The nation’s largest and most prestigious professional cycling race, the Amgen Tour of California, not only offers elite riders from around the world the opportunity to compete in scenic California, but also provides the opportunity for cycling fans and community members throughout the 750-mile course to experience the race from the inside.

Race organizers have just launched a campaign to recruit nearly 4,000 volunteers to assist with the 2014 Amgen Tour of California cycling race, which kicks off in Sacramento on May 11th and will travel nearly 750 miles through 12 host cities for official stage starts and finishes before concluding on May 18th in Thousand Oaks, California.  As the top cyclists in the world compete in front of millions of fans, as well as a global television audience, thousands of local residents and cycling aficionados, who plan vacations around traveling with the race entourage as volunteers, will have the opportunity to observe first-hand how an international sporting event is produced.

Volunteer registration is now open at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com and includes race positions such as Course Marshal, a critical race duty in which the volunteer assists race staff, and local law enforcement authorities along the race route. Other jobs along the race route help to monitor pedestrian traffic, barricades and road closures, as well as keeping spectators informed as the race progresses while acting as liaison with the cyclists and their teams.

“We take to heart the status of the Amgen Tour of California as the largest outdoor sporting event in California, and we strive to raise the bar each year to produce the best cycling experience in the nation for both spectators and participants,” said Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the race and senior vice president of AEG Sports. “We’ve been fortunate to have so many passionate volunteers join our ranks in the past, and we’re excited that with the addition of three new host cities this year, it will provide the unique opportunity for even more cycling fans to be a part of the race.”

Additional volunteer positions, such as media support, security and volunteer check-in, are being recruited by the 12 host cities as needed. Volunteers must be over the age of 18 or accompanied by an adult. Interested applicants can complete the online form at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com to be contacted by their local organizing committee with further information.

Schedule and route for the 2014 Amgen Tour of California:

Stage 1:  Sunday, May 11 – Sacramento

Stage 2: Monday, May 12 – Folsom (individual time trial)

Stage 3: Tuesday, May 13 – San Jose to Mount Diablo

Stage 4: Wednesday, May 14 – Monterey to Cambria

Stage 5: Thursday, May 15 – Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara

Stage 6: Friday, May 16 – Santa Clarita to Mountain High

Stage 7: Saturday, May 17 – Santa Clarita to Pasadena

Stage 8: Sunday, May 18 – Thousand Oaks (circuit race)

About the Amgen Tour of California

The Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race created and presented by AEG that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course that traverses hundreds of miles of California’s iconic highways, byways and coastlines each spring. The teams chosen to participate have included Olympic medalists, Tour de France contenders and World Champions. More information is available at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

About Amgen

Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high-unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be the world’s largest independent biotechnology company, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential. For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, StubHub Center, Sprint Center, The O2, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE and Best Buy Theater Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG Live, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.