The
Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease™
Women's Race empowered with SRAM stages at Lake Tahoe will highlight the myriad of
reasons the destination has been chosen repeatedly as a featured venue. The first two days of the
women’s competition, which runs May 11-14, will include iconic vistas along the 72-mile
circumference of the lake; the highest summit in race history at Luther Pass; and the debut of
Daggett Pass along Kingsbury Grade state Route 207.
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| Amgen Race Stage 2 Route |
The race is sanctioned by Union Cycliste International, denoting the highest level for a nonWorld
Cup event. Race presenter AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment
company, announced today the routes that will challenge the world’s top female cyclists in Lake
Tahoe. The
Amgen Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Women's Race empowered with
SRAM will include the overall start (May 11) and Stage 2 (May 12) on consecutive days. The
competition will continue with Stage 3 in Elk Grove (May 13) and the finale in Sacramento
(May 14) as the seven-day men’s Amgen Tour of California begins.
Stage 1 presented by
Breakaway from Heart Disease™ is one of the most beautiful race routes
in the USA, circumnavigating the 72-mile shoreline of Lake Tahoe clockwise starting at
Heavenly Mountain Resort, passing through South Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay and Tahoe City.
As the athletes reach the north shore of Lake Tahoe, they will enter Nevada and ride through
Incline Village with panoramic views of the east shore and Sand Harbor State Park. The stage
will feature two sprints, 5,300’ of elevation gain and two Queen of the Mountain (QOM)
challenges where riders vie for a separate jersey by completing the climbs in the lowest
cumulative time. The final stretch will be a brutal ascent back to the finish at Heavenly Mountain
Resort. Spectators can expect a select group of competitors fighting their way to the finish with
riders coming in over the next 5-10 minutes trying to build a gap before going into Stage 2.
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| Carson Valley's Foothill Rd. |
A new racecourse awaits for
Stage 2 presented by Visit California as the athletes tackle 67.1
miles and conquer the highest peak in event history. They start at Heavenly Mountain Resort,
head west through Meyers (entry town as visitors arrive from Northern California before
reaching South Lake Tahoe), and then south on state Route 89 racing over Luther Pass, the tallest
peak at 7,740’ summit. Luther is the first of three QOMs for the stage followed by a quick
descent while exceeding 50 mph through the spectacular Hope Valley along the Carson River
Basin. The course will then take the riders around Washoe Reservation before heading northeast
into Carson Valley, Nevada along Hwy 88 before bending west onto state Route 206 Foothill Road with
gorgeous views of the Carson Range on the west side. A left turn will take them north on
Kingsbury Grade state Route 207, an 8-mile climb that gains 2,700’ in elevation, never
attempted in any previous Amgen Tour of California stage. The second QOM peaks at 7,400’.
The high speed descent back to South Lake Tahoe will provide beautiful views of the lake and
the surrounding mountains. The third and final QOM for Stage 2 is at the Heavenly Mountain
Resort finish line. Fans can expect a group of 5-10 women fighting their way to the end with
riders trailing in for 15 minutes.
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| Sierra Nevada Mountain Range |
“We love that the tour continually works with us to provide new challenges for these elite
women athletes to showcase Tahoe’s cycling appeal,” said Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of
the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. “Tahoe South and our partners welcome back the cyclists and
anticipate another exhilarating competition.”
“Carson Valley is very excited to partner with Tahoe South for the Amgen Tour” said Jan Vandermade, executive director for the Carson Valley Visitors Authority. “We welcome this opportunity to showcase Carson Valley for the first time to these top world class female riders along with the tours’ avid followers. The stunning views and the steep climb out of our valley will test and impress the best.”
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| Road Biking |
Presented by Visit California, the route announcement includes a visual overview of the 2017
men’s and women’s courses at
http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/stages/stage-2-womens.
“The Amgen Tour of California is America's Greatest Race, and this year more than ever, the
world will be watching,” said Kristin Klein, race president and executive vice president of AEG
Sports. “As the sport of cycling continues to bloom in America, the Amgen Tour of California
men’s and women’s events are both part of the UCI WorldTour for the first time, a privilege and
designation reserved for the world’s premier races. This means the competition will reach an alltime
high, with the best racers and best teams in the world lining up to take part.”
Millions of fans are expected to once again line the racecourse in May to cheer on the elite,
international fields that will include Olympians, Tour de France contenders and World
Champions. Fans will also have opportunities to meet and hear from cycling legends Jens Voigt
and Freddie Rodriguez, who will reprise their roles as Race Ambassadors. Kristin Armstrong, the
most decorated woman in U.S. cycling history, will join as a first-time Amgen Tour of California
Race Ambassador, on the heels of her incredible performance to win her third Olympic gold
medal at the Rio Olympic Games last summer.
“For more than a decade, the Amgen Tour of California has played a vital role to Golden State
travel, both in driving visitation and in focusing the eyes of the international cycling community
on diverse destinations beyond the gateways,” says Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit
California. “Since 2006, Visit California has been thrilled to partner with AEG on this one-of-akind
event, which takes riders, spectators and viewers alike on a whirlwind tour that spans sunsoaked
beaches, evergreen mountains, and everything in between, further showcasing the
immense scope of all that California has to offer.”
For sponsorship or expo opportunities visit
amgentourofcalifornia.com/sponsorship.
For real time updates on events, promotions, packages, conditions and events in Carson Valley, Visit Carson Valley is on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/carsonvalleynevada, Twitter:
https://twitter.com/carsonvalleynv, YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/VisitCarsonValleyNV, Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/carsonvalleynevada/ and use
#whycv to share posts.
For Carson Valley
information: 1-800-727-7677 or
http://www.visitcarsonvalley.org/.
Visit Carson Valley Media Contact:
Jan Vandermade
775-782-8145
jan@visitcarsonvalley.org
Amgen Media Contacts:
Michael Roth, AEG
213-742-7155
mroth@aegworldwide.com
Josh Levitt, Canvas Blue
213-335-5671
JLevitt@canvasblue.com
About the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
Set at 6,300 feet, South Lake Tahoe is the only destination in the country that combines two strikingly different worlds:
spectacular natural beauty and desirable resort amenities. The combination of outdoor summer activities includes hiking, biking,
kayaking, golfing, swimming, fishing and boat cruises along with 24-hour nightclubs, fine dining, gaming and entertainment. For
information about lodging, recreation and family packages at Lake Tahoe South Shore, call the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, 1-
800-AT-TAHOE (1-800-288-2463) or go to
www.TahoeSouth.com.
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| Carson Valley |
About Carson Valley
Northern Nevada’s most scenic valley rests at a crossroads of sorts, and is a popular destination for travelers. The valley can be found nestled between the grand rise of the Sierra and the treasured beauty to the east of the Pine Nut Mountains. Whether you’re ready to relax and unplug or get out and roam, Carson Valley is one BIG playground. Explore scenic farms, wide open ranches, world class soaring, historic museum discoveries and more. There’s over 50 miles of biking, hiking and OHV trails to conquer. Lodging ranges from full service casino resorts to hotels to quaint B&B's. Visit us at
http://www.visitcarsonvalley.org for more information.
About the Amgen Tour of California
The Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race created and presented by AEG that
challenges the world's top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course that traverses hundreds
of miles of California's iconic highways, byways and coastlines each spring. The teams chosen to participate have
included Olympic medalists, Tour de France contenders and World Champions. Amgen Tour of California is listed
on the international professional cycling calendar
(2 HC, meaning "beyond category"), awarding important, world-ranking points to the top finishers. More
information is available at
amgentourofcalifornia.com.
The first-ever U.S. UCI WorldTour course will cover more than 575 miles through 12 Host Cities May 14-20,
including Sacramento, Modesto, San Jose, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, Ontario, Mt.
Baldy, Big Bear Lake, Mountain High and Pasadena. The Amgen Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Women's Race
empowered with SRAM May 11-14 will visit South Lake Tahoe and Elk Grove before concluding in Sacramento as
the men’s race gets underway.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by
discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by
using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of
human biology.
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve
health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to
be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the
world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.
For more information, visit
www.amgen.com and follow us on
www.twitter.com/amgen.
About AEG
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world's leading sports venue and live entertainment company.
With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments:
AEG Facilities, which is
affiliated with or owns, manages or consults with more than 120 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and
convention centers around the world including The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz
Arenas;
AEG Live, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing
and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals;
AEG Real
Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like
STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world's largest operator of sports franchises and highprofile
sporting events; and
AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of
sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide
network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG
entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found
at
www.aegworldwide.com.
