State Will Stage Cycling Event
The launch of the Tour of California, an eight-day, 700-mile road cycling race modeled after the famed Tour de France, will be announced today at the Home Depot Center in Carson between sessions of the Track Cycling World Championships.
Executives of AEG, the international cycling federation (UCI) and USA Cycling will outline the concept for the race, which will take place early next year on a route to be determined. Bob Colarossi, managing director of the race, said Thursday that the prize purse will be the highest for any such cycling race in the U.S. That would put it at about $150,000.
“It’s been a dream of the cycling community to do this for a long, long time because of all the natural resources California has and the prevalence and popularity of cycling,” Colarossi said. “It’s a matter of the right place, the right time and the right people, AEG.”
The race, to be held annually, is expected to draw up to 18 professional cycling teams from around the world. Colarossi said organizers will start to extend invitations during this summer’s Tour de France.
The race extends AEG’s involvement in cycling. AEG, which presents and promotes sports and entertainment events, owns and operates the Home Depot Center complex and the ADT Event Center, the 3,500-seat velodrome that is the site of this week’s competition.
“It’s a sport that is a lifestyle sport and resonates highly with the general population,” Colarossi said. “You learn to ride at 5 or 6 and you can do it the rest of your life.”
Event organizers have applied to USA Cycling for its sanction. That’s assured, said its chief executive officer, Gerard Bisceglia. USA Cycling must then apply to the UCI to have the event placed on the calendar.
“We are absolutely ecstatic about the prospect of coming to the state of California,” Bisceglia said. “There’s not a state in the country that offers bicycle racing the variety, the panorama, the exposure to major cities that the state of California has.”
Said Richard Riordan, California’s secretary of education and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s liaison to the event: “There is no better sporting event to showcase a region, reach an international, broad active lifestyle audience and build brand awareness than a weeklong cycling event.”
