Cycling: Next Sunday (May 15) the AMGEN Tour of California will start. The stage race is enjoying increasing popularity, but due to the date it is overshadowed by the great Giro d'Italia. This year, however, the race on American soil scores not only with an extremely interesting and varied route, but also with a strong field of drivers.
Tour of California 2016: Route
The Tour of California has already visited San Diego twice before, but this year's start in the city center is an absolute novelty. On the third day, the participants of the traditionally top-class race in Santa Barbara County can expect the first mountain finish of the tour. The Gibraltar Road climb has been discussed by various people in the past, but only recent road improvements have allowed the climb to be incorporated into the route. There are also plenty of vertical meters on the fifth stage to South Lake Tahoe – the highest point on this day is 2.621m, the Tour of California has never been higher. After an individual time trial and a bumpy stage to Santa Rosa, the grand finale will take place in Sacramento for the first time.
Tour of California Stage #1: San Diego – San Diego
Date: Sunday 15. May 2016
Length: 175km
Profile: Mountain Stage
TV broadcast: 00:00 - 01:00 (Eurosport)
Tour of California Stage #2: South Pasadena – Santa Clarita
Date: Monday, 16th May 2016
Length: 148,5km
Profile: Mountain Stage
TV broadcast: 23:15 p.m. – 01:00 a.m. (Eurosport)
Tour of California Stage #3: Thousand Oaks – Santa Barbara County
Date: Tuesday, 17th May 2016
Length: 167km
Profile: wavy / mountain arrival
TV broadcast: 23:30 p.m. – 01:00 a.m. (Eurosport)
Tour of California Stage #4: Morro Bay – Monterey County
Date: Wednesday, 18th May 2016
Length: 217km
Profile: wavy
TV broadcast: 23:00 p.m. – 01:00 a.m. (Eurosport)
Tour of California Stage #5: Lodi – South Lake Tahoe
Date: Thursday, 19th May 2016
Length: 212km
Profile: Mountain Stage
TV broadcast: 23:00 p.m. – 01:00 a.m. (Eurosport)
Tour of California Stage #6: Folsom – Folsom (EZF)
Date: Friday, 20th May 2016
Length: 20,3km
Profile: flat
TV broadcast: 23:00 p.m. – 01:00 a.m. (Eurosport)
Tour of California Stage #7: Santa Rosa – Santa Rosa
Date: Saturday, 21th May 2016
Length: 175,5km
Profile: Wavy
TV broadcast: 22:00 p.m. – 23:55 a.m. (Eurosport)
Tour of California Stage #8: Sacramento – Sacramento
Date: Sunday 22. May 2016
Length: 138km
Profile: flat
TV broadcast:
Tour of California 2016: teams
Ten WorldTour teams are starting in California this year - supplemented by strong second division teams such as Direct Énergie and UnitedHealthcare. In addition, the top teams will by no means travel to the United States with their second guard. Last year's winner and road world champion Peter Sagan, who is already looking forward to it, will also be back at Tinkoff's Russian racing team: “The Amgen Tour of California is one of my favorite races of the season. I've always performed well and had the honor of wearing yellow."
The road world champion will certainly be the top favorite for overall victory at the start. The mostly wavy profile of the stages suits the Slovak and the few mountain stages are not difficult enough to seriously trouble the all-rounder, but they should pull the tooth out of challengers like Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) or Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data).
Also pleasing from a German point of view is the combeack by John Degenkolb, who will contest his first stage race of the season in California after his return in early May. Greg van Avermaet (BMC) will also celebrate his return in the USA.
WorldTour
- BMC Racing Team (USA)
- Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (USA)
- Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (BEL)
- Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (RSA)
- Team Giant – Alpecin (GER)
- Team KATUSHA (RUS)
- Team Lotto NL – Jumbo (NED)
- Team Sky (GBR)
- Tinkov (RUS)
- Trek - Segafredo (USA)
ProContinental
- Direct Energy (FRA)
- Team Novo Nordisk (USA)
- United Health Care Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Continental
- Axeon Hagen's Berman Cycling Team (USA)
- Holowesko | Citadel Racing Team p/b Hincapie Sportswear (USA)
- Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis (USA)
- Rally Cycling (US)
- Team WIGGINS (GBR)
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