Efimkin (RUS)
- Aldo Ino Ilesic (SLO)
- Valeriy Kobzarenko (UKR)
- Jure Kocjan (SLO)
- Javier Megias Leal (KAZ)
12.) TEAM NETAPP (GER)
- Jesus Del Nero Montes (SPA)
- Jan Barta (CZE)
- Timon Seubert (GER)
- Andreas Dietziker (SUI)
- Alexander Gottfried (GER)
- Bartosz Huzarski (POL)
- Leopold Konig (CZE)
- Andreas Schillinger (GER)
13.) TEAM SPIDERTECH POWERED BY C10 (CAN)
- Svein Tuft (CAN)
- Ryan Anderson (CAN)
- Zachary Bell (CAN)
- Lucas Euser (USA)
- Martin Gilbert (CAN)
- Kevin Lacombe (CAN)
- Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA)
- Will Routley (CAN)
14.) BISSELL PRO CYCLING (USA)
- Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA)
- Chris Baldwin (USA)
- Rob Britton (CAN)
- Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA)
- Paul Mach (USA)
- Frank Pipp (USA)
- Jay Thomson (RSA)
- Jeremy Vennell (NZL)
15.) JAMIS-SUTTER HOME (USA)
- Luis Romero Amaran (CUB)
- Alejandro Alberto Borrajo (ARG)
- Anibal Andres Borraio (ARG)
- James Driscoll (USA)
- Tom Zirbel (USA)
- Andy Guptill (USA)
- Jose Fernando Antogna (ARG)
- Tyler Wren (USA)
16.) JELLY BELLY CYCLING TEAM p/b KENDA (USA)
- Bernard Van Ulden (USA)
- Alex Hagman (USA)
- Nic Hamlton (CAN)
- Ken Hanson (USA)
- Sergio Hernandez (USA)
- Alastair Loutit (AUS)
- Sean Mazich (USA)
- Jeremy Powers (USA)
17.) KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES-OPTUMHEALTH (USA)
- Andrew Bajadali (USA)
- Jesse Anthony (USA)
- Dan Bowman (USA)
- Alexander Candelario (USA)
- Michael Creed (USA)
- Jason Donald (USA)
- Michael Friedman (USA)
- Reid Mumford (USA)
18.) KENDA/5-HOUR ENERGY PRO CYCLING PRESENTED BY GEARGRINDER (USA)
- Benjamin Day (AUS)
- Luca Damiani (ITA)
- Phillip Gaimon (USA)
- Chad Hartley (USA)
- Roman Kilun (USA)
- Shawn Milne (USA)
- Jacob Rytlewski (USA)
- James Stemper (USA)
The 2010 Amgen Tour of California reigning champion, Michael Rogers, will not be participating in the race this year due to a serious illness.
“It’s a great disappointment to be missing the chance to defend my title at the Amgen Tour of California,” said Michael Rogers of HTC-Highroad. “It is one of my favorite races with some fantastic support and I wish the organizers the very best of luck for next week. Unfortunately, I have missed the last few weeks due to a virus. Fortunately I am back on the bike training and on course to regaining full fitness, however the Amgen Tour of California has come a just a bit too soon for me. I expect to be back racing at the Bayern-Rundfahrt in a couple of weeks’ time.” “We are disappointed that Michael Rogers will not be able to defend his title this year, but we wish him a full and speedy recovery,” continued Messick.
Stages for the2011 Amgen Tour of Californiainclude:
- 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
About the Amgen Tour of California
The largest cycling event in America, the2011 Amgen Tour of Californiais a Tour de France-style cycling road race, presented by AEG, that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course through the state from May 15-22. For more information about the Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.