California cycling race keeps going and growing

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Even though cycling has taken some big hits over the last three years with major doping scandals and the loss of some key sponsors, the United States’ biggest stage race is not only still here but is growing.

The Amgen Tour of California is expected to announce later today that the 2009 edition will include a new leg, and that the third stage will include the race’s first-ever trip over the Golden Gate Bridge. The fourth annual race is expected to start on Feb. 14 in Sacramento and end on Feb. 22 in Escondido. The new leg would run from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido, the first time that the race has made it that far south.

It also seems likely that two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer, who lives in Santa Rosa, will be back. Leipheimer, who rides for Astana, the team that has been banned from this year’s Tour de France because of doping issues from 2007, said he was pleased that the California race seems to be growing.

‘It’s very exciting to see the Amgen Tour of California evolve into one of the biggest races in the world in such a short time,’ Leipheimer said. ‘To think that the race will be nine days and cover so much terrain is an amazing accomplishment.’

Leipheimer’s next big races will be at the Olympics, where he will compete in the men’s road race and time trial.

Here are the planned stages:

Stage 1: Feb. 14 — Sacramento

Stage 2: Feb. 15 — Davis to Santa Rosa

Stage 3: Feb. 16 — Sausalito to Santa Cruz

Stage 4: Feb. 17 — San Jose to Modesto

Stage 5: Feb. 18 — Merced to Clovis

Stage 6: Feb. 19 — Visalia to Paso Robles

Stage 7: Feb. 20 — Solvang (individual time trial)

Stage 8: Feb. 21 — Santa Clarita to Pasadena

Stage 9: Feb. 22 — Rancho Bernardo to Escondido

-- Diane Pucin