Amgen Tour of California race canceled — and it may not be back any time soon
The famed Amgen Tour of California cycling race has been canceled for 2020 — and organizers aren’t sure when the competition will return.
The event — which has brought world-renowned cyclists to the Golden State since 2006 — is going on hiatus starting next year, according to an AEG Sports news release.
“This has been a very difficult decision to make, but the business fundamentals of the Amgen Tour of California have changed since we launched the race 14 years ago,” said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen Tour of California, in a statement.
“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. 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.”
Each year, cyclists have traversed hundreds of miles of roads throughout California, including those on the Central Coast.
For more than a decade, the tour has drawn thousands of competitors and fans to San Luis Obispo County.
Cyclists competing in the inaugural race stopped in downtown San Luis Obispo on their way down the coast. Since then, Paso Robles, Cambria, Avila Beach, Morro Bay and Pismo Beach have all hosted starting and finishing lines during different stages of the competition.
During last year’s race, Morro Bay served as a finishing point and Pismo Beach as a starting point.
“Visit SLO CAL has been a sponsor of AEG’s Amgen Tour of California for a number of years and it aligns well with our active adventure target audience,” said Chuck Davison, president of Visit SLO CAL, in a statement. “The race showcases SLO CAL to millions of viewers worldwide and provides economic impact for our communities. We look forward to welcoming the tour back in the years ahead.”
Pismo Beach officials weren’t expecting the city would serve as a staging area for the 2020 event, as organizers were planning to start the course in Southern California and finish in the northern region of the state, said Jorge Garcia, the city’s Management Services director.
“There’s a lot of logistics that need to be coordinated,” he said. “We definitely understand it needs to make sense for the business entity.”
Between meals and hotel stays, the race generated $140,000 for the city every year it hosted the start of a stage, Garcia said. It also helped spur tourism even beyond the days the event was in town, he said.
“We do hope it does come back in 2021,” he said.
Morro Bay officials are similarly hopeful the race will return to the city soon.
“(We’re) thankful to have partnered with Tour of California for three years and are hopeful that the tour will resume in the future,” City Manager Scott Collins said in a statement. “Morro Bay would welcome them back anytime!”
Council Member Red Davis echoed that feeling.
“This is a huge disappointment for all cycling fans,” Davis said.
“The Tour of California has brought the excitement of pro bike racing to U.S. fans for more than a dozen years. It’s raised awareness of the sport and helped all of us to advocate for local improvements to biking safety. But financial reality drives business decisions and I understand that. The only constant is that things change and we have to look for new opportunities. It’s been great to meet the racers and organizers and I wish them well. Thanks to everyone who brought this great event to the Central Coast for a lot of years.”
This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 3:38 PM.
