SANTA CRUZ (May 18, 2010) – In a stage that exemplified the beautiful scenery and challenging terrain of California that make the state the perfect setting for a professional cycling race, Stage 3 of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California covered 113.3 miles/182.3 km of scenic California roadways. In an epic battle for the stage win along a picturesque route that began in iconic San Francisco and ended at the famous beach boardwalk in sunny Santa Cruz, David Zabriskie (USA) of Garmin Transitions took the stage win and also secured the overall lead heading into Stage 4 tomorrow.

The picturesque route took the riders south down the California coastline on Highway 1, flanked by the Pacific Ocean on one side and Redwood forests on the other. This coastal stage included three long, but moderate climbs on Tunitas Creek Rd., La Honda Rd. and Bonny Doon Rd. packed with local cycling fans, which was followed by lengthy and fast descents. The sprint to the finish followed W. Cliff Dr. along Monterey Bay to an exhilarating conclusion to Stage 3 at the world famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

As the morning fog burned off in San Francisco to reveal blue skies l day, the riders lined up at the start line on The Great Highway and got Stage 3 off to a great start. After a few failed breakaway attempts at the start of the stage, the peloton approached the first sprint in Pacifica, which was taken by Stage 1 winner Mark Cavendish (GBR) of HTC-Columbia, putting him in the lead in the points competition. The first hour of the stage was marked by little attacks, mainly from QuickStep and HTC-Columbia, but the riders weren’t able to get anything to stick.

The next sprint in Half Moon bay was taken by Karl Menzies (AUS) of UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis, followed by Alexander Kristoff (NOR) of the BMC Racing Team and Cavendish. As the riders continued on from the sprint a five-man break formed, which included Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) of BISSELL), Will Routley (CAN) of Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda, Eric Boily (CAN) of SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy, Davide Frattini (ITA) of Team Type 1 and Ryan Anderson (CAN) of Kelly Benefit Strategies. With fans lining the street shoulder-to-shoulder on the lead up to the first King of the Mountains competition (KOM) on Tunitas Creek Road (Cat. 2 – 1,562 ft.), Frattini took the KOM win, followed by Anderson.

After going through the feed zone, the riders were quickly hit with another climb, Highway 84 (Cat. 3 – 1,427 ft.), which provided identical results to the first KOM – Frattini in first and Anderson is second. After a quick descent, the cyclists faced the third KOM of the day, Pescadero Rd. (Cat. 4 – 1,053 ft.), which, once again, saw Frattini take the KOM, followed by Anderson.

Team RadioShack, with assistance from the Cervélo TestTeam, drove the field for most of the day and eventually swallowed up the break en route to the final climb of the day. With the end of the race drawing near, several teams began to make their move and created a breakaway that consisted of three riders – Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Team RadioShack, Michael Rogers (AUS) of HTC-Columbia and Zabriskie. With just under 20 miles to go on the route to Santa Cruz, the riders faced the largest climb of the day, Bonny Doon/Pine Flat Road (Cat. 2 – 2,135 ft.). After many unsuccessful attempts by several teams to pull the break back, Zabriskie took the stage win in an all out sprint to the finish before thousands of fans at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

“I’ve been a runner up, but I’ve never won a stage here,” said Zabriskie. “I’ve never touched the Amgen Leader Jersey since the Amgen Tour of California started. Just to touch this jersey is quite an honor.”

In the awards ceremony for Stage 3, Zabriskie took the Amgen Race Leader Jersey; Cavendish claimed the Herbalife Sprint Jersey; and Thomas Rabou (NED) of Team Type 1 took the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey. Peter Sagan (SVK) of Liquigas retained the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey for the second consecutive day. And for his performance in the main breakaway of the day Routley was awarded Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey.

“Today proved to be another competitive day of racing in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. “The level of competition was impressive, the views were breathtaking, the crowds were enthusiastic and the stage finish was as good as they come. As we head into Stage 4 tomorrow, the riders are going to continue to face challenging terrain that showcases the beauty of California, and we all are looking forward to seeing how it unfolds.”

Continuing its partnership for the fifth year, Amgen utilizes the race to raise awareness for the Breakaway from Cancer® initiative.

In honor of cancer survivors everywhere, today Marilyn Luma was recognized and celebrated as the Breakaway from Cancer Champion for her involvement in the group Tutus for Tatas which raises funds for and participates in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event.

Luma led Amgen’s Breakaway Mile – a special one-mile walk that crosses the finish line to honor the millions of cancer survivors worldwide. During the event, Luma was joined by approximately 150 community members – cancer survivors, patients, caregivers and advocates – and Amgen’s Steve Young, executive director, research, who plays a crucial role in developing innovative medicines to treat cancer and other serious illnesses.

“When I first heard about receiving this honor, it reminded me of what John F. Kennedy said when asked how he became a war hero,” explained Luma. “Kennedy said, ‘It wasn’t voluntary. They sank my boat.’ I didn’t willingly choose to be diagnosed with cancer, but rather looked within myself to handle my diagnosis with dignity and grace. Now, I aim to do something each year to help make a difference. It’s my humble honor to be part of the Breakaway from Cancer effort.”

Today’s Breakaway Mile was the first of four Breakaway Miles that will take place during the Amgen Tour of California in support of Amgen’s national Breakaway from Cancer initiative, which was created in 2005 as a complementary component to its sponsorship of the inaugural race. The Breakaway from Cancer initiative is designed to empower patients by connecting them to education, resources and hope. Modesto, Bakersfield and Thousand Oaks will also host Breakaway Miles.

For access to resources or to learn more, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

STAGE 4 TOMORROW:
Wednesday, May 19 – San Jose to Modesto (121.5 mi/195.5 km)
Start Time: 11 a.m. PT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:30-4 p.m. PT
Satellite Feed Time: 4:50 – 5 p.m. PT
(Coordinates can be found at http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/news/media-info.html)

Fans of the Amgen Tour of California may recognize part of Stage 4, sponsored by Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, from the 2009 race when the cyclists traveled from San Jose to Modesto; however, in 2010, the racers will encounter a longer and more challenging route. Beginning with a climb that is synonymous with cycling and the Amgen Tour of California, the cyclists will head up Sierra Rd. (1,930 ft.) within the first five miles of the stage. This epic climb is destined to be a defining moment in this year’s race. After completing the Sierra Rd. climb, the riders will face fast and flat roads full of twists and turns (Calaveras Rd. alone has more than 40 switchbacks) before visiting downtown Livermore for the first time. The peloton will then turn on to the very difficult Mines Rd., where the riders will face nearly 30 miles of a narrow, twisting road, climbing most of the way before a long descent into Patterson. For the second consecutive year, the stage will finish with two circuits in downtown Modesto.

For full results, archived footage, GPS data, course information, race play-by-play and more, please visit the official race website at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

In addition to the website, fans can view the race on the daily VERSUS broadcasts. Stage 4 will air live on VERSUS tomorrow at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET.

About the Amgen Tour of California

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 through the state from May 16-23.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about Amgen’s pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com. To learn more about Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG LIVE, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.

Media Contacts:

AEG
Michael Roth
310-308-7684
mroth@aeg-la.com

GolinHarris
Nicole Okoneski
805-441-3900
nokoneski@golinharris.com

David Zabriskie (USA), General Classification Leader; First Place, Stage 3
Garmin-Transitions

On winning the Amgen Leader Jersey:
“I’ve been a runner up, but I’ve never won a stage here. I’ve never touched the Amgen Leader Jersey since the Amgen Tour of California started. Just to touch this jersey is quite an honor.”

“The Amgen Tour of California is my favorite race on the calendar and I’m very excited to win this jersey.”

“It feels great, but there’s still a lot of race to go.”

On today’s atmosphere:
“Coming in to Santa Cruz was beautiful – the sun came out, there was an amazing crowd and I got a surfboard.”

On today’s race:
“I was able to stay with Levi [Leipheimer] and Michael [Rogers] at the top of the final climb and at the finish we were trying to hold off the chase – it was closing down quite rapidly. The finish was different than last year. I gave it a good acceleration.”

“Coming into the race, I was unsure. But the feelings I had today were good. This was the first time I was able to go that deep so far this season. Hopefully I can stay with Levi [Leipheimer] in the climbs to come.”

Michael Rogers (AUS), Second Place, Stage 3
Team HTC-Columbia

On David Zabriskie:
“Dave [Zabriskie] doesn’t look any stronger than Levi [Leipheimer] or myself. He just got the jump on a tight finish today. The race is far from over yet.”

Levi Leipheimer (USA), Third Place, Stage 3
Team RadioShack

On today’s finish:
“I screwed up the finish. I knew about this corner, but Dave [Zabriskie] got the jump on us. We drag raced the last corner, but from the last corner to the finish it was too short to do anything.”

“Once we got away I was really threatened because they were the two most dangerous guys in the whole race so it doesn’t really matter, you know, we’re gaining time on everyone else but that’s not really what my goal was. And in fact, I ended up losing a little bit of time because of the time limits.”

“Well, I didn’t win so obviously there were some mistakes made, but it’s not like I lost the whole race or anything.”

On standing beside David Zabriskie and Michael Rogers on the podium today:
“They are my most dangerous rivals, so I wasn’t surprised at all.”

On the weather and winning third place:
“Well, it was obviously much better weather today. My legs were good, I was making the pace on the climb, but I was missing the little something to make the big difference.”

On which stage will be a deciding one:
“The Time Trial is the most important day, but hopefully by Big Bear, it will be hard to make a difference.”

Will Routley (CAN), Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey Winner
Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda

On racing in Santa Cruz:
“I spent my winter training here in Santa Cruz. We’ve spent some time on these roads, so I was comfortable, rolling at a good tempo.”

On winning the Most Courageous Rider Jersey:
“As far as getting the jersey, we came here to get aggressive and to be involved every day.”

Peter Sagan (SVK), Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey Winner
Liquigas-Doimo

On the season so far:
“I’m very happy about the way things have gone this season. I didn’t expect it but I’ve had more successes this year than ever before and I hope for more success in the future.”

On Amgen Tour of California predictions:
“Tomorrow ’s stage won’t be as difficult as today’s stage. I feel like Team RadioShack will try to control the race. For the final 16 miles, I expect Mark Cavendish to be there and I hope to be there too.”

“The race is both long and hard so I don’t exactly know what will happen on the rest of the tour. There are many stages left to go so I’m just going to wait and see what happens.”

On today’s jersey win:
“This win is very important to me. But it’s very important for me to gain experience so I can race even better next year.”

Thomas Rabou (NED), California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey Winner
Team Type 1

On today’s race:
“Today’s objective was to keep the jersey and I was trying to be in the breakaway, but that didn’t happen. It was still a good day for us.”

“I was a bit sore. I spent a lot of energy yesterday, so today was a hard day for me. I tried to stay in the front line, but I was able to focus on the King of the Mountains jersey.”

On hearing from his mother, who is battling cancer:
“My mother e-mailed me – she’s very proud and very happy that I dedicated the win to her.”

Heinrich Haussler (GER)
Cervélo TestTeam

On the crowds:
“To be honest, the crowds were unbelievable. The race is getting bigger and bigger each year. I was just saying that the crowds are on par with the Tour de France.” 

Defending Champion Levi Leipheimer Takes Second Place in the Stage and Moves Up in General Classification to Third Place Overall

SANTA CRUZ (May 18, 2010) – In a stage that exemplified the beautiful scenery and challenging terrain of California that make the state the perfect setting for a professional cycling race, Stage 3 of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California covered 113.3 miles/182.3 km of scenic California roadways. In an epic battle for the stage win along a picturesque route that began in iconic San Francisco and ended at the famous beach boardwalk in sunny Santa Cruz, David Zabriskie (USA) of Garmin Transitions took the stage win and also secured the overall lead heading into Stage 4 tomorrow.

The picturesque route took the riders south down the California coastline on Highway 1, flanked by the Pacific Ocean on one side and Redwood forests on the other. This coastal stage included three long, but moderate climbs on Tunitas Creek Rd., La Honda Rd. and Bonny Doon Rd. packed with local cycling fans, which was followed by lengthy and fast descents. The sprint to the finish followed W. Cliff Dr. along Monterey Bay to an exhilarating conclusion to Stage 3 at the world famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

As the morning fog burned off in San Francisco to reveal blue skies l day, the riders lined up at the start line on The Great Highway and got Stage 3 off to a great start. After a few failed breakaway attempts at the start of the stage, the peloton approached the first sprint in Pacifica, which was taken by Stage 1 winner Mark Cavendish (GBR) of HTC-Columbia, putting him in the lead in the points competition. The first hour of the stage was marked by little attacks, mainly from QuickStep and HTC-Columbia, but the riders weren’t able to get anything to stick.

The next sprint in Half Moon bay was taken by Karl Menzies (AUS) of UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis, followed by Alexander Kristoff (NOR) of the BMC Racing Team and Cavendish. As the riders continued on from the sprint a five-man break formed, which included Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) of BISSELL), Will Routley (CAN) of Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda, Eric Boily (CAN) of SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy, Davide Frattini (ITA) of Team Type 1 and Ryan Anderson (CAN) of Kelly Benefit Strategies. With fans lining the street shoulder-to-shoulder on the lead up to the first King of the Mountains competition (KOM) on Tunitas Creek Road (Cat. 2 – 1,562 ft.), Frattini took the KOM win, followed by Anderson.

After going through the feed zone, the riders were quickly hit with another climb, Highway 84 (Cat. 3 – 1,427 ft.), which provided identical results to the first KOM – Frattini in first and Anderson is second. After a quick descent, the cyclists faced the third KOM of the day, Pescadero Rd. (Cat. 4 – 1,053 ft.), which, once again, saw Frattini take the KOM, followed by Anderson.

Team RadioShack, with assistance from the Cervélo TestTeam, drove the field for most of the day and eventually swallowed up the break en route to the final climb of the day. With the end of the race drawing near, several teams began to make their move and created a breakaway that consisted of three riders – Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Team RadioShack, Michael Rogers (AUS) of HTC-Columbia and Zabriskie. With just under 20 miles to go on the route to Santa Cruz, the riders faced the largest climb of the day, Bonny Doon/Pine Flat Road (Cat. 2 – 2,135 ft.). After many unsuccessful attempts by several teams to pull the break back, Zabriskie took the stage win in an all out sprint to the finish before thousands of fans at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

“I’ve been a runner up, but I’ve never won a stage here,” said Zabriskie. “I’ve never touched the Amgen Leader Jersey since the Amgen Tour of California started. Just to touch this jersey is quite an honor.”

In the awards ceremony for Stage 3, Zabriskie took the Amgen Race Leader Jersey; Cavendish claimed the Herbalife Sprint Jersey; and Thomas Rabou (NED) of Team Type 1 took the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey. Peter Sagan (SVK) of Liquigas retained the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey for the second consecutive day. And for his performance in the main breakaway of the day Routley was awarded Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey.

“Today proved to be another competitive day of racing in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. “The level of competition was impressive, the views were breathtaking, the crowds were enthusiastic and the stage finish was as good as they come. As we head into Stage 4 tomorrow, the riders are going to continue to face challenging terrain that showcases the beauty of California, and we all are looking forward to seeing how it unfolds.”

Continuing its partnership for the fifth year, Amgen utilizes the race to raise awareness for the Breakaway from Cancer® initiative.

In honor of cancer survivors everywhere, today Marilyn Luma was recognized and celebrated as the Breakaway from Cancer Champion for her involvement in the group Tutus for Tatas which raises funds for and participates in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event.

Luma led Amgen’s Breakaway Mile – a special one-mile walk that crosses the finish line to honor the millions of cancer survivors worldwide. During the event, Luma was joined by approximately 150 community members – cancer survivors, patients, caregivers and advocates – and Amgen’s Steve Young, executive director, research, who plays a crucial role in developing innovative medicines to treat cancer and other serious illnesses.

“When I first heard about receiving this honor, it reminded me of what John F. Kennedy said when asked how he became a war hero,” explained Luma. “Kennedy said, ‘It wasn’t voluntary. They sank my boat.’ I didn’t willingly choose to be diagnosed with cancer, but rather looked within myself to handle my diagnosis with dignity and grace. Now, I aim to do something each year to help make a difference. It’s my humble honor to be part of the Breakaway from Cancer effort.”

Today’s Breakaway Mile was the first of four Breakaway Miles that will take place during the Amgen Tour of California in support of Amgen’s national Breakaway from Cancer initiative, which was created in 2005 as a complementary component to its sponsorship of the inaugural race. The Breakaway from Cancer initiative is designed to empower patients by connecting them to education, resources and hope. Modesto, Bakersfield and Thousand Oaks will also host Breakaway Miles.

For access to resources or to learn more, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

STAGE 4 TOMORROW:
Wednesday, May 19 – San Jose to Modesto (121.5 mi/195.5 km)
Start Time: 11 a.m. PT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:30-4 p.m. PT
Satellite Feed Time: 4:50 – 5 p.m. PT
(Coordinates can be found at http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/news/media-info.html)

Fans of the Amgen Tour of California may recognize part of Stage 4, sponsored by Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, from the 2009 race when the cyclists traveled from San Jose to Modesto; however, in 2010, the racers will encounter a longer and more challenging route. Beginning with a climb that is synonymous with cycling and the Amgen Tour of California, the cyclists will head up Sierra Rd. (1,930 ft.) within the first five miles of the stage. This epic climb is destined to be a defining moment in this year’s race. After completing the Sierra Rd. climb, the riders will face fast and flat roads full of twists and turns (Calaveras Rd. alone has more than 40 switchbacks) before visiting downtown Livermore for the first time. The peloton will then turn on to the very difficult Mines Rd., where the riders will face nearly 30 miles of a narrow, twisting road, climbing most of the way before a long descent into Patterson. For the second consecutive year, the stage will finish with two circuits in downtown Modesto.

For full results, archived footage, GPS data, course information, race play-by-play and more, please visit the official race website at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

In addition to the website, fans can view the race on the daily VERSUS broadcasts. Stage 4 will air live on VERSUS tomorrow at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET.

About the Amgen Tour of California

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 through the state from May 16-23.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about Amgen’s pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com. To learn more about Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG LIVE, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.

Media Contacts:

AEG
Michael Roth
310-308-7684
mroth@aeg-la.com

GolinHarris
Nicole Okoneski
805-441-3900
nokoneski@golinharris.com

David Zabriskie (USA), General Classification Leader; First Place, Stage 3
Garmin-Transitions

On winning the Amgen Leader Jersey:
“I’ve been a runner up, but I’ve never won a stage here. I’ve never touched the Amgen Leader Jersey since the Amgen Tour of California started. Just to touch this jersey is quite an honor.”

“The Amgen Tour of California is my favorite race on the calendar and I’m very excited to win this jersey.”

“It feels great, but there’s still a lot of race to go.”

On today’s atmosphere:
“Coming in to Santa Cruz was beautiful – the sun came out, there was an amazing crowd and I got a surfboard.”

On today’s race:
“I was able to stay with Levi [Leipheimer] and Michael [Rogers] at the top of the final climb and at the finish we were trying to hold off the chase – it was closing down quite rapidly. The finish was different than last year. I gave it a good acceleration.”

“Coming into the race, I was unsure. But the feelings I had today were good. This was the first time I was able to go that deep so far this season. Hopefully I can stay with Levi [Leipheimer] in the climbs to come.”

Michael Rogers (AUS), Second Place, Stage 3
Team HTC-Columbia

On David Zabriskie:
“Dave [Zabriskie] doesn’t look any stronger than Levi [Leipheimer] or myself. He just got the jump on a tight finish today. The race is far from over yet.”

Levi Leipheimer (USA), Third Place, Stage 3
Team RadioShack

On today’s finish:
“I screwed up the finish. I knew about this corner, but Dave [Zabriskie] got the jump on us. We drag raced the last corner, but from the last corner to the finish it was too short to do anything.”

“Once we got away I was really threatened because they were the two most dangerous guys in the whole race so it doesn’t really matter, you know, we’re gaining time on everyone else but that’s not really what my goal was. And in fact, I ended up losing a little bit of time because of the time limits.”

“Well, I didn’t win so obviously there were some mistakes made, but it’s not like I lost the whole race or anything.”

On standing beside David Zabriskie and Michael Rogers on the podium today:
“They are my most dangerous rivals, so I wasn’t surprised at all.”

On the weather and winning third place:
“Well, it was obviously much better weather today. My legs were good, I was making the pace on the climb, but I was missing the little something to make the big difference.”

On which stage will be a deciding one:
“The Time Trial is the most important day, but hopefully by Big Bear, it will be hard to make a difference.”

Will Routley (CAN), Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey Winner
Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda

On racing in Santa Cruz:
“I spent my winter training here in Santa Cruz. We’ve spent some time on these roads, so I was comfortable, rolling at a good tempo.”

On winning the Most Courageous Rider Jersey:
“As far as getting the jersey, we came here to get aggressive and to be involved every day.”

Peter Sagan (SVK), Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey Winner
Liquigas-Doimo

On the season so far:
“I’m very happy about the way things have gone this season. I didn’t expect it but I’ve had more successes this year than ever before and I hope for more success in the future.”

On Amgen Tour of California predictions:
“Tomorrow ’s stage won’t be as difficult as today’s stage. I feel like Team RadioShack will try to control the race. For the final 16 miles, I expect Mark Cavendish to be there and I hope to be there too.”

“The race is both long and hard so I don’t exactly know what will happen on the rest of the tour. There are many stages left to go so I’m just going to wait and see what happens.”

On today’s jersey win:
“This win is very important to me. But it’s very important for me to gain experience so I can race even better next year.”

Thomas Rabou (NED), California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey Winner
Team Type 1

On today’s race:
“Today’s objective was to keep the jersey and I was trying to be in the breakaway, but that didn’t happen. It was still a good day for us.”

“I was a bit sore. I spent a lot of energy yesterday, so today was a hard day for me. I tried to stay in the front line, but I was able to focus on the King of the Mountains jersey.”

On hearing from his mother, who is battling cancer:
“My mother e-mailed me – she’s very proud and very happy that I dedicated the win to her.”

Heinrich Haussler (GER)
Cervélo TestTeam

On the crowds:
“To be honest, the crowds were unbelievable. The race is getting bigger and bigger each year. I was just saying that the crowds are on par with the Tour de France.”

SANTA ROSA (May 17, 2010) – The second stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California brought excitement to the thunderous crowds at the finish in Santa Rosa, home to the BMC Racing and three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Team RadioShack, who is currently in 12th place overall. After a challenging day of cycling through stormy conditions, Brett Lancaster (AUS) of Cervélo TestTeam took the stage win, as well as the overall lead in the General Classification.

Covering 109.5 miles/176.2 km and beginning in the city of Davis, which recently was named the best cycling town in the United States by Bicycling Magazine, the Stage 2 route included evenly spaced climbs and spectacular views. Proudly boasting no withdrawals after yesterday’s crashes, the peloton gave the enthusiastic crowd in Davis something to cheer for as they lined up at the start. The stage began with a series of attacks with little result until mile 12 when the first break formed and included Karl Menzies (AUS) of UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis, Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) of Fly V Australia, Andrew Randell (CAN) of SpiderTech Powered by Planet Energy, Thomas Rabou (NED) of Team Type 1 and Michael Friedman (USA) of Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda. With the break of five riders, which would end up leading the race for the majority of the day, pulling away to create a minute-and-a-half gap over the pack, Menzies took the first sprint in Winters, followed by Rabou and Randell.

After 20 miles of flat roads while building a six-minute gap, the break headed into the first King of the Mountains (KOM) climb of the day, a short, but steep section leading to the Monticello Dam on Highway 128, and Rabou emerged victorious. Another long, flat section along Lake Berryessa, and the official feed zone, took the riders to their second climb up Howell Mountain Rd. (Cat. 2). Seizing the opportunity, Rabou attacked the break as Thomson and Friedman fell behind, but was soon caught by Menzies and Randell and the group of three crested the climb four minutes ahead of the peloton, with Rabou taking the KOM. Shortly after, the original breakaway of five reformed on the fast descent into Napa Valley.

“It didn’t get cold at all today. There were many crowds, especially on the climbs, and that made me feel warm inside,” said Rabou.

As the riders steadily approached the Oakville Grade (Cat. 3), the third KOM of the day, at 84.1miles/135.4 km and 1.9 miles long, Friedman once again dropped off the pace, leaving four riders to lead the breakaway. With weather conditions working against them, this proved to be a decisive climb for the riders, splitting apart the bunch with challenging circumstances and several crashes. With the end of the stage drawing near, a group of 12 riders, including Leipheimer, pulled away from the pack to form a chase group. After tackling the final KOM of the day, Trinity Grade (Cat. 2), the original break, the chase group and additional riders came together to form a lead group of approximately 25 riders, led by Team RadioShack. In a competition that came down to a very close finish in Santa Rosa, Lancaster took the stage win to the cheers of thousands of fans.

“In the rain, there are times when you just have to close your eyes and go for it. You just have to watch out for the white lines and the cat eyes on the road,” said Lancaster. “Honestly, I didn’t think I would be in the Amgen Leader Jersey, but today I felt fantastic. It was my special day.”

After a long, hard day of racing, Lancaster claimed the Amgen Race Leader Jersey and the Herbalife Sprint Jersey. The Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey went to Peter Sagan (SVK) of Liquigas. Rabou, whose mother is currently battling cancer, took Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey and the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey.

The top-three general classification leaders after today are Lancaster in first, Sagan in second and Menzies in third.

“Now that we have moved past the only day of rain anticipated for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, we are looking forward to clear skies and beautiful weather for the rest of the race,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “Davis and Santa Rosa have been such great partners and the record crowds on the course today really prove the enthusiasm and appetite there is for professional cycling in California. We are looking forward to another great day tomorrow as we return to two iconic cities that really embody the spirit of the state – San Francisco and Santa Cruz.”

Continuing its partnership for the fifth year, Amgen utilizes the race to raise awareness for the Breakaway from Cancer® initiative.

“For nearly 30 years, Amgen has tapped the power of pioneering science and innovation to discover and develop vital medicines,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. “That’s why Amgen is proud to sponsor the Amgen Tour of California and to continue the Breakaway from Cancer initiative as a vehicle to raise awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer – from prevention through survivorship.”

Amgen created the national Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Through Breakaway from Cancer, Amgen and its four nonprofit partners are dedicated to empowering patients with education, resources and hope.

Today’s activities featured cancer survivor Sharon Cucinotta who fired the official start gun to begin the ride from Davis to Santa Rosa, and cancer survivor Miss Sonoma County Alison Levie had the honor of awarding Rabou with Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider Jersey.

For access to resources or to learn more, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

STAGE 3 TOMORROW:
Tuesday, May 18 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz (113.3 mi/152.3 km)
Start Time: 11:15 a.m. PT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:30-4 p.m. PT
Satellite Feed Time: 4:50 – 5 p.m. PT
(Coordinates can be found at http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/news/media-info.html)

Starting at Ocean Beach, Stage 3, sponsored by The Home Depot, will cover nearly 120 miles from San Francisco, which hosted the Prologue for the inaugural year of the Amgen Tour of California, to Santa Cruz. The route will take the riders south down the California coastline on Highway 1, flanked by the picturesque backdrops of the Pacific Ocean on one side and Redwood forests on the other. This coastal stage will include three long, but moderate climbs on Tunitas Creek Rd., La Honda Rd. and Bonny Doon Rd., which will all be followed by lengthy and fast descents. The sprint to the finish will follow W. Cliff Dr. along Monterey Bay to an exhilarating conclusion to Stage 3 at the world famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

For full results, archived footage, GPS data, course information, race play-by-play and more, please visit the official race website at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

In addition to the website, fans can view the race on the daily VERSUS broadcasts. Stage 3 will air live on VERSUS tomorrow at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET.

About the Amgen Tour of California

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 through the state from May 16-23.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about Amgen’s pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com. To learn more about Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG LIVE, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.

Media Contacts:

AEG
Michael Roth
310-308-7684
mroth@aeg-la.com

GolinHarris
Nicole Okoneski
805-441-3900
nokoneski@golinharris.com

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (May 16, 2010) – Under sunny skies, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California kicked off to the roaring cheers of cycling fans from around the world in the picturesque town Nevada City. In an exciting sprint to the finish, Mark Cavendish (GBR) of HTC-Columbia took his third stage win in the history of the race after three high-speed circuits around the State’s Capitol building in Sacramento. Cavendish was followed by Juan Jose (“J.J.”) Haedo (ARG) of Team Saxo Bank in second and Alexander Kristoff (NOR) of the BMC Racing Team in third.

Cavendish beat out top cyclists, including nine past world champions, 11 current national champions and six Olympic medalists to take the win. The enthusiastic crowd, comprised of shoulder-to-shoulder fans, cheered on the cyclists as they made their way through downtown Sacramento.

The 104.3-mile/167.8 km stage, which also will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Nevada City Classic, to Sacramento took the riders through Grass Valley and across the Auburn-Foresthill Bridge, the tallest bridge in California and the third highest in the U.S. A mostly downhill stage, which certainly favored the sprinters, the route also included a grueling climb from the American River to the town of Cool. The point-to-point race from Nevada City to Sacramento was a change from the previous edition’s opening prologue.

In the first big move of the day Maarten Tjallingii (NED) of Rabobank, Chad Beyer (USA) of the BMC Racing Team, Mark De Maar (NED) of UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis and Paul Mach (USA) of BISSELL broke away from the pack and quickly gained a one minute gap on the field. In a short-lived attempt to catch the breakaway, three riders formed a chase, but were quickly swallowed up by the peloton. After only 20 minutes, the breakaway’s lead grew to more than two and a half minutes and eventually expanded to more than five minutes, giving the group a considerable lead over the pack, which was led for the majority of the race by HTC-Columbia.

“Our strategy was to ride aggressively and try to get in the breakaway. That was goal number one and it worked out,” said Mach.

The first sprint at Meadow Vista was won by Tjallingii, ahead of Mach with DeMaar in third. At 1 km from the KOM climb on Highway 49, De Maar and Mach attacked the other two riders in the break and then Mach soloed away to take the KOM, followed by De Maar. After a descent of four miles at an average speed of 38 mph and a mostly downhill finish into Sacramento, the break of four riders came back together, but was swallowed up as they head for the three finishing circuits around the State Capitol building.

Two crashes during the finishing circuits took some of the race favorites out of contention for this stage, including Tom Boonen (BEL) of QuickStep, leaving Cavendish in the perfect position to take the stage and the overall lead heading into day two of the race. “The Amgen Tour of California is a hard race,” said Cavendish. “This is a big thing for us. It’s always an important race. Hopefully we can win more stages.”

After an amazing performance, Cavendish claimed not only the Amgen Race Leader Jersey, but also the Herbalife Sprint Jersey. California native Mach claimed the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey. Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey went to Tjallingii and the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey was awarded to Kristoff.

“In only one day, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California has already exceeded our expectations with regards to fans, host cities and overall enthusiasm,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, presenter of the race. “We’ve already seen an amazing degree of competition from these world-class cyclists and we’re looking forward to seeing how the race unfolds.”

Title sponsor Amgen is continuing its complementary Breakaway from Cancer® initiative in 2010.

“Amgen is proud to join AEG for the fifth year as the title sponsor of the Amgen Tour of California. This race provides Amgen the opportunity to be part of the top cycling event in the U.S. that attracts the interest of millions of people while promoting health and wellness in Amgen’s headquarters state of California,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology.

“Our involvement allows Amgen the opportunity to raise awareness of our company, our mission to serve patients and the promise of medical breakthroughs through biotechnology,” Arbuckle added. “It also allows us to support those impacted by cancer through the Breakaway from Cancer initiative.”

Amgen created the national Breakaway from Cancer® initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Breakaway from Cancer represents a partnership between Amgen and four nonprofit organizations dedicated to empowering patients with education, resources and hope. The Breakaway from Cancer partners – Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formerly The Wellness Community), Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship – collectively offer people affected by cancer a broad range of support services, complementing those provided by a patient’s team of healthcare professionals.

For access to resources or to learn more, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

STAGE 2 TOMORROW:

Monday, May 17 – Davis to Santa Rosa (109.5mi/176.2 km)
Start Time: 11:45 a.m. PT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:30-4 p.m. PT
Satellite Feed Time: 4:50-5 p.m. PT
(Coordinates can be found at http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/news/media-info.html)

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California route from Davis to Santa Rosa for Stage 2 of the race, sponsored by Nissan, will provide plenty of scenic settings for both the cyclists and spectators. Beginning in the city of Davis, which recently was named the best cycling town in the United States by Bicycling Magazine, the route includes evenly spaced climbs throughout the stage and spectacular views. After 20 miles of flat roads, the riders will meet their first climb up a short, but steep section leading up to the Monticello Dam. This short climb is followed quickly by the difficult “Cardiac Hill.” Another long, flat section along Lake Berryessa will take the riders to their third climb up Howell Mountain Rd., followed by a fast descent into Napa Valley. The race will pass some of the most well-known vineyards in Napa Valley along the famous Silverado Trail. After the day’s final climb up the Oakville Grade, followed by a steep descent down Trinity Grade, the cyclists will finish the race in the hometown three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer – Santa Rosa. In previous years, Santa Rosa fans have set the mark for one of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the entire race.

For full results, archived footage, GPS data, course information, race play-by-play and more, please visit the official race website at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

In addition to the website, fans can view the race on the daily VERSUS broadcasts. Stage 2 will air live on VERSUS tomorrow at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET.

About the Amgen Tour of California

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 through the state from May 16-23.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about Amgen’s pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com. To learn more about Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG LIVE, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.

Media Contacts:

AEG
Michael Roth
310-308-7684
mroth@aeg-la.com

GolinHarris
Nicole Okoneski
805-441-3900
nokoneski@golinharris.com

After being held in February that past four years, the Amgen Tour of California this year moved to May, and the riders have more race miles in their legs.

“I know everyone is in better shape, but I think I’m in better shape, too,” Leipheimer said. “This year the race will be different for everyone. We’ve all had some hard races in Europe. Everyone takes a different path to the race. I think I’ve chosen a pretty good one. I feel good, and am feeling better and better over the last few weeks. My expectations are that I’m ready, and I’m here to win.”

Read the Full Article at  www.velonews.com

Santa Rosa Amgen Tour Stage News

Ladies and gents, we are down to the wire. Lines are being drawn, favorites are being picked, and work excuses are being concocted. Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California is a mere three days away and we will be ready. We’ve got a host of events on tap to keep folks grinning all the live long day, from well before the riders get to town to well after they’re sacked out in their hotel beds. Downtown Santa Rosa is awash in spectating areas and activities, so get out early and plan on a great day around America’s biggest cycling event.

This newsletter is also viewable here: http://mim.io/95ba3. If you’re not on our mailing list, you can add yourself. Be sure to tick the “Tour of California” box.

 

BMC and Cervelo will join seven ProTour teams whose rosters were also announced, in the fifth annual event, May 16-23.

As expected, the field of 16 teams from 23 countries will feature three-time consecutive race titlist Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, California, teammate and seven-time Tour de France titlist Lance Armstrong, 2009 Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, reigning world road road titlist Tom Boonen of Belgium and current Olympic titlist and three-time time trial world champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland…

Read the Full Article at  www.examiner.com

In essence, ASO will assume responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the race’s television production.

As part of the enhancements in 2010, the Tour of California will be filmed and distributed in high definition, showcasing the event to a global audience, including Eurosport in Europe and the Versus network in the United States…

Read the Full Article at  www.examiner.com

Boonen won a Tour of California stage in 2008 when he outsprinted Heinrich Haussler and Mario Cipollini in the stage from Santa Rosa and Sacramento…

Read the Full Article at  www.examiner.com

The Sacramento Grand Prix will begin at 10 a.m. and travel a 1.4 mile course circling the Capitol. It duplicate portions of the Tour of California circuit just hours before Stage 1 of the fifth annual race is scheduled to finish in downtown Sacramento…

Read the Full Article at  www.examiner.com