Countdown to Amgen: Rosters announced

All eyes are on California this week as the Amgen Tour of California gets underway in San Diego on Sunday, May 15. One of the most important races on the international cycling calendar, Amgen brings some of the brightest cycling stars in the world to the state as they travel 782 miles in different stages from Southern to Northern California for eight days. The race goes through 12 host cities, including San Diego (first-time host), South Pasadena (first-time host), Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara County, Morro Bay (first-time host), Monterey County, Lodi, South Lake Tahoe (officially a first-time host), Folsom, Santa Rosa and Sacramento.

During Stage 5, the men leave Lodi at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 19 and race 132.4 miles to South Lake Tahoe via Highway 88 and Kirkwood.

The women's Stage 1 is in South Lake Tahoe, also on May 19. They will leave the Heavenly Mountain Resort at 10:50 a.m., travel the 72 miles around the lake heading clockwise, then end back at the lodge, the same spot as the men will finish.

AEG, presenter of the Amgen Tour of California announced rosters for the eleventh annual men's stage race today. This year’s field includes 11 World Champions, five Olympic medalists and Rio Olympic hopefuls.

The men's race will pit reigning World Champion and UCI’s top-ranked rider Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), also the California defending champion and Sprint record holder, against rivals Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka), who came away with the green jersey last year, John Degenkolb (Team Giant-Alpecin) and Alexander Kristoff (Team KATUSHA).

In addition to Sagan, general classification hopefuls include 2014 race champion Bradley Wiggins, back with his development squad (Team WIGGINS), French sensation Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team), who placed second by seconds last year, Laurens ten Dam (Team Giant-Alpecin), Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team), Andrew Talansky (Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) and Lawson Craddock (Cannondale Pro Cycling Team), two-time Best Young Rider at the Amgen Tour of California.

With 144 cyclists (18 teams), and the most ever World Tour teams, preparing to face-off over a 782-mile course from Southern to Northern California May 15-22, some of the favorites in the most popular categories include:

General Classification (Overall Contenders)
· Andrew Talansky (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Team WIGGINS (WGN)
· Bryan Coquard (FRA), Direct Énergie (DEN)
· George Bennett (NZL), Team Lotto NL - Jumbo (TLJ)
· Janez Brajkovic (SLO), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
· Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
· Lachlan Morton (AUS), Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis (JBC)
· Laurens ten Dam (NED), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
· Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Peter Kennaugh (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
· Peter Stetina (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
· Rohan Dennis (AUS), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Tom Skujins (LAT), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff

Sprinters
· Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Team KATUSHA (KAT)
· Ben Swift (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
· Danny Van Poppel (NED), Team Sky (SKY)
· Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (ESP), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
· John Degenkolb (GER), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
· John Murphy (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
· Keil Reijnen (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
· Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
· Mark Renshaw (AUS), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
· Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
· Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff (TNK)
· Ryan Anderson (CAN), Direct Énergie (DEN)
· Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)

Climbers
· Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
· Laurens ten Dam (NED), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
· Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Phil Gaimon (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Robin Carpenter (USA), Holowesko Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear (HSD)
· Tom Skujins (LAT), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Will Routley (CAN), Rally Cycling (RLY)

Stage Wins
· Alex Howes (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Team KATUSHA (KAT)
· Brent Bookwalter (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Danny Pate (USA), Rally Cycling (RLY)
· Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Jasper Stuyven (BEL), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
· Javier Megias (ESP), Team Novo Nordisk (TNN)
· John Murphy (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
· Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx–Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
· Keil Reijnen (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
· Logan Owen (USA), Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team (AHB)
· Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
· Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff (TNK)
· Samuel Sanchez (ESP), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Stijn Vandenbergh (BEL), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
· Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)

Individual Time Trialists (2016 Time Trial takes place May 26 in Folsom)
· Andrew Talansky (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Team WIGGINS (WGN)
· Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
· Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
· Maciej Bodnar (POL), Tinkoff (TNK)
· Peter Kennaugh (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
· Rohan Dennis (AUS), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
· Tom Zirbel (USA), Rally Cycling (RLY)

“In an Olympic year, it is especially exciting to welcome so many elite competitors and Olympic gold hopefuls to the golden state,” said Kristin Klein, president of the race and executive vice president of AEG Sports. “The Amgen Tour of California is filled with talent this year, and as we kick off a new decade of California racing, fans will be treated to the most exciting edition yet.”

Race fans can keep up with the race with live nightly coverage on NBC Sports Network (May 15-21) and NBC (May 22 race conclusion) and the Microsoft Tour Tracker App for desktop and mobile, and connect with the race through all of their favorite social media platforms. Links are available at the Social drop-down menu at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com and fans can use #AMERICASGREATESTRACE to join the conversation.

For further information about the Amgen Tour of California and to experience the race like never before with VIP Access, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.