Amgen bicycle race won’t happen in 2020. It has visited Modesto several times
Organizers announced Tuesday that they were suspending the Amgen Tour of California, a bicycle race that has involved Modesto several times.
The 2020 version will not happen next May, and future races are uncertain, race President Kristin Klein said in a news release. She said the “business model” for the event has become hard to sustain.
The tour has drawn world-class cyclists over its 14 years, each race covering hundreds of miles over several days. Cities that host starts and finishes have seen strong turnout by the public.
Modesto first got in on the action in 2008, when it was the start of a stage to San Jose. Then came three straight years of hosting finishes, always more exciting than the starts.
The city of Modesto provided hotel rooms for the riders and their teams in 2016, but no actual racing, to the dismay of some residents. The next year, it hosted another start for a stage to San Jose.
Sonora took part in 2012, as the start of a stage to Clovis. The Merced and Stockton areas also have had roles at times.
The stages involved large corps of volunteers and often included cycling activities for amateurs. Supporters said the costs incurred by host cities were worthwhile.
Klein is also executive vice president of AEG Sports, the global sports and entertainment company that owns the race.
“While professional cycling globally continues to grow and we are very proud of the work we have done to increase the relevance of professional cycling, particularly in the United States, it has become more challenging each year to mount the race,” she said.
“This new reality has forced us to re-evaluate our options, and we are actively assessing every aspect of our event to determine if there is a business model that will allow us to successfully relaunch the race in 2021.”
This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 5:24 PM.
