ROUTE DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR EXPANDED

2009 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL CYCLING ROAD RACE

Modesto to Once Again Be Part of Defining Moment in Race.

Specific route details for the 2009 Amgen Tour of California professional cycling race were revealed today by AEG, presenter of the fourth-annual event, which will once again have a world-class field of competitors, including two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer and seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong.

Already considered cycling’s most important and successful stage race in the United States, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be expanded to cover more than 750 miles over nine days. In its fourth running, the race will travel almost the entire length of California on a demanding course from the state’s capitol, Sacramento, to Escondido, in San Diego County, and will visit Modesto on Tuesday, February 17 for a leg of the race from San Jose to Modesto. The Stage 3 leg of the race includes an epic climb and will prove to be a defining moment in the race.

"Each year, we continue our commitment to upgrading and enhancing every element of the Amgen Tour of California, not only for the cyclists, but also for the spectators along the route, by creating an even more challenging and exciting race," said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. One of the most anticipated professional cycling races in the world, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be staged over a more challenging route, especially during Stage 3:

Stage 3: San Jose to Modesto (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)
Start Time: Noon
Start Location: Intersection of San Fernando St. and Almaden Blvd. in San Jose
Finish Location: Intersection of I St. and 12th St. in Modesto

Fans of the Amgen Tour of California may recognize part of Stage 3 from the 2008 race when the cyclists traveled from Modesto to San Jose; however, in 2009, the racers will be traveling the route in reverse with several changes. Beginning with a climb that is synonymous with cycling and the Amgen Tour of California, the cyclists will head up Sierra Road (1,930 ft.) within the first five miles of the stage. This epic climb will be a defining moment in the race and will create an action-packed day of racing for the cyclists and the fans alike. After completing the Sierra Road climb, the riders will face fast and flat roads full of twists and turns (Calaveras Road alone has more than 40 switchbacks) before climbing Patterson Pass. The stage will finish with two circuits in downtown Modesto.

The riders in the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will get a good taste of what Modesto has to offer as they speed around town during their two circuit laps. The circuit route will speed east on Kansas Avenue and over the Needham Overpass, with a left onto College Avenue. Riders will zoom past Modesto Junior College and hang a right onto Coldwell Avenue, then a right onto Sycamore Avenue. To get to the finish line at the intersection of 12th and I Streets, riders will quickly turn off Sycamore onto Needham over to 16th Street before shooting west onto I street to do it all again after racing up 11th Street to get back onto College.