Looks like a real effort to put on a world class level event in the states. Starting in Norcal and ending in Socal…sounds awesome!
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The inaugural Tour of California, a cycling race
organizers hope will become
the United States’ version of the Tour de France, will be held early
next year.
“There has been a long-standing appetite for a race like this in
California for several reasons
including the lifestyle, the scenery,” Bob Colarossi, managing director
of the race, said
Thursday.
Colarossi said race dates will be announced soon. Tentative plans call
for an eight-stage race of
more than 1,100 kilometres, with the event beginning in Northern
California and finishing in
Southern California.
“We need to make sure it fits in correctly with the international
cycling schedule,” Colarossi
said. “Just like the Tour de France, the route will be different every
year. We hope to make this
America’s premier cycling race.”
The race will be officially announced Friday at Home Depot Center in
nearby Carson.
Organizers have petitioned the Union Cycliste International and USA
Cycling to officially sanction
the race, something Colarossi doesn’t expect to be an issue.
March 25, 2005
State Will Stage Cycling Event
Plans will be announced for Tour of California, a 700-mile road race
set for early next year.
By Helene Elliott, Times Staff Writer
The launch of the Tour of California, an eight-day, 700-mile road
cycling race modeled after the
famed Tour de France, will be announced today at the Home Depot Center
in Carson between sessions
of the Track Cycling World Championships.
Executives of AEG, the international cycling federation (UCI) and USA
Cycling will outline the
concept for the race, which will take place early next year on a route
to be determined. Bob
Colarossi, managing director of the race, said Thursday that the prize
purse will be the highest
for any such cycling race in the U.S. That would put it at about
$150,000.
“It’s been a dream of the cycling community to do this for a long, long
time because of all the
natural resources California has and the prevalence and popularity of
cycling,” Colarossi said.
“It’s a matter of the right place, the right time and the right people,
AEG.”
The race, to be held annually, is expected to draw up to 18
professional cycling teams from around
the world. Colarossi said organizers will start to extend invitations
during this summer’s Tour de
France.
The race extends AEG’s involvement in cycling. AEG, which presents and
promotes sports and
entertainment events, owns and operates the Home Depot Center complex
and the ADT Event Center,
the 3,500-seat velodrome that is the site of this week’s competition.
“It’s a sport that is a lifestyle sport and resonates highly with the
general population,”
Colarossi said. “You learn to ride at 5 or 6 and you can do it the rest
of your life.”
Event organizers have applied to USA Cycling for its sanction. That’s
assured, said its chief
executive officer, Gerard Bisceglia. USA Cycling must then apply to the
UCI to have the event
placed on the calendar.
“We are absolutely ecstatic about the prospect of coming to the state
of California,” Bisceglia
said. “There’s not a state in the country that offers bicycle racing
the variety, the panorama,
the exposure to major cities that the state of California has.”
Said Richard Riordan, California’s secretary of education and Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s liaison
to the event: “There is no better sporting event to showcase a region,
reach an international,
broad active lifestyle audience and build brand awareness than a
weeklong cycling event.”
Bike tour on tap
California pro cycling event to begin in '06
By Rich Hammond, Staff Writer
In an attempt to emulate the Tour de France, California will stage a
professional-level bicycle
road race early next year that will run the length of the state and
conclude in Southern
California.
The event, which will be announced today by Anschutz Entertainment
Group, tentatively is scheduled
for February and will be called the Tour of California. The
700-plus-mile race will begin in
Northern California and be conducted in stages over eight consecutive
days.
Organizers hope to attract 18 teams of international-caliber, top-level
riders. In a statement,
AEG president Tim Leiweke said he believes the race “will become the
premier American cycling
event.”
“We intend to drive a stake in the ground and establish this as a big
event in California,” said
Robert Colarossi, the race’s managing director, who most recently
served as president of USA
Gymnastics.
Details of the race, including a course map, title sponsor and
television rights, are expected to
be finalized over the next few months. Colarossi said he is working
with the California Highway
Patrol and other state agencies to determine which roads will be the
best options and provide the
most challenging course.
The goal, Colarossi said, is to have a course that will feature many of
the state’s scenic areas
but also be accessible to spectators. Organizers hope to attract one
million spectators along the
route.
As for riders, race representatives will travel to the Tour de France
in July, hoping to attract
some of the top professional riders, but it is unknown whether any
riders the caliber of cycling
legend Lance Armstrong will participate. Colarossi said top riders
would be “subsidized” for their
participation.
“The birth of another great event here in the U.S. demonstrates the
popularity and growth of the
sport nationwide,” said Gerard Bisceglia, CEO of USA Cycling. “Surely
the Tour of California would
attract top international and domestic teams.”
Race organizers have petitioned the Union Cycliste International and
USA Cycling governing bodies
to have the Tour of California be an officially sanctioned race, which
would increase its profile.
Colarossi said discussions are in progress with networks to provide
some coverage of the race.
“We believe the race fits well with the lifestyle of the average
Californian, who is active and
outdoor-driven,” Colarossi said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to put
together a race of this size
and scope.”