With Climbs and Coastline, AMGEN Races to Cabrillo

Elite cyclists from around the world will zip down the North Coast, climb into the Santa Cruz Mountains then fly down into Aptos for a big finish in front of Cabrillo College on Soquel Drive this spring.

The AMGEN Tour of California announced the details of its eight-stage race Wednesday morning.

Here's the official description of the San Francisco-to-Santa Cruz stage, slated for Monday, May 13.

Start Location: Marina Green at Marina Boulevard in San Francisco

Finish Location: Cabrillo College on Cabrillo College Drive in Aptos

Cycling fans who love the electric feel of race starts will be hard-pressed to find anything better than the Stage 2 start of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California in San Francisco. Beginning at Marina Green in San Francisco’s Marina District, the start line will run right to the break wall of San Francisco Bay. The backdrop? Breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island and the Marin Headlands. However, the riders’ stay in the great city of San Francisco will be short-lived because within a few minutes, the race will have passed through the Presidio with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. From here, Stage 2 will continue south on Highway 1 through the San Francisco suburbs of Pacifica and Daly City.

Making its way down the Devil’s Slide, north of Half Moon Bay, the peloton will enjoy the most spectacular coastline in the world. The stage will then turn inward and start the assault up Bonny Doon, which, in previous editions of the race, has determined the winner of the stage.

With the stage finish moving to Aptos this year, the riders will face another 42 miles of racing and another KOM. The last several miles of the stage are downhill, followed by a short run down Soquel Avenue to the finish. Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California will certainly be a long and difficult stage, but it won’t be a surprise to see a large pack of riders contest the finish in an exciting Sprint. 

For a description of all eight stages of the race, visit the official race website.

The race finished in Santa Cruz in 2009 and 2010, but the city gave up its claim on AMGEN because the event was too costly to put on.

This year's 117-mile stage includes two 2,000 feet-plus climbs and lots of rolling hills, most jammed into the second half of the ride.

But noncycling enthusiasts may not love the course. In addition to drawing loads of spectators to the area, roads will be closed throughout the county to accomdate the racers.

"[It's] a good wide road with lots of viewing angles, [but] traffic will still be a problem," Patch reader Todd Williams said of the 2012 stage that ends in Aptos. 

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Watsonville berry grower Cal Giant is a marquee sponsor of the event and volunteers are soliciting other local businesses to back the race.