Who's watching Tour of California? Everyone else

Cycling in California in February is akin to baseball's spring training.

The stars of the sport go where the weather is good, and their fans will follow.

In the case of the Amgen Tour of California, there will be crowds along the course and tuning in on television and online when Stage 3 begins today in downtown Modesto.

"There are probably more people watching in Europe than in the U.S.," said Kevin McCarthy, owner of Kevin's Bikes in Merced. "Cycling in Europe is a way of life. They treat cycling over there the way we treat our football and baseball players."

Though a sunny sky gave way to rain clouds Tuesday, the conditions generally are more favorable in California for training. Many of the top-tier cyclists are European, and they find it impossible to train in the snow and sleet of their home regions.

It may be wet in California, but at least it's not freezing. People from those scenic French hillsides Americans enjoy seeing during Tour de France coverage will be watching for shots of vineyards, mountains and coastline this week -- and updates about the status of their favorite cyclists.

It may be hard to grasp that even more people are interested than the millions that line the Tour de France route. Television and the Internet enable enthusiasts around the world to keep up.

The official Web site, www.amgentourofcalifornia.com, features an elevation profile, maps, live video coverage, replays, audio play-by-play and written commentary. Cycling Web sites such as VeloNews.com and cyclingnews.com also have live feeds.

"Cycling fans will watch it whether it's 3 in the morning or prime time," said James Raia, who has covered the Tour de France 10 times in 25 years following the sport. "Cycling is coming into its own as far as global exposure."

Michael Roth is the vice president of media relations for AEG, which presents major sports and entertainment events, including the Amgen Tour of California. He has seen fanatical crowds at venues AEG owns, like Staples Center in Los Angeles, but was still unprepared for the reception the cycling tour received.

"We were told, 'You won't believe the crowds,' and I was still shocked," Roth said. "I'll never forget the first year (2006). We rode into Santa Rosa and there were close to 100,000 people, five deep all along the street, literally hanging off buildings, parking garages, wherever they could to catch a glimpse of the race. It really set the tone."

The overwhelming show of support was novel for Roth, a cycling neophyte three years ago before the first Amgen Tour of California. But to cycling enthusiasts around the world, waiting on the side of the road to catch a glimpse of riders as they speed past is just as exciting as watching a game in a stadium.

Charlotte Hart is an Atwater High teacher who recently secured a spot on a women's developmental team out of Palo Alto. She's looking forward to being part of the festive atmosphere surrounding today's stage.

"Four years ago, 1 million people came out for one stage of the Tour de France," Hart said. "They write on the roads. It's very exciting to watch."

Bee staff writer Kelly Jones can be reached at kjones@modbee.com or 578-2300.

Downtown street closures