Tour of California to include Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, Morro Bay

The Amgen Tour of California announced its 2016 host cities Thursday, and the premier cycling event is all but skipping the Bay Area for the first time in its 11-year history. The women will also start/finish at Heavenly Mountain Resort on May 19.

The men’s sixth stage, an individual time trial, and the women’s section stage, a team time trial, will be in Folsom.

Along with the disclosure of the Tour de France’s route in 2016, more information has been revealed about next year’s top stage races. Stage 3 kicks off at Thousand Oaks and proceeds to Santa Barbara Country, ending with a Vuelta-style mountain finish.

Amgen Tour of California, presented by AEG, announced Thursday that professional cyclists return to Lake Tahoe for the men’s Stage 5 finish, as well as the women’s Stage 1 start on Thursday, May 19, 2016. The city has played host to 11 stages, including two individual time trials and a finish atop Sierra Road that in all three cases determined the overall victor.

“The Amgen Tour of California brings the flawless combination of stellar competition, unbelievable scenery and superior organization”, Wiggins said in a statement. But the men’s and women’s stages in Sacramento are expected to conclude with short loops around the Capitol with an early afternoon finish near the downtown Hyatt Regency. Trixi Worrack won last year’s women’s race, but it’s unclear if she has signed with a team for 2016. The next day, the race will start at the Amgen campus in Thousand Oaks and race to a hilltop finish on Gibraltar Road north of Santa Barbara.

Racing on Highway 1 south to north, this stage will highlight two first-time hosts this year: Morro Bay and Monterey County.

Stage 4: Morro Bay-Monterey County – Features a technical conclusion at Laguna Seca Recreation Area, which also hosts elite auto and motorcycle racing.

Noticeably absent: San Jose, which has hosted a stage every year the race has been held.

In 2006, the world took notice as record crowds flooded downtown to watch the race roar into Santa Rosa for a spectacular finish. “The worldwide audience the Amgen Tour of California continues to attract has something special to look forward to with the 2016 edition”. This year’s stage will incorporate a portion of the popular Levi’s GranFondo, with the men and women competing on different courses.