Agoura Hills Selected as Tri-City Host for Amgen Tour of California

Agoura Hills, CA, November 08, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The City of Agoura Hills announced that it was selected by The Amgen Tour of California, the state’s largest cycling event, to be among the tri-city finish-line hosts for the 2010 event that will feature such riders as Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Dave Zabriskie and Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports and the race’s organizer. The largest cycling event in America, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race, presented by AEG that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course and raises awareness for cancer.

At the event’s press conference held in Agoura Hills on October 22, Messick said that Agoura Hills, Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks seemed the ideal choice to be the event’s finale hosts. “This area represents the attitude and lifestyle of the riders and seemed the perfect location,” said Messick. The Conejo Valley was selected over such areas as Santa Barbara, Ojai and Solvang. Over 2 million spectators are estimated to watch the 120 professional cyclists.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our city,” said Agoura Hills Mayor Denis Weber. “While the majority of us can’t imagine competing in a ride like this, most of us can relate to that feeling of adventure that a bicycle represents from childhood. The Tour of California is the ultimate adventure and as a community we will be cheering on the energy and talents of these athletes and are thrilled to host the finish line.”

In addition to announcing the event hosts at the conference, Andrew Messick also gave a general preview of the eight-day, 750-mile race that will extend from Nevada City to Big Bear and finish in title-sponsor Amgen’s own backyard of the Conejo Valley. He also announced the race date is being changed from February to May 16 - 23. “For the 2010 Amgen Tour of California we had the unique opportunity to move our race to a part of the year when we are almost guaranteed great weather in California,” said Messick. “This timing will help us to better showcase the beautiful features the state and travel through parts of it that just weren’t feasible in previous years.”

For the first time in the race’s five-year history the route will travel through the city of Los Angeles. Stage 7, the individual time trial, a significant stage in the race, will take place in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. This will be the second appearance of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in the Amgen Tour of California competition who confirmed his participation through a Twitter with Governor Schwarzenegger.

The Amgen Tour of California is also a partner of Breakaway from Cancer, founded in 2005 to raise awareness and funds to support valuable services and programs, provided free of charge, that help people living with cancer. The initiative was created by Amgen as a complementary component to the company's sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California. This year, the initiative continues to support the important programs and tools offered by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and The Wellness Community.

For more information about the host tri-cities or the City of Agoura Hills, contact Amy Brink at (818) 597-7361 or emailabrink@ci.agoura-hills.ca.us. For more information on the Amgen Tour of California visit http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

Contact: Amy Brink
Director of Community Services
30610 Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Agoura Hills, CA 91301

###