Amgen Cycling Tour to Go Through Palm Desert, Stop in Palm Springs

Palm Springs will be a host city next spring for the 2013 Amgen Tour of California, a major cycling race, it was announced this week.

The race, which starts in Escondido and ends in Santa Rosa, will enter the Coachella Valley on May 13. Cyclists will ride down Highway 74 through Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Cathedral City, ending in Palm Springs, city spokeswoman Amy Blaisdell said. The Palm Springs stop is the end of the race's second stage, which starts in Murrieta.

Twelve cities have been named host cities for the Amgen Tour, which is scheduled May 12-19. The 750-mile route will stretch south to north for the first time in the race's eight-year history, the tour announced Tuesday.

"The city of Palm Springs is honored to host the best cyclists in the world for the 2013 Amgen Tour of California," Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet said.

The Amgen Tour boasts itself as "The largest cycling event in America... a Tour de France-style cycling road race, created and presented by AEG, that challenged the world's top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course..."

Amgen estimates that the 2012 event drew out more than 2 million spectators.

The 12 Host City partners for the 2013 Amgen Tour of California include: 

• Stage 1: Sunday, May 12 - Escondido
• Stage 2: Monday, May 13 - Murrieta to Greater Palm Springs
• Stage 3: Tuesday, May 14 - Palmdale to Santa Clarita
• Stage 4: Wednesday, May 15 - Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara
• Stage 5: Thursday, May 16 - Santa Barbara to Avila Beach
• Stage 6: Friday, May 17 - San Jose (Individual Time Trial)
• Stage 7: Saturday, May 18 - Livermore to Mt. Diablo
• Stage 8: Sunday, May 19 - San Francisco to Santa Rosa

For more information on the event go to www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.