Amgen Tour To Skip Sacramento, Davis And Modesto

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The host cities for next year's Amgen Tour of California were announced this morning and Sacramento is not one of them. Neither are the previous host cities of Davis, Modesto, Auburn, and Nevada City.

The professional race is considered America's largest and most prestigious professional cycling stage race and more than 100 cities submitted forms hoping to be named an official start or finish locations.

"Our goal for the Amgen Tour of California has always been to create a route that not only provides a challenging race for the world's top cyclists, but one that highlights the beauty and diverse terrain that make up the great state of California as well," said Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the Amgen Tour of California. "Every year we challenge ourselves to raise the bar once again and create a route more challenging than the last, but that's the great thing about planning a race in California, there is so much from which we can choose. From epic climbs to fast and flat stages to rolling hills and thrilling finishes by the sea, California has it all."

In previous years, the Amgen Tour took riders through the Sierra Nevada foothills and through the State Capitol. However, the newly announced route bypasses much of the Sacramento area. The Gold Country town of Sonora is the only foothill community being represented.

Here are the Host Cities chosen for the 2012 Amgen Tour of California:

• Stage 1: Sunday, May 13 – Santa Rosa
• Stage 2: Monday, May 14 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz County
• Stage 3: Tuesday, May 15 – San Jose to Livermore
• Stage 4: Wednesday, May 16 – Sonora (new for 2012) to Clovis
• Stage 5: Thursday, May 17 – Bakersfield (Individual Time Trial)
• Stage 6: Friday, May 18 – Palmdale to Big Bear Lake
• Stage 7: Saturday, May 19 – Ontario (new for 2012) to Mt. Baldy
• Stage 8: Sunday, May 20 – Los Angeles/L.A. LIVE