Tour of California

published 7 May 2021

Where: USA

Rank: WorldTour (men) | WorldTour (women)

The Tour of California 2019 was made up of a seven-stage men's race and three-stage women's edition.

Since it started in 2006, the Tour of California has become a premier race not just in the US, but for many top riders from around the world. For 2019, the men's race ran from May 12-18, and the women's from May 16-18.

The Tour of California is a great race to watch on television, with the stunning backdrop of the Californian scenery shown off by aerial footage of the peloton snaking its way through the countryside.

The race is in both the UCI Men's WorldTour series and the UCI Women's WorldTour series and the sunny shores of the famous American state are attracting some of the biggest names as an alternative to the Giro d'Italia in Europe.

However, the weather can be as challenging as the race route, with both heavy snowfall and extremely high temperatures affecting various editions in recent years.

In October 2019, it was announced the race would be put on hiatus, with hopes that it will be re-launched for 2021. It was claimed the 'business fundamentals' of the race had changed.

Tour of California 2019 Stages: men's race

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Stage 1 - Sun May 12	Sacramento to Sacramento	143km	Flat
Stage 2 - Mon May 13	Rancho Cordova to South Lake Tahoe	194.5km	Mountain
Stage 3 - Tues May 14	Stockton to Morgan Hill	207km	Mountain
Stage 4 - Weds May 15	Laguna Seca to Morro Bay	212.5km	Hilly
Stage 5 - Thurs May 16	Pismo Beach to Ventura	218.5km	Hilly
Stage 6 - Fri May 17	Ontario to Mount Baldy	127.5km	Mountain
Stage 7 - Sat May 18	Santa Clarita to Pasadena	141km	Mountain

Tour of California 2019 Stages: women's race

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Stage 1 - Thurs May 16	Ventura to Ventura	96.5km
Stage 2 - Fri May 17	Ontario to Mt Baldy	74km
Stage 3 - Sat May 18	Santa Clarita to Pasadena	126km

Tour of California: Recent winners (men)

2019 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates

2018 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Sky

2017 George Bennett (NZ) Team LottoNL-Jumbo

2016 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx-QuickStep
2015 Peter Sagan (Slv) Tinkoff

2014 Bradley Wiggins (GBR) Sky

2013 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC

2012 Robert Gesink (Hol) Rabobank

2011 Chris Horner (USA) RadioShack

2010 Michael Rogers (Aus) HTC-Columbia

2009 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana

2008 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana

Tour of California: Recent winners (women)

2019 Anna van der Breggen (Hol) Boels-Dolmans

2018 Katie Hall (USA) United Health Care

2017 Anna Van Der Breggen (Hol) Boels-Dolmans

2016 Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels-Dolmans

2015 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Velocio-SRAM

Info: Men's start list | TV guide

External links: Official website | Twitter - @AmgenTourofCali

Tour of California won’t be held in 2020

The Tour of California will not be held in 2020, the race organiser has announced.

Brilliant Tadej Pogačar rides into Tour of California lead after thrilling stage six win

The UAE-Team Emirates rider beat Sergio Higuita of EF-Education First to ride into the yellow jersey

By Chris Marshall-Bell Published 17 May 19
'It sets a dangerous precedent': Tour of California riders react to controversial UCI ruling

The UCI commissaires allowed Tejay van Garderen to maintain his overall lead despite getting caught in a crash outside of the 3km mark

By Sophie Smith Published 17 May 19

Controversy at Tour of California as Tejay van Garderen allowed to keep leader’s jersey despite losing time

The Tour of California has been hit by a controversy after Tejay van Garderen was allowed to hold onto the race lead, despite losing time on stage four.

By Alex Ballinger Published 16 May 19
‘Like sitting on the indoor trainer for seven hours’: Mark Cavendish survives brutal day in Tour of California

Mark Cavendish survived a brutal day of climbing on stage two of the Tour of California that was “like sitting on the indoor trainer for seven hours.”

By Alex Ballinger Published 14 May 19
Fernando Gaviria beats Sagan and Ewan again at Tour of California for second stage win

Fernando Gaviria took his second stage win of the 2018 Tour of California as he out-sprinted Caleb Ewan and Peter Sagan on stage five in Elk Grove.

By Henry Robertshaw Published 18 May 18

Toms Skujiņš attacks to win stage three of the Tour of California as Bernal retains lead

Toms Skujiņš took an attacking victory on an exciting third stage of the Tour of California as Team Sky' Egan Bernal maintained his overall lead.

By Henry Robertshaw Published 16 May 18
Egan Bernal dominates Tour of California summit finish to move into race lead

Egan Bernal (Team Sky) took a dominant victory on a tough summit finish at the end of the second stage of the Tour of California to move into the race lead.

By Henry Robertshaw Published 15 May 18
'I would have been happy with top 20': Team Sky's Jon Dibben reflects on his first pro win

Jon Dibben was understandably delighted to take his first pro win at the Tour of California, revealing that a top 20 finish would have been good enough.

By Henry Robertshaw Published 20 May 17

Ian Boswell handed chance to lead Team Sky in Tour of California

25-year-old American Ian Boswell has been given his first chance to lead a major stage race for Team Sky, and says it's a 'pivotal point' in his career

By Gregor Brown Published 24 January 17
Bradley Wiggins wins the Tour of California as Mark Cavendish takes final stage

Bradley Wiggins seals overall victory in the Tour of California

By Nigel Wynn Published 18 May 14
Elisa Balsamo wins frantic stage three as Anna van der Breggen wraps up Tour of California GC

Italian rider Elisa Bolsamo continues her good form, while Anna van der Breggen repeats her 2017 triumph

By Chris Marshall-Bell Published 18 May 19

Greg Van Avermaet targeting Tour of California comeback

Greg Van Avermaet will not defend his Belgium Tour title in May, instead making his comeback at the Amgen Tour of California

By Stuart Clarke Published 13 April 16
Tao Geoghegan Hart pays tribute to former team-mate Chad Young

Tao Geoghegan Hart remembers his old team-mate on the roads of Yorkshire and says ‘it serves as a reminder to make the most of every day’

By James Shrubsall Published 1 May 17
Team Sky announce Tour of California line-up

British road race champion Peter Kennaugh in Sky's seven-man roster for 2016 Tour of California (May 15-22)

By Nigel Wynn Published 10 May 16

Bradley Wiggins edges further ahead in Tour of California

Bradley Wiggins fends off rivals on mountain-top finish as Esteban Chaves wins stage for Orica-GreenEdge

By Nigel Wynn Published 16 May 14
Julian Alaphilippe maintains overall lead as Tom Skujins wins Tour of California stage five

The Latvian Cannondale rider won after being in the breakaway for much of the 213km stage to Lake Tahoe

By Richard Windsor Published 19 May 16
On-bike footage of Peter Sagan's blistering win at the Tour of California (video)

A camera attached to a Drapac Pro Cycling bike records Peter Sagan's win at the Tour of California

By Stuart Clarke Published 14 May 15

Peter Sagan confirmed to return to racing at Tour of California

Peter Sagan will return to racing for the first time since finishing his spring Classics campaign, lining up at the Tour of California.

By Henry Robertshaw Published 8 May 18
Rafal Majka takes overall lead of Tour of California after winning thrilling stage two

Rafal Majka beat George Bennett to the line for the stage honours as a breakaway made it to the finish of stage two of the Tour of California

By Richard Windsor Published 15 May 17
Hannah Barnes crowned best young rider at Women's Tour of California

Video highlights for the three stages of the inaugural Women's Tour of California

By Nigel Wynn Published 11 May 15

Bradley Wiggins extends lead in Tour of California

Bradley Wiggins capitalises on split in peloton to gain time on Rohan Dennis as William Routley wins stage from escape

By Nigel Wynn Published 15 May 14
Bahrain-Merida's Iván Cortina wins Tour of California stage five

Tejay van Garderen (EF-Education First) maintains his lead in the general classification, though it has been cut to four seconds

By Chris Marshall-Bell Published 17 May 19
Mark Cavendish faces tough sprint opposition in Tour of California

By Nigel Wynn Published 6 May 15

Mark Cavendish wins opening stage of Tour of California

Manx Missile Mark Cavendish claims his 10th victory of the season, winning stage one of the Amgen Tour of California

By Nigel Wynn Published 10 May 15
Peter Sagan wins Tour of California time trial; takes overall lead

Tinkoff-Saxo's Peter Sagan took victory in the 10.6km time trial by 15 seconds, moving him into the leader's yellow jersey

By Stuart Clarke Published 16 May 15
'We are willing to sacrifice ourselves': Deceuninck - Quick-Step dominant with three stages in a row at Tour of California 2019

The Tour of California has proved fertile ground for super-team Deceuninck - Quick-Step, as the Belgian outfit racked up its 29th win of the season on stage four.

By Cycling Weekly Published 16 May 19

Marcel Kittel will not ride Tour of California as struggles continue

German sprinter Marcel Kittel admits he is still short of condition after a long-running virus and will not race at the Tour of California

By Stuart Clarke Published 7 May 15
Peter Sagan wins stage one of Tour of California 2019

Sagan beat Travis McCabe and Max Walscheid to the line in Sacramento

By Chris Marshall-Bell Published 13 May 19
Mark Cavendish wins stage eight of the Tour of California as Alaphilippe wraps up overall title

Mark Cavendish wins the final stage of the Tour of California, denying double stage winner Peter Sagan in the sprint in state capital Sacramento

By Stuart Clarke Published 22 May 16

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