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TAHOE/TRUCKEE — The 2011 Amgen Tour of California announced Wednesday morning the Stage 1 and Stage 2 race routes for Lake Tahoe and Truckee.
Tahoe's first-ever involvement in the race as the official start is Sunday, May 15, and begins at South Lake Tahoe at 6,300 feet, the highest start elevation in the six-year history of the competition.
“Lake Tahoe is pulling out all the stops to provide cyclists and spectators with an unforgettable experience,” said Tourism Director Andy Chapman of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association in a press release. “This is our golden opportunity to make our mark on the cycling community, and businesses and organizations are eager to welcome the thousands of visitors who will be traveling to the lake, many for the first-time ever.”
Stage 1 wraps up in North Lake Tahoe at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, with the Stage 2 start taking place nearby at Squaw Valley USA on Monday, May 16.
“Hosting the overall start in South Shore will not only provide economic impact this year and beyond, but it will also further brand Lake Tahoe as a ‘must ride' biking destination,” said Carol Chaplin, executive director of the South Tahoe-based Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.
Cyclists will begin Stage 1 at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa on the California/Nevada border in South Lake Tahoe. The peloton will loop past Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course around Heavenly Village, past the starting line again and onto Lake Tahoe Boulevard (Highway 50) through the casino corridor then clockwise around the 72-mile perimeter of Lake Tahoe.
Riders will gain 700 feet in elevation as they wind up switchbacks on the West Shore. Upon reaching the top of scenic Emerald Bay, they will descend 500 feet while exceeding speeds of 40 miles per hour until the flats of Homewood,
Athletes will cruise along the historic West Shore, making their way to North Lake Tahoe and the heart of downtown Tahoe City and then onto Kings Beach.
Cyclists will leave the California side of the lake and enter Nevada, the first out-of-state course for the Tour, and pass through Incline Village. The group will skirt by Sand Harbor State Park and the legendary Thunderbird Lodge along the East Shore at lake level before a long and steady 1,000-foot ascent to Spooner Summit at an elevation of 7,150 feet.
Speeds there will increase to 45 miles per hour as they descend back toward the lake and through the tunnel at Cave Rock. Racers will then pass Zephyr Cove Resort, returning to Stateline, the scene of the overall start.
After passing Emerald Bay and Tahoe City for a second time, there's a short ascent to Dollar Point before turning left up Brockway Summit (Highway 267) to 7,000 feet. After cresting the summit, the lead group plunges down a rapid descent into a hard left turn onto Northstar Drive, where both sprinters and climbers will set-up for a high-speed blast to the finish line at Northstar-at-Tahoe.
Upon completing Stage 1, competitors will have ridden a lap-and-a-half around Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in the country, conquering 119 miles and three mountains passes in approximately five hours and a total elevation gain of 5,500 feet.
The Stage 2 start is at Squaw Valley USA the following morning, Monday, May 16. The action starts directly under the historic Olympic rings at the center of the Village at Squaw Valley with riders peddling the cobbled corridors before turning onto Squaw Valley Road and then descending to the Olympic Flame entrance and a left-hand turn onto Highway 89.
The peloton will follow the picturesque Truckee River corridor as they make their way on Highway 89 toward Truckee and through the two roundabouts near the Interstate 80 overpass. Riders will then turn left onto historic Donner Pass Road before riding the ramp over Interstate 80 and past Donner Memorial State Park.
The pack will continue along the northern shoreline of Donner Lake as they make their approach to the steeps of Old Highway 40 on their way to Donner Summit.
From there, athletes speed pass Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, Donner Ranch Ski Resort and Soda Springs Ski Resort and descend into California's Gold Country via Highway 20 and the finish line for Stage 2 at the Sacramento State Capitol.
The North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority are spearheading promotional and sponsorship efforts for the Lake Tahoe Stage 1 Start, Stage 1 Finish and Stage 2 Start, and serve on the Amgen Tour of California Lake Tahoe Local Organizing Committee. Stage 1 of the race is presented by Michelob Ultra, and Stage 2 is presented by the California Travel & Tourism Commission.
For best viewing points, where to catch the riders up close, a complete list of events (including the Tahoe 10-Day Countdown leading up to the race) and lodging accommodations, visit www.TahoeAmgenTourofCalifornia. For details about the Tour, visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
Tahoe's first-ever involvement in the race as the official start is Sunday, May 15, and begins at South Lake Tahoe at 6,300 feet, the highest start elevation in the six-year history of the competition.
“Lake Tahoe is pulling out all the stops to provide cyclists and spectators with an unforgettable experience,” said Tourism Director Andy Chapman of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association in a press release. “This is our golden opportunity to make our mark on the cycling community, and businesses and organizations are eager to welcome the thousands of visitors who will be traveling to the lake, many for the first-time ever.”
Stage 1 wraps up in North Lake Tahoe at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, with the Stage 2 start taking place nearby at Squaw Valley USA on Monday, May 16.
“Hosting the overall start in South Shore will not only provide economic impact this year and beyond, but it will also further brand Lake Tahoe as a ‘must ride' biking destination,” said Carol Chaplin, executive director of the South Tahoe-based Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.
Cyclists will begin Stage 1 at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa on the California/Nevada border in South Lake Tahoe. The peloton will loop past Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course around Heavenly Village, past the starting line again and onto Lake Tahoe Boulevard (Highway 50) through the casino corridor then clockwise around the 72-mile perimeter of Lake Tahoe.
Riders will gain 700 feet in elevation as they wind up switchbacks on the West Shore. Upon reaching the top of scenic Emerald Bay, they will descend 500 feet while exceeding speeds of 40 miles per hour until the flats of Homewood,
Athletes will cruise along the historic West Shore, making their way to North Lake Tahoe and the heart of downtown Tahoe City and then onto Kings Beach.
Cyclists will leave the California side of the lake and enter Nevada, the first out-of-state course for the Tour, and pass through Incline Village. The group will skirt by Sand Harbor State Park and the legendary Thunderbird Lodge along the East Shore at lake level before a long and steady 1,000-foot ascent to Spooner Summit at an elevation of 7,150 feet.
Speeds there will increase to 45 miles per hour as they descend back toward the lake and through the tunnel at Cave Rock. Racers will then pass Zephyr Cove Resort, returning to Stateline, the scene of the overall start.
After passing Emerald Bay and Tahoe City for a second time, there's a short ascent to Dollar Point before turning left up Brockway Summit (Highway 267) to 7,000 feet. After cresting the summit, the lead group plunges down a rapid descent into a hard left turn onto Northstar Drive, where both sprinters and climbers will set-up for a high-speed blast to the finish line at Northstar-at-Tahoe.
Upon completing Stage 1, competitors will have ridden a lap-and-a-half around Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in the country, conquering 119 miles and three mountains passes in approximately five hours and a total elevation gain of 5,500 feet.
The Stage 2 start is at Squaw Valley USA the following morning, Monday, May 16. The action starts directly under the historic Olympic rings at the center of the Village at Squaw Valley with riders peddling the cobbled corridors before turning onto Squaw Valley Road and then descending to the Olympic Flame entrance and a left-hand turn onto Highway 89.
The peloton will follow the picturesque Truckee River corridor as they make their way on Highway 89 toward Truckee and through the two roundabouts near the Interstate 80 overpass. Riders will then turn left onto historic Donner Pass Road before riding the ramp over Interstate 80 and past Donner Memorial State Park.
The pack will continue along the northern shoreline of Donner Lake as they make their approach to the steeps of Old Highway 40 on their way to Donner Summit.
From there, athletes speed pass Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, Donner Ranch Ski Resort and Soda Springs Ski Resort and descend into California's Gold Country via Highway 20 and the finish line for Stage 2 at the Sacramento State Capitol.
The North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority are spearheading promotional and sponsorship efforts for the Lake Tahoe Stage 1 Start, Stage 1 Finish and Stage 2 Start, and serve on the Amgen Tour of California Lake Tahoe Local Organizing Committee. Stage 1 of the race is presented by Michelob Ultra, and Stage 2 is presented by the California Travel & Tourism Commission.
For best viewing points, where to catch the riders up close, a complete list of events (including the Tahoe 10-Day Countdown leading up to the race) and lodging accommodations, visit www.TahoeAmgenTourofCalifornia. For details about the Tour, visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
