The Tour of California (officially sponsored as the Amgen Tour of California) was an annual professional

road cycling Road cycling is the most widespread form of cycling in which cyclists ride on paved roadways. It includes Recreational cycling, recreational, Road bicycle racing, racing, Bicycle commuting, commuting, and utility cycling. As users of the road, ...

stage race A race stage, leg, or heat is a unit of a race that has been divided in several parts for the reason such as length of the distance to be covered, as in a multi-day event. Usually, such a race consists of "ordinary" stages, but sometimes stages ...

on the

UCI World Tour The UCI WorldTour (2009–2010: ''UCI World Ranking'') is the premier men's elite road cycling tour, sitting above the UCI ProSeries and various regional UCI Continental Circuits. It refers to both the tour of 38 events and, until 2019, an annual ...

and USA Cycling Professional Tour that ran from 2006 to 2019. It was the only event on the top-level World Tour in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The eight-day race covered 650–700 miles (1,045–1,126 km) through the U.S. state of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. A typical edition might begin in the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

, travel through the

Redwood Sequoioideae, popularly known as redwoods, is a subfamily of coniferous trees within the family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affini ...

forests, California's Wine Country and the

Pacific Coast Pacific coast may be used to reference any coastline that borders the Pacific Ocean. Geography Americas Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western or southwestern border, except for Panama, where the Pac ...

, and finish in

southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...

. The 2009 race crossed the Central Valley from

Merced Merced (; Spanish for "Mercy") is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1 ...

Fresno Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

, with an excursion through the

foothills, before crossing over to the coast. With eight or nine of the 20

UCI ProTour The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI (International Cycling Union). Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, e ...

teams (known as ProTeams) usually racing, the Tour of California was one of the most important cycling races in the

. On November 28, 2006, the UCI upgraded it from

2.1 The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world's governing body in the sport of bicycle racing, classifies races according to a rating scale. The rating is represented by a code made of two or three parts and indicates both the type or style ...

(category 1) to

2.HC The UCI 1.HC and UCI 2.HC are the second tier classification of road cycling races by the UCI, after the UCI World Tour (or its predecessor, the UCI ProTour). The races are part of the various UCI Continental Circuits. The 1.HC events are one-day ...

(french: Hors categorie; English: ''beyond category''), the highest rating for races on the

UCI Continental Circuits The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions which were introduced in 2005 by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to expand cycling around the world. The five circuits (representing the continents of Africa, the ...

; the

Tour of Utah Tour or Tours may refer to: Travel * Tourism, travel for pleasure * Tour of duty, a period of time spent in military service * Campus tour, a journey through a college or university's campus * Guided tour, a journey through a location, directed b ...

is the only other 2.HC race as of 2019. On August 2, 2016, the UCI upgraded the race to World Tour status and added it to the 2017 UCI World Tour schedule. The race was originally staged in February, but the

2010 Tour of California The 2010 Tour of California was the fifth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 16–23, and was the first edition of the race held in the month of May, after the first four occurred in February. It was rated a ...

was moved to May, the same time that the Giro d'Italia is held. At the time of the move it was considered likely that the number of Americans in the Giro and Italians in the Tour of California would decrease. Tour of California organizers sought to make the race a preparatory event for the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

, believing few riders who seek a serious position in the Tour would ride the Giro. Since the change in schedule, the race continued to be held in May. The tour was sponsored by

Amgen Amgen Inc. (formerly Applied Molecular Genetics Inc.) is an American multinational biopharmaceutical Corporation, company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. One of the world's largest independent biotechnology companies, Amgen was esta ...

, a California-based biotechnology company most famous for developing the anti anemia drug

Erythropoietin Erythropoietin (; EPO), also known as erythropoetin, haematopoietin, or haemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted mainly by the kidneys in response to cellular hypoxia; it stimulates red blood cell production (erythropoiesis) in the bo ...

(EPO), which has been used by professional cyclists in several

blood doping Blood doping is a form of doping in which the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream is boosted in order to enhance athletic performance. Because such blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, a higher concentration in the bl ...

scandals. No plans have been announced regarding if or when the tour will return.

General Classification Results

The leader and overall winner by time after each stage and at the conclusion of the race wore a ''Yellow Jersey''. Originally the leader's jersey was gold, a reference to the

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...

, but in 2009 the jersey color was changed to yellow.

Records and Jerseys

Most Stage Victories

*, 17 (2019: 1; 2017: 1; 2016: 2; 2015: 2; 2014: 1; 2013: 2; 2012: 5; 2011: 1; 2010: 2) *, 10 (2016: 1; 2015: 4; 2014: 2; 2010; 2009: 2) *, 6 (2011; 2009; 2008; 2007: 2; 2006: 1) *, 5 (2008; 2007: 2; 2006: 2) *, 3 (2018) *, 3 (2008; 2006: 2) *, 3 (2018; 2016; 2015) *, 3 (2012; 2011; 2010) *, 2 (2018) *, 2 (2006: 2) *, 2 (2009; 2008) *, 2 (2013; 2007) *, 2 (2012; 2008) *, 2 (2016; 2014) *, 2 (2016; 2015) *, 2 (2017) :

Most Days in Leader's Jersey

*, 22 days (2009: 7; 2008: 5; 2007: 8; 2006: 2) *, 10 days (2019: 4; 2018: 2; 2013: 4) *, 8 days (2019: 1; 2016: 1; 2015: 2; 2012: 4) *, 7 days (2014: 7) *, 6 days (2016: 5; 2015: 1) *, 5 days (2006: 5) *, 5 days (2011: 5) *, 4 days (2018) *, 4 days (2015: 2; 2014: 1; 2010; 1) *, 4 days (2010: 4) *, 4 days (2010: 2; 2012: 2) *, 4 days (2017: 4)

Sprints Classification

The leader and overall winner by points from intermediate and final sprints wears the ''Green Jersey''.

Sprint Winners

Most Days in Green Jersey

*, 42 days (2019: 2; 2017: 5; 2016: 8; 2014: 4; 2013: 5; 2012: 8; 2011: 6; 2010: 4) *, 18 days (2015: 8; 2014: 3; 2010: 3; 2009: 4) *, 6 days (2007: 4; 2006: 2) *, 5 days (2019) *, 4 days (2018) *, 4 days (2006) *, 4 days (2008) *, 4 days (2009) *, 3 days (2007) *, 3 days (2013)

Mountains Classification

The leader and overall winner by points in mountain climbs is awarded the ''Red Jersey'' (Orange in the past, before 2009) and is known as the race's

King of the Mountains The King of the Mountains (KoM) is an award given to the best climbing specialist in a men's cycling road race; in women's cycle racing, Queen of the Mountains (QoM) is used. While the title may be given to the rider who achieves the highest po ...

or "KOM."

KOM Winners

Most Days in Mountains Jersey

*, 8 days (2013) *, 8 days (2014) *, 7 days (2016) *, 6 days (2009) *, 6 days (2012) *, 6 days (2017) *, 6 days (2018; 2, 2015; 4) *, 5 days (2006) *, 5 days (2008) *, 5 days (2010) *, 5 days (2011) *, 4 days (2018) *, 4 days (2007) *, 4 days (2019) *, 3 days (2006) *, 3 days (2007)

Best Young Rider Classification

The leader and overall winner by time for riders under 23 is awarded the ''White Jersey''. Before 2009, this jersey was silver and blue.

Best Young Rider Winners

Most Days in Youth Jersey

*, 16 days (2009: 8; 2008: 5; 2007: 3) *, 14 days (2014: 7; 2013: 7) *, 13 days (2012: 4; 2011: 2; 2010: 7) *, 7 days (2018) *, 6 days (2006) *, 6 days (2015) *, 6 days (2016) *, 6 days (2019) *, 5 days (2017) *, 4 days (2011) *, 3 days (2007)

Teams Classification

Teams are classified based on the total time of the team's top three finishers in each stage.

Best Team Winners

Most Courageous Rider Classification

The ''Blue Jersey'' is given to the most courageous rider at the end of each stage. In 2008, the jersey was red.

George Hincapie George Anthony Hincapie (born June 29, 1973) is an American former racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 1994 and 2012. Hincapie was a key domestique of Lance Armstrong. Hincapie was also a domestique for Alberto Contador in 2007 an ...

has won this jersey three times, after stages in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Jan Bárta Jan Bárta (born 7 December 1984) is a Czech professional road cyclist, who rides for UCI Continental team . Major results Source: ;2003 : 1st Road race, National Under-23 Road Championships ;2007 : 7th Overall Tour de Hongrie : 9th Prague ...

won the award twice during the 2011 edition.

Ben Wolfe Benjamin Jonah Wolfe is an American jazz bassist who has performed in groups with Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Diana Krall. He is currently on the teaching faculty at The Juilliard School Jazz Division. Career Wolfe was born in Baltim ...

and Evan Huffman both won the jersey twice during the 2017 race. No one else has won this jersey more than once.

Doping controversy

The main sponsor of the event, Amgen, is the producer of the medical drug

, also called EPO. EPO has been used as a performance-enhancing drug by professional cyclists. Former professional cyclists who admitted their doping, such as

Tyler Hamilton Tyler Hamilton (born March 1, 1971) is an American former professional road bicycle racer. He is the only American rider to win one of the five Monuments of cycling, taking Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2003. Hamilton became a professional cycli ...

, claim that for some time most of the world's top cyclists used EPO. A plan to perform comprehensive anti-doping tests for the 2011 event was terminated by the UCI. The plan was to do blood tests performed by the

United States Anti-Doping Agency The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA, ) is a non-profit, non-governmental 501(c)(3) organization and the national anti- doping organization (NADO) for the United States. To protect clean competition and the integrity of sport and prevent ...

(USADA), which would have been able to detect EPO, but the UCI and the USADA couldn't agree on the details of the doping tests. For the 2013 edition, the UCI elected to reintroduce testing based on the

biological passport An athlete biological passport is an individual electronic record for professional athletes, in which profiles of biological markers of doping and results of doping tests are collated over a period of time. Doping violations can be detected by n ...

, as USADA would also take care of pre-race testing, but with no cooperation between the two agencies.

References

External links

*
Tour of California, live coverage, videos and photos
''Cyclingfans.com'' {{UCI World Tour 2006 establishments in California Cycle races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 2006 UCI America Tour races UCI World Tour races Spring (season) events in the United States