Tour Of California - Cycling Fans Guide and Preview

California to Host Cycling Icons – World Champions, Olympic Medalists, Hopefuls and Tour de France Champ – in All-Star Lineup that includes Sagan, Wiggins, Cavendish, Degenkolb, Kristoff and Alaphilippe

LOS ANGELES (May 13, 2016) – AEG, presenter of the Amgen Tour of California (May 15-22), announced rosters for the eleventh annual stage race. One of the most important races on the international calendar, the event attracts some of the brightest cycling stars in the world to the golden state each May. This year’s field includes 11 World Champions, five Olympic medalists and Rio Olympic hopefuls.

The Amgen Tour of California is known for epic sprinter shootouts, and the 2016 edition will pit reigning World Champion and UCI’s top-ranked rider Peter Sagan(Tinkoff), also the California defending champion and Sprint record holder, against rivals Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka), who came away with the green jersey last year, John Degenkolb (Team Giant-Alpecin) and Alexander Kristoff (Team KATUSHA).

In addition to Sagan, general classification hopefuls include 2014 race champion Bradley Wiggins, back with his development squad (Team WIGGINS), French sensation Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team), who placed second by seconds last year, Laurens ten Dam (Team Giant-Alpecin), Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team), Andrew Talansky (Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) and Lawson Craddock (Cannondale Pro Cycling Team), two-time Best Young Rider at the Amgen Tour of California.

With 144 cyclists (18 teams), and the most ever WorldTour teams, preparing to face-off over a 782-mile course from Southern to Northern California May 15-22, some of the favorites in the most popular categories include:

General Classification (Overall Contenders)

  Andrew Talansky (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Team WIGGINS (WGN)
  Bryan Coquard (FRA), Direct Énergie (DEN)
  George Bennett (NZL), Team Lotto NL - Jumbo (TLJ)
  Anez Brajkovic (SLO), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
  Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
  Lachlan Morton (AUS), Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis (JBC)
  Laurens ten Dam (NED), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
  Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  Peter Kennaugh (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
  Peter Stetina (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  Rohan Dennis (AUS), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  Tom Skujins (LAT), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff

Sprinters

  Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Team KATUSHA (KAT)
  Ben Swift (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
  Danny Van Poppel (NED), Team Sky (SKY)
  Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (ESP), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  John Degenkolb (GER), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
  John Murphy (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
  Keil Reijnen (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
  Mark Renshaw (AUS), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
  Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff (TNK)
  Ryan Anderson (CAN), Direct Énergie (DEN)
  Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)

Climbers

  Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
  Laurens ten Dam (NED), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
  Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  Phil Gaimon (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  Robin Carpenter (USA), Holowesko Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear (HSD)
  Tom Skujins (LAT), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  Will Routley (CAN), Rally Cycling (RLY)

Stage Wins

  Alex Howes (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Team KATUSHA (KAT)
 Brent Bookwalter (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
 Danny Pate (USA), Rally Cycling (RLY)
 Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
 Jasper Stuyven (BEL), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
 Javier Megias (ESP), Team Novo Nordisk (TNN)
 John Murphy (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
 Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx–Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
 Keil Reijnen (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
 Logan Owen (USA), Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team (AHB)
 Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
 Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff (TNK)
 Samuel Sanchez (ESP), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
 Stijn Vandenbergh (BEL), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
 Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
 Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)

Individual Time Trialists (2016 Time Trial takes place May 26 in Folsom)

 Andrew Talansky (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
 Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Team WIGGINS (WGN)
 Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
 Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
 Maciej Bodnar (POL), Tinkoff (TNK)
 Peter Kennaugh (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
 Rohan Dennis (AUS), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
 Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
 Tom Zirbel (USA), Rally Cycling (RLY)

“In an Olympic year, it is especially exciting to welcome so many elite competitors and Olympic gold hopefuls to the golden state,” said Kristin Klein, president of the race and executive vice president of AEG Sports. “The Amgen Tour of California is filled with talent this year, and as we kick off a new decade of California racing, fans will be treated to the most exciting edition yet.”

Race fans can keep up with the race with live nightly coverage on NBC Sports Network (May 15-21) and NBC (May 22 race conclusion) and fans can use #AMERICASGREATESTRACE to join the conversation.

Apps

The Stages:

Stage 1 San Diego – San Diego 170.5 km
Stage 2 South Pasadena – Santa Clarita 148.0 km
Stage 3 Thousand Oaks – Gibraltar 167.5 km
Stage 4 Morro Bay – Laguna Seca 215.0 km
Stage 5 Lodi – South Lake Tahoe 213.0 km
Stage 6 Folsom – Folsom 20.3 km (ITT)
Stage 7 Santa Rosa – Santa Rosa 175.5 km
Stage 8 Sacramento – Sacramento 136.5 km

NBC Sports 2016 AMGEN Tour of California Schedule

Sun., May 15 5 – 7 p.m. 1: San Diego NBCSN
Sun., May 15 2 – 3 a.m. 1: San Diego (Encore) NBCSN
 Mon., May 16 5 – 7 p.m. 2: South Pasadena to Santa Clarita NBCSN
Mon., May 16 1 – 2 a.m. 2: South Pasadena to Santa Clarita (Encore) NBCSN
Tues., May 17 5 – 7 p.m. 3: Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara County NBCSN
Tues., May 17 12 – 1 a.m. 3: Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara County (Encore) NBCSN
Wed., May 18 5 – 7 p.m. 4: Morro Bay to Monterey County NBCSN
Wed., May 18 12 – 1 a.m. 4: Morro Bay to Monterey County (Encore) NBCSN
Thurs., May 19 5 – 7 p.m. 5: Lodi to South Lake Tahoe NBCSN
Thurs., May 19 12 – 1 a.m. 5: Lodi to South Lake Tahoe (Encore) NBCSN
Fri., May 20 5 – 7 p.m. 6: Folsom Individual Time Trial  NBCSN
Fri., May 20 12 – 1 a.m. 6: Folsom Individual Time Trial (Encore) NBCSN
Sat., May 21 5 – 7 p.m. 7: Santa Rosa NBCSN
Sun., May 22 1 – 2 a.m. 7: Santa Rosa (Encore) NBCSN
Sun., May 22 4 – 6 p.m. 8: Sacramento NBC
Sun., May 22 2 – 3 a.m. 8: Sacramento (Encore) NBCSN
Fri., May 27 1:30 – 3 a.m. Women’s Race Recap NBCSN

About the Amgen Tour of California

The Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race created and presented by AEG that challenges the world's top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course that traverses hundreds of miles of California's iconic highways, byways and coastlines each spring. The teams chosen to participate have included Olympic medalists, Tour de France contenders and World Champions. Amgen Tour of California is listed on the international professional cycling calendar (2 HC, meaning "beyond category"), awarding important, world-ranking points to the top finishers. More information is available at amgentourofcalifornia.com.

This year, the men’s course will cover nearly 800 miles over eight days through 12 host cities, including San Diego (first-time host), South Pasadena (first-time host), Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara County, Morro Bay (first-time host), Monterey County, Lodi, South Lake Tahoe (first-time host), Folsom, Santa Rosa and Sacramento. The Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease Women’s Race empowered with SRAM will run for the latter half of the men’s race (May 19-22) as the U.S. debut event on the inaugural UCI Women's WorldTour (WWT).

About Amgen

Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

About AEG

Founder and operators of the Amgen Tour of California and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company. With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments: AEG Facilities, which owns, manages or consults with more than 120 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and convention centers around the world including The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas; AEG Live, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals; AEG Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world’s largest operator of sports franchises and high-profile sporting events; and AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands, AXS.com ticketing platform, AXS cable television channel and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.