Undoubtedly the biggest cycling event in the United States, the Amgen Tour of California, is the nations’ answer to France’s Tour de France and Italy’s Giro d’ Italia.

This tour is the brainchild of AEG and it offers a very tough challenges and obstacles to those who wish to partake on this event. The road race boasts off eight (8) exhaustive and grueling stages:

• Stage 1 (167.7 km) from Nevada City to Sacramento
• Stage 2 (176.2 km) from Davis to Santa Rosa
• Stage 3 (152.3 km) from San Francisco to Sta. Cruz
• Stage 4 (195.5 km) from San Jose to Modesto
• Stage 5 (195.5 km) from Visalia to Bakersfield
• Stage 6 (217.2 km) from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake
• Stage 7 (33.6 km) Individual Time Trial (ITT) Los Angeles
• Stage 8 (134.3km) Thousands Oaks, West Lake, Agoula Hills, Circuit Road Race.

The Palmdale to Big Bear Lake stage is perhaps one of the most difficult stages of the tour as the participants is treated to a backbreaking 135.5 km and requires 12,00 feet distance of climbing. The race must also negotiate a high point of 8,000 feet above sea level of the race.

The lone ITT stage, which will be held in Los Angeles on the seventh stage, may lure a record attendance for fans.

The last stage may offer all challengers that are in contention for the individual title a chance to overhaul the lead of erstwhile overall leader, since the stage has steep climbs and difficult trail to travail and hurdle.

The fifth Amgen Tour of California kicked of last May 16, 2010 and will end on May 26, 2010. The event, which is backed by Amgen lured 16 top professional cycling teams from all over the world.

The event is participated by top-notch 128 professional cyclists from 23 countries, including three-time winner Levi Leiphemer (USA), legendary Tour de France seven-time titlists Lance Armstrong (USA), last year’s Tour de France runner up Andy Schleck (Germany), the world road race winner Tom Bonen (Belgium) and Olympic cycling champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland. The Amgen Tour of California has its humble beginning last February 19, 2006, which was won by American Floyd Landis. Another American Levi Leipheimer won the tour from the year 2007 to 2009.http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/

The Amgen Tour of California has its humble beginning last February 19, 2006, which was won by American Floyd Landis. Another American Levi Leipheimer won the tour from the year 2007 to 2009.

Aside from overall individual title at stake, the team championships, sprint, king of the mountains and best young riders winners are also determined each year on the annual road race.

Astana of Kazakhstan, which is one of the most powerful professional cycling team in the world, was the winner of the 2009 edition of the tour. Slipstream-Chipotle of the host nation took the 2008 title and the Team CSC of Denmark was the first ever back-to-back winner on the tour by clinching the team title from 2006 to 2007.

The previous sprint winners of the tour include British Mark Cavendish (2009), Canadian Dominique Rollin (2008), Argentine Juan Jose Haedo (2007) and German Olaf Pollack (2006). The so-called ‘’King of the Mountains’’ winners of the tours are Americans Jason Mc Cartney (2009), Scott Nydam (2008) and Levi Leipheimer (2006) and French Cristophe Laurent (2007).

The best young rider was monopolized by Dutch Robert Gesink from 2007 to 2009. American Thomas Peterson wins the same award in 2006.

Aside from overall individual title at stake, the team championships, sprint, king of the mountains and best young riders winners are also determined each year on the annual road race.

Astana of Kazakhstan, which is one of the most powerful professional cycling team in the world, was the winner of the 2009 edition of the tour. Slipstream-Chipotle of the host nation took the 2008 title and the Team CSC of Denmark was the first ever back-to-back winner on the tour by clinching the team title from 2006 to 2007.

The previous sprint winners of the tour include British Mark Cavendish (2009), Canadian Dominique Rollin (2008), Argentine Juan Jose Haedo (2007) and German Olaf Pollack (2006). The so-called ‘’King of the Mountains’’ winners of the tours are Americans Jason Mc Cartney (2009), Scott Nydam (2008) and Levi Leipheimer (2006) and French Cristophe Laurent (2007). The best young rider was monopolized by Dutch Robert Gesink from 2007 to 2009. American Thomas Peterson wins the same award in 2006.

The event which is one of only three tours in the nation (the other two being the Tour of Missouri and the Tour de Georgia) is supported by Amgen, Breakaway from Cancer, whose aim is to promote awareness on a national level about the cancer disease..http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/