Some of the world’s best cyclists will cycle way past Morgan
Hill’s scenic reservoirs
By Leann Shea, Staff Writer
Morgan Hill – Billed by sponsors as a unique week-long “rolling festival” through California, the inaugural 2006 Amgen Tour of California bicycle stage race rolls through Morgan Hill today in the third stage of the eight stage, 700-mile event. The route also includes the California redwoods, wine country and the Pacific Coast.
The international, Tour de France-style race has 16 professional cycling teams from around the world competing for the highest prize purse in North America, according to AEG Cycling, LLC.
At the end of each stage the Tour of California is having a health and fitness lifestyle expo, a free race-day festival. The festivals feature cancer awareness education, cycling gear, family activities, bike safety, food and entertainment. The stage three festival will be held in San Jose on Santa Teresa Blvd., between Chantilley Lane and Avenida Espana. Spectators can also view the live-action of the day’s race on a big screen on the finish line, as well as the traditional awards ceremony, where jerseys are presented to the day’s top riders and overall race leader.
Stage three begins at 11am, starting and ending in San Jose as the 17-mile individual time trial runs along the outskirts of San Jose on an undulating course along the Chesbro and Calero Reservoirs. A time trial pits a rider or team against the clock.
Some of the best viewing spots for the race as it passes through Morgan Hill are Uvas Road at Oakglen Avenue, Oak Glen Avenue at Willow Springs Road and the top of Willow Spring Hill.
Sponsors of the race expect more than one million spectators to attend the race over the course of the eight days and 700 miles and they hope it will become one of the nation’s largest and more recognized annual special events.
Levi Leipheimer, sponsored by Precision, of the Gerolsteiner team kicked off the tour by winning the prologue stage in San Francisco on Sunday and is favored to win. Juan Jose Haedo of the Toyota-United Pro team won Stage One, Sausalito to Santa Rosa, on Monday.
