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Nearly six months of speculation over whether Nevada City would land a spot on the 2010 Amgen Tour of California cycling race came to a crescendo this morning, as race organizers officially announced the route of the eight-day stage race.
And not only is Nevada City celebrating a spot on the tour, the Gold Rush town hit paydirt with the opening stage of the 2010 race.
Duane Strawser, the owner of Tour of Nevada City Bike Shop who spearheaded the city's bid for the tour, was out of the country on business but relayed a message via video to the celebration at City Hall.
“Good morning Nevada City,” Strawser said, with his son at his side. “Congratulations. I'm very excited for this opportunity, that we've landed the 2010 opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California. I hope you are all having fun back there. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you.
“I want to thank everybody at City Hall and the county of Nevada County and all our cycling enthusiasts in town that have made this opportunity available to us for next year.”
And not only is Nevada City celebrating a spot on the tour, the Gold Rush town hit paydirt with the opening stage of the 2010 race.
Duane Strawser, the owner of Tour of Nevada City Bike Shop who spearheaded the city's bid for the tour, was out of the country on business but relayed a message via video to the celebration at City Hall.
“Good morning Nevada City,” Strawser said, with his son at his side. “Congratulations. I'm very excited for this opportunity, that we've landed the 2010 opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California. I hope you are all having fun back there. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you.
“I want to thank everybody at City Hall and the county of Nevada County and all our cycling enthusiasts in town that have made this opportunity available to us for next year.”
The Tour of California, which will include 12 host cities, showcases the Golden State through the cycling world and provides an economic boost for host communities.
Earlier this year, the tour announced it would move its race date from February to May 16-23 for the 2010 event. The change of date offers warmer temperatures in the Sierra, opening the opportunity for a safe, challenging and picturesque climb through the foothills.
Not long after, Strawser and a contingent of city and county officials discussed the possibility of piggybacking on a bid filed by the city of Chico. More than 80 applications were expected from potential host cities, as California communities clamored for the potential economic boost the tour could provide. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said earlier this year that the opening stage of the 2009 race brought more than $8 million to his city.
Nevada City's chances of hosting a stage of the Tour of California got a big boost from two of the most familiar faces in cycling, as both Lance Armstrong and his teammate Levi Leipheimer suggested that Nevada City belonged in the event.
During a pre-race interview prior to the 49th Nevada City Classic in June, Armstrong told The Union that the Tour of California officials should consider including Nevada City, the second-oldest bike race in the United States and the longest-running race on the West Coast.
“The answer is ‘yes,” Armstrong said. “They definitely should do that.
“You want to go where the crowds are. And with Nevada City, you have that built in.”
After Armstrong won the Nevada City Classic, the race's runner-up — and reigning three-time Tour of California champion — addressed a estimated crowd of 30,000 from the Broad Street finish line.
“What we did today,” said Leipheimer, the 1998 Nevada City Classic champion, “is show that Nevada City deserves to be on the route of the Tour of California.”
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Earlier this year, the tour announced it would move its race date from February to May 16-23 for the 2010 event. The change of date offers warmer temperatures in the Sierra, opening the opportunity for a safe, challenging and picturesque climb through the foothills.
Not long after, Strawser and a contingent of city and county officials discussed the possibility of piggybacking on a bid filed by the city of Chico. More than 80 applications were expected from potential host cities, as California communities clamored for the potential economic boost the tour could provide. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said earlier this year that the opening stage of the 2009 race brought more than $8 million to his city.
Nevada City's chances of hosting a stage of the Tour of California got a big boost from two of the most familiar faces in cycling, as both Lance Armstrong and his teammate Levi Leipheimer suggested that Nevada City belonged in the event.
During a pre-race interview prior to the 49th Nevada City Classic in June, Armstrong told The Union that the Tour of California officials should consider including Nevada City, the second-oldest bike race in the United States and the longest-running race on the West Coast.
“The answer is ‘yes,” Armstrong said. “They definitely should do that.
“You want to go where the crowds are. And with Nevada City, you have that built in.”
After Armstrong won the Nevada City Classic, the race's runner-up — and reigning three-time Tour of California champion — addressed a estimated crowd of 30,000 from the Broad Street finish line.
“What we did today,” said Leipheimer, the 1998 Nevada City Classic champion, “is show that Nevada City deserves to be on the route of the Tour of California.”
ooo
