The Stage 2 Start of the Amgen Tour of California kicked off yesterday with a festival in Central Park. At 11 a.m., a group of 950 -racers and their entourages – sped through downtown, making their way through Russell Boulevard.
Brett Lancaster for the Cervelo team won the second stage in Santa Rosa after a 110-mile trek.
The course took teams over four categorized climbs, such as the Category 2 Howell and Trinity Grade and Howell Road.
“This has been the highlight of my season today,” said Davis resident Max Jenkins, for UnitedHealthcare Team at the start. At 23 years, Jenkins is one of the Best Young Riders, as determined by Amgen, on the tour.
HTC’s Mark Cavendish, from Great Britain, won Stage 1 on Sunday from Nevada City to Sacramento. Two crashes on the last circuit held back many, including Quickstep’s Tom Boonen.
The tour was pushed back by a month to avoid the chance of April showers, but raindrops fell on the crowd anyway in the few minutes leading up to the start.
“I promise it’s not going to rain until after 2:30 p.m.,” joked Mayor Ruth Asmundson. “If it does I will resign as mayor.”
Stage 3 begins today at 11:15 a.m. at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, taking racers down Highway 1 on the coastline and ends 120 miles later through the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
