A Press Democrat Blog

Bicycling Sonoma

The spin on riding

Amgen Tour of California fans’ hot spots

The best spots to watch all the Sonoma County Tour of California action include: – FINISH LINE:  Thousands of people, big-screen televisions, bands, food and the riders. – INTERSECTION OF COLEMAN VALLEY ROAD AND BOHEMIAN HIGHWAY IN OCCIDENTAL: Riders streaming at break-neck pace on a descent that leads to a corkscrew left turn that will best their bike-handling abilities. -FIRST FORT ROSS SUMMIT: The toughest climb on Stage 1 will result in panting riders ascending to one of the iconic… Read More »

Amgen Tour of California on TV

The Amgen Tour of California will be broadcast this year on NBC and NBC Sports Network (NBC-SN) You can also watch online at amgentourofcalifornia.com using the RadioShack Tour Tracker. The Tour Tracker app can also be downloaded free for iOS and Android devices. SUNDAY, MAY 13 Santa Rosa TV: 2 p.m., NBC-SN MONDAY, MAY 14 San Francisco to Santa Cruz County TV: 2 p.m., NBC-SN TUESDAY, MAY 15 San Jose to Livermore TV: 2 p.m., NBC-SN WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 Sonora… Read More »

Tour of California spectator safety tips

Be a fan, not a pylon Ben Jacques-Mayne, a three-time finisher of the Tour of California who rides for BISSELL Pro Cycling, has some suggestions for staying safe and upright while watching a road race. Here are his three top tips: Yield the road “We’re going fast, stand back. We use every inch of the road. We don’t pay attention to the painted white lines on the side of the road. It’s not like we don’t use the shoulder. We… Read More »

Tour of California to honor Novato cancer survivor

By BOB NORBERG THE PRESS DEMOCRAT When the professional cyclists line up at the starting line for the Amgen Tour of California, cancer survivor Bill Ellis will be holding the starting gun. It is a new role for Ellis, who as a Santa Rosa traffic engineer has been behind the scenes setting up the detours and barricades for the race and other cycling events. It is also an honorary role for Ellis, a Novato resident and ultra-endurance rider who is… Read More »

Amgen Tour Santa Rosa T-shirts on sale

The start of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California is three months away, and as any area cycling fan knows, the race starts right here in Santa Rosa on May 13. As part of the ongoing fundraising efforts to support the cost of hosting the event, “official” T-shirts are now on sale to mark the Santa Rosa “Start Line.” The limited-edition shirts, which comes in multiple mens and womens sizes, have a dark background and are $15 each. They are… Read More »