Paso Robles Welcomes
The Amgen Tour of California 2009
“The City of Paso Robles is honored to serve as the Stage 5 Finish for the Amgen Tour of California. The level of competition, the pure excitement of an internationally renowned sporting event and the opportunities it will bring to our community make this a remarkable event for Paso Robles. We look forward to being a host city for the first time, and we welcome visitors to experience the Amgen Tour of California with us in historic downtown Paso Robles on February 19th.”
- Mayor Duane Picanco
First Eight Teams Announced for 2009 Amgen Tour of California
'Best Field Ever to Compete on U.S. Soil Anticipated For Nine Day Stage Race'
PASO ROBLES (December 18, 2008) - The 2009 Amgen Tour of California will once again bring together a world-class field of cycling teams from multiple nations, including eight of the sport’s top-rated ProTour teams. Race organizers confirmed today that entries for the fourth annual race will include Lance Armstrong and the Amgen Tour of California’s two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer’s team, Astana, along with two of the top U.S.-based teams, Garmin-Slipstream (new to the ProTour circuit) and Team Columbia (formerly Team High Road). Also racing will be Team Saxo Bank, which finished in the top-three of the world rankings last season and Quick Step, which claimed 55 victories in the 2008 season.
The 2009 Amgen Tour of California roster includes the following eight ProTour professional cycling teams:
- Ag2r-La Mondiale (FRA)
- Astana (LUX)
- Garmin-Slipstream (USA)
- Liquigas (ITA)
- Quick Step (BEL)
- Rabobank (Netherlands)
- Team Columbia (USA)
- Team Saxo Bank (DEN)
The recently expanded 750-mile, nine-day stage race, considered to be the most important and popular race held on U.S. soil, will take the world’s top professional cycling teams from Sacramento to San Diego County from February 14-22, 2009.
Route Details Announced for Expanded 2009 Amgen Tour of California Professional Cycling Road Race
Paso Robles Offers Locals an Opportunity to See the Race Up Close
PASO ROBLES (December 4, 2008) - 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.
Scheduled over nine consecutive days from February 14-22, 2009, the race will visit 16 host cities for official stage starts and finishes, with communities along the route getting the chance to see, firsthand, a lineup of some of the most elite, recognizable teams and athletes in the world. Host cities for the Prologue and eight stages include: Sacramento, Davis (new city for 2009), Santa Rosa (site of the Women’s Criterium), Sausalito, Santa Cruz (new city for 2009), San Jose, Modesto, Merced (new city for 2009), Clovis (new city for 2009), Visalia (new city for 2009), Paso Robles (new city for 2009), Solvang, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, Rancho Bernardo (new city for 2009) and Escondido (new city for 2009). The Tour celebrates its Stage 5 Finish in Paso Robles on Thursday, February 19, 2009.
2009 Amgen Tour Education Curriculum Released to Paso Robles Educators for 4th-6th Grade
Endorsed by Governor Schwarzenegger, Curriculum Contains Lessons to Encourage Students to Practice Bike Safety and Live Healthy Lifestyles
PASO ROBLES (November 20, 2008) – In preparation for the highly anticipated return of the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling road race in February 2009, a specially developed classroom curriculum has been developed for fourth- through sixth-grade students. The educational handbook will be distributed to schools in the 16 California cities that will host the 2009 Amgen Tour of California.
Already considered cycling’s most important and successful road race in the United States, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will be expanded to cover more than 800 miles over nine days. The event’s fourth running is scheduled for February 14-22, 2009, and will showcase some of the world’s top professional cycling teams. Traveling almost the entire length of California on a demanding course, the race will begin in the state’s capital, Sacramento, and end in San Diego County for the first time.
Through interactive lessons, the 2009 educational handbook will teach students about the history of cycling and includes bike safety and maintenance tips. Provided to more than 60,000 students, the booklet also provides information about the State of California, including targeted lesson plans that use cycling as a means to teach core subjects.
