May 17, 2013 -
Van Garderen Triumphs on San Jose Time Trial Course and Increases Overall Lead in the 2013 Amgen Tour of California

SAN JOSE, Calif. (May 17, 2013) – In Stage 6 in San Jose today, BMC Racing Team’s Tejay van Garderen (Boulder, CO) conquered the most challenging individual time trial course in the history of the Amgen Tour of California to retain his Amgen Race Leader Jersey for a second day. His determined ride bested five national time trial champions of their respective countries to take the stage with a time of 48:52, which increased his overall race lead to 1:47 over 2010 Amgen Tour of California champion Michael Rogers (AUS) of Team Saxo-Tinkoff, with just two stages left to ride.

The 19.6-mile time trial course in Silicon Valley was fittingly punctuated by peaks and valleys, including a steep 1.8-mile climb at the end of the race, which gained 1,001-feet of elevation. The difficult climb featured several pitches at more than a 10 percent grade, and added an extra layer of difficulty especially for the sprinters, who are used to the time trial serving as a sprinting battleground. The steep finish faced riders with an equipment conundrum, having to decide whether to continue the climb on a lighter time trial bike, or take the time to switch to a road bike that could make up precious seconds uphill. van Garderen, who held onto a definitive lead throughout the entire course, chose to ride to the finish on his time trial bike, which aided in his becoming the only rider to post a time under 49 minutes. 


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February 12, 2013 -
2013 Amgen Tour of California Route Announced

Changing direction for the first time in its eight-year history from south to north, America’s largest and most prestigious professional cycling stage race, the 2013 Amgen Tour of California, will bring riders and spectators first-time destinations, unprecedented climbs and demanding sprints on the approximately 750-mile course.

Amgen returns as the title sponsor for the heralded 8-stage race, set for May 12 to 19, 2013. Beginning with a circuit in Escondido, the route will run through 13 official host cities and include a first-time finish at the top of Mount Diablo, the 3,864-foot peak in the San Francisco Bay area. The race’s last stage will begin along the San Francisco Bay and continue across the Golden Gate Bridge, where a rolling traffic break will give cyclists uninterrupted access for the six-minute crossing.

The San Jose Stage will be produced by a veteran Local Organizing Committee, led by the San Jose Sports Authority and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. The route will start on Bailey Road in South San Jose, and after a scenic cycle toward Chesbro Reservoir, riders will head back north, where they will climb nearly 1,000 feet over 1.72 miles on Metcalf Road toward the finish line near the summit.

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