SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. -- The Amgen Tour of California announced Thursday morning that the popular cycling race will be heading back to the Santa Cruz area.
Santa Cruz County will host the finish of Stage 2 on Monday, May 14, 2012, as cyclists ride into the area from San Francisco.
"We are thrilled and really excited to be a part of the Amgen Tour of California for 2012," said Abe Lincoln, communications director for the Santa Cruz County local organizing committee. "It's going to be a fantastic event, we have a huge local organizing committee that is very excited."
Members of the local cycling community had been lobbying hard to bring the race back to Santa Cruz County ever since the City of Santa Cruz declined to host a stage for the 2011 race due to budget constraints. Earlier this year, Stage 5 began in Seaside and headed south through Monterey County to Paso Robles.
Lincoln said the fundraising begins in earnest now.
"We are really looking to the community to support this event," Lincoln said. "We'll be out there looking for sponsors who will not only be a part of a world class cycling event, but to get out and be a part of something that inspires kids to ride their bikes. It really comes down to something as simple as that."
The race will release specifics on the route map at a later date, but locals had proposed at least two locations for finishing in Santa Cruz County -- Scotts Valley or Seacliff State Beach in Aptos.
Officials will be holding a press conference Thursday morning at 10:00 at California Giant Berry Farms, located at 75 Sakata Lane in Watsonville.
