2009 Amgen Tour an opportunity for the Central Valley

last updated: July 24, 2008 05:00:18 AM

Modesto, Merced and the Central Valley scored big with the 2009 route plan for the Amgen Tour of California, the premier race that draws professional bicyclists and their dedicated fans. It's an exciting boost for the valley's image and its collective pocketbook.

Modesto, which served as a well-organized start city for one segment of the 2008 race, is moving up a peg. For 2009, Modesto will be the finish line for Stage 4. That means that the racers and their teams most likely will be spending the night in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and otherwise boosting our local economy.

Merced is one of the new cities selected for the expanded 2009 tour. It will be the start for Stage 5, which will go up through the Mother Lode and end in Clovis, another new city on the route. Also, Stage 6 will begin in Visalia. That means four San Joaquin Valley cities are on the route. Sacramento and Davis also are host cities, making six Central Valley cities on the nine-day tour.

Modesto's selection as a finish city isn't just a matter of luck. Modesto shone in its first year as a host city. Modestans -- old, young and in-between -- turned out in impressive numbers Feb. 20 for an exciting but brief experience. The cyclists were out of town within about eight minutes after taking two laps around downtown.

As a finish city, fans will see more of the racers as they complete the grueling leg from San Jose across Mount Hamilton and into Modesto. It's the reverse of last year's leg.

As well as an appreciative audience, Modesto had an impressive lineup of volunteers -- more than 300 in all -- and good corporate sponsors. Even more volunteers will be needed at a finishing point. But organizers are optimistic that they'll get all the support needed. Kaiser Permanente signed on as the main local partner with the city and the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In Merced, Mayor Ellie Wooten sounded just as excited as Modesto Mayor Jim Ridenour was Wednesday, when the route was announced during the televising of the Tour de France.

Often, the world view of California is its coastal cities. For a good portion of this world-class bicycle race, the valley will be in the spotlight and, we hope, in the sun.

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