Mayor Ryan Coonerty announces Santa Cruz will be a stop on the Amgen Tour of California. Matt Twisselman, right, chairs the Tour's local organizing committee.
Ben Jacques-Maynes is a professional road cyclist who has raced in the Amgen Tour of California. Ben's jacket conceals the brace he is wearing to help heal his broken collarbone. Amazingly for his occupation, it is the first bone he has ever broken.
11 a.m. Santa Cruz, California
City officials, media, bicycling industry members and cycling enthusiasts gathered in Santa Cruz City Hall's courtyard for the press conference to announce the good news:
The Amgen Tour of California professional cycling road race will stop in Santa Cruz in February 2009. The high-profile bike race, styled like the Tour de France, will cover 800 miles in California from February 14-22. It could attract as many as a quarter of a million visitors to Santa Cruz.
"It will be a challenge," said Santa Cruz Mayor Ryan Coonerty, "but we are up to the challenge. We are proud to show off Santa Cruz." He also noted the Tour generates about $160 million dollars in revenue for the state.
The race will include stops in 16 host cities; this is Santa Cruz's first time being included in the race route; officials have spent three years courting the race organizers.
"We launched the effort to become a host city in 2006," said the City of Santa Cruz's Tina Shull, who has worked hard alongside Santa Cruz businessman Matt Twisselman, the lead organizer, and others who have assisted in the effort to attract the tour to Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz is one of eight new cities selected for this year and the only coastal city. Though the race's exact route through the city has yet to be determined, the date is set: Stage 3, Monday, February 16, 2009 - the race that day will go from Sausalito to Santa Cruz - over the Golden Gate Bridge! The bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic the day of the race.
Approximately 120 riders (17-18) teams participate in this Tour, which will enter its fourth year in 2009.
Avid cyclists Jim Gentes, founder of Giro helmets, and Piet Canin, a founder of Bike Week in Santa Cruz, were on hand at the press conference.
My husband and I are like Jack Sprat and his wife when it comes to television tastes. With very few exceptions, we don't like the same programs -- and in fact, I watch much less than he does.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we both are addicted to the Tour de France time, which is going on right now. It's a captivating broadcast journey through this beautiful country as well as a gut-gripping sports event. We watched the 2008 Amgen Tour of Calif, and hope the weather gods are kinder to the riders and spectators on the '09 Tour. We'll be watching.
Claire @ http://travel-babel.blogspot.com
Hi Karen - thanks for including Santa Cruz's exciting Amgen news on your blog. VERY nice blog, by the way! I enjoyed scrolling through your latest adventures and discoveries.
ReplyDelete