Route, remaining teams announced for Amgen Tour of California

Organizers unveiled the route for the 2014 Amgen Tour of California Thursday in Calabasas, California. A flat time trial, a summit finish on Mount Diablo, and a new mountain finish at Mountain High mark the ninth edition of the race.

Officials from AEG Sports, owner of the race, also confirmed a slate of teams for the race. UnitedHealthcare, Novo Nordisk, NetApp-Endura, Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies, Jamis-Hagens Berman, Jelly Belly-Maxxis, and Bissell Development will join the squads already announced for the May 11-18 event. [See full list of teams below.]

“With more UCI ProTeams in the line-up than ever before [due to new regulations] and the strongest field of Pro Continental and Continental teams we have ever invited, the field this year is shaping up to be our most competitive ever,” AEG Sports senior vice president Kristin Bachochin said in a press release. “Our commitment to the fans and the competitors remains focused on fielding an exciting race for the top teams in the sport, as well as creating a climate for dynamic domestic teams to compete on an international platform and challenge the brightest talent in the world.”

Watch the live announcement >>

Stage 1 of the race will take place on a circuit that will start and finish at the State Capitol in Sacramento. The 123-mile opening leg will include a KOM climb near the American River on Highway 49 before a flat approach to three finishing circuits in Sacramento.

The stage 2 individual time trial in Folsom will unfold on a mostly flat 12.5-mile course. The race’s first two days will coincide with an invitational women’s event sponsored by SRAM.

The race’s queen stage comes on day 3 with the Mount Diablo finish. The 110-mile third stage starts on the east side of San Jose and climbs Mount Hamilton after just five miles. The 22-switchback climb will lead to the finish climb, won by Leopold Konig (NetApp) in 2013.

“The team loves to race in California. We all look forward to the Amgen Tour of California because it has beautiful scenery, it’s warm and also incredibly competitive,” Konig said in a press release. “We performed really well last year, and I’m definitely hoping to repeat the stage win at the top of Mount Diablo. That was an incredible moment last year.”

With two of the race’s most decisive stages out of the way, the Amgen Tour will head south along the coast, with the 105-mile stage 4 from Monetery to Cambrian, and the 108-mile stage 5 from Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara.

Stage 6 will head back into the mountains, with a 97-mile leg from Santa Clarita to the ski area at Mountain High. The finish comes atom a steep, 1.2-mile climb at Mountain High North.

The race closes with the 91-mile seventh stage from Santa Clarita to a circuit finish in Pasadena and the 84-mile eighth stage in Thousand Oaks. The final leg takes in the Rock Store climb on Mulholland Drive four times on a 21-mile circuit. The Rock Store climb was the site of Michael Rogers’ final-day defense of his overall lead in 2010.

UCI ProTeams:
Belkin
BMC Racing
Cannondale
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
Orica-GreenEdge
Giant-Shimano
Garmin-Sharp
Sky
Trek Factory Racing

UCI Professional Continental teams:
UnitedHealthcare
Novo Nordisk
NetApp-Endura

UCI Continental teams:
Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies
Jamis-Hagens Berman
Jelly Belly-Maxxis
Bissell Development