The 2019 Amgen Tour of California will be the longest and most challenging in its 14-year history, with details announced today by AEG, owner and presenter of America’s only UCI WorldTour race. Throughout seven stages over seven days (May 12-18, 2019), the world’s elite professional cyclists will contest mountain roads, highways and coastlines from Sacramento to Pasadena.

On Saturday, May 18, 2019, the City of Santa Clarita will host the start of the final stages for both the men’s race (Stage 7) and women’s race (Stage 3). The race will start in Santa Clarita and travel 87.6 miles to Pasadena for the finish. This is the tenth year the City of Santa Clarita has been a host city for the Amgen Tour of California and brings the total number of stages hosted in Santa Clarita to 14.

The Santa Clarita City Council revealed the route maps at a press event Thursday held at City Hall.

“We always have a spectacular time hosting this world-class cycling event here in Santa Clarita. Historically our City has hosted stage finishes, so we are excited to be doing things a little different this year by hosting the start for the final stages of both the men’s and women’s races,” said Mayor Marsha McLean. “We want to encourage residents to come out to enjoy the excitement and support the cyclists.”

The Amgen Tour of California is a 773-mile course through 13 Host Cities and will ante up 14 Sprints, more than 68,000 feet of elevation gain and 25 King of the Mountain (KOM) climbs, the most in race history, and includes a fan-favorite Mt. Baldy summit finish. More than half of the seven stages feature 120+-mile courses. Santa Clarita is home to some of the state’s most avid cycling communities. Race organizers are predicting an exciting start and finish, so residents are encouraged to attend and join in on the excitement.

With seven new courses between them, the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM will run concurrently May 16-18, using many of the same routes as the men’s course. Also the longest women’s race in event history, the 177.8-mile, three-stage road race course will see the athletes climb more than 20,800 feet, including eight QOMs.

Presented by Visit California, the route announcement includes a visual overview of the 2019 men’s and women’s courses at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Santa Clarita and Pasadena have a storied tradition of hosting the Amgen Tour of California grand conclusion. While this may look like an easy stage on paper, there will be challenges from start to finish as teams protect their GC riders from attacks and set up their sprinters to win the stage. The race’s traditional start in Santa Clarita will be at the Town Center Mall. The route will then turn north out of the city on Soledad Canyon Road, through the Antelope Valley, to the first sprint of the day in Acton. Turing onto Aliso Canyon Road, the riders will work their way onto Angeles Forest Hwy and into the Angeles National Forest.

The first climb will come at Mill Creek Summit, then downhill and left onto Upper Big Tujunga to the final climb of the race at the intersection with Angeles Crest Highway. It will be downhill as the riders pass Redbox and Mt. Wilson. A quick dash through La Canada Flintridge will take the race down Rosemont Avenue to the famed Rose Bowl for the ultimate race finish.

This stage shares a common start and finish for the women and men, with two slight differences. Whereas the women will come straight up Angeles Forest Highway to Angeles Crest Highway, the men will turn on Upper Tujunga to add mileage and one final climb. The women conclude the day first, coming to the finish line and completing one lap. Just as they began the week with three Capitol circuits during Stage 1 in Sacramento, the men will blaze through three circuits of the Rose Bowl to conclude the race. Portions of the route affected by adverse weather and natural events will be inspected up until race time, and race routes are subject to change to ensure fan and rider safety.

In addition to lining the race course, fans of all ages will once again have the opportunity to experience the race as a VIP from an all-inclusive hospitality tent or through once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. To learn more visit: https://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/vip-experiences. VIP Hospitality Passes for stage starts and finishes are available at: https://www.axs.com/amgen2019. For questions, please contact sales@amgentourofcalifornia.com.

About the Amgen Tour of California in Santa Clarita
If you are interested in learning more about the Amgen Tour of California in Santa Clarita, visit SantaClaritaTourOfCA.com. This website will be updated with information about volunteer opportunities, ancillary events surrounding the Amgen Tour of California in Santa Clarita, and community sponsorship opportunities. For more information about the Amgen Tour of California, including sponsorship and VIP experience opportunities, please visit amgentourofcalifornia.com.

About the Amgen Tour of California
The Amgen Tour of California and the Amgen Women’s Race empowered with SRAM are Tour de France-style cycling road races created and presented by AEG. Running concurrently, the races challenge the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along demanding courses that traverse 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, and award important, world-ranking points to the top finishers. For more information visit the Amgen Tour of California on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or 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.

About AEG
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company. With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments: AEG Facilities, which is affiliated with or owns, manages or consults with more than 150 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and convention centers around the world including STAPLES Center, The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas; AEG Presents, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals; AEG Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world’s largest operator of sports franchises and high-profile sporting events; and AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands, AXS.com ticketing platform, AXS cable television channel and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.