Tour of California announces longest race in its history for 2019

The Tour of California announced this year’s race will be the longest in its 14-year history. Cyclists will compete throughout seven stages over seven days from May 12 through May 18, spanning 773 miles.

The course will travel through mountain roads, highways and coastlines from Sacramento to Pasadena.

The seven-stage course will take place in 13 host cities. There will be 14 sprints and 25 King of the Mountain climbs, the most climbs in race history.

The women’s race will also be the longest in event history with a 177.8-mile, three-stage road race course.

The women’s race will run simultaneously on May 16-18 and will use many of the same routes as the men’s course. The course will include eight Queen of the Mountain climbs.

“The 2019 race course is incredibly demanding — there’s more climbing and more long road days than ever before,” Kristin Klein, president of the Tour of California and executive vice president of AEG Sports, said in a news release. “With the best of the best in cycling coming to California to contest it, we are in for another memorable race.”

The annual L’Etape California by Le Tour de France public ride will return to Southern California when the race arrives to the Mt. Baldy summit in the spring. This ride gives the public a chance to simulate the experience of the Tour de France in the steep hills of Mt. Baldy a month before the professionals take to the French Alps.