STAGE 6 OF 2012 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA LEADS RACERS TO A GRUELING MOUNTAIN FINISH IN BIG BEAR
Today officials of the Amgen Tour of California announced the Stage 6 route from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake. On Friday, May 18 the world’s top professional cyclists will battle it out on a demanding route known as The Big Bear Climb. After a hiatus during the 2011 Amgen Tour of California, Big Bear Lake is back on the race map, challenging riders to face a daunting Stage 6. The Big Bear Climb is the first of back-to-back mountain finishes dubbed as the race’s “Daily Double,” The Big Bear Climb (Stage 6 Finish) and Mt. Baldy (Stage 7 Finish).
“Stage 6 and 7 of the race will definitely test the riders’ mettle with back-to-back climbs,” said Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the race and senior vice president of AEG Sports. “Stage 6 will not only test the riders’ physical strengths, but they will need to put some extra thought into strategizing as well.”
The route from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake consists of 115 miles and more than 12,000 feet of climbing. The grueling Stage 6 should have a significant impact on the overall standings of the Amgen Tour of California. Stage 6 is all about strategy where racers will need to determine how to attack the first of back-to-back mountain finishes.
Stage 6 begins at Marie Kerr Park in the City of Palmdale at 10 a.m. The cyclists begin the race with a neutral section heading south on historic Sierra Highway to Pearblossom Highway. After 10 miles the route veers left onto Angeles Forest Highway where riders face the impressive San Gabriel mountain range. After a short stretch on Angeles Forest Highway, the route turns left onto Mt. Emma Road, and within a few miles the first of four King of the Mountains (KOMs) will be crested. Racers then descend to Fort Tejon Road, which eventually leads to a 12-mile monstrous climb to a 7,000 foot summit at the top of Angeles Crest Highway. From here racers sprint to Wrightwood at an elevation of 5,960 feet.
The peloton of riders will cross Interstate 15 on an overpass, and make their push east onto a curvy Highway 138 to Silverwood Lake. In the distance cyclists will see mountain vistas that surround Big Bear Lake, which looks quite intimidating from afar. From Silverwood Lake a vertical and windy climb into the San Bernardino Mountains begins on their way to Crestline.
The race then moves onto Highway 18, which is known as the Rim of the World Highway, because of its narrow stretch of road that sets on the edge of the San Bernardino Mountains. This portion of the race goes through the mountain communities of Sky Forest, Running Springs and Arrowbear.
Just outside of Arrowbear the racers will encounter the last long sustained climb of the day. The riders will have a steep climb all the way to Lakeview Point, which tops out at 7,112 feet. At this point the cyclists will be treated to a stunning view of Big Bear Lake, the jewel of the San Bernardino Mountains.
From Lakeview Point the racers will sprint along a portion of Highway 18, known as the Arctic Circle. The racers will kick it into high gear as they give it their all on this final sprint to Big Bear Lake. The race route enters Big Bear Valley at Big Bear Dam, but rather than crossing the dam and heading through the City of Big Bear Lake, the riders will continue on the north shore of the lake and race along the shoreline for about three miles. The cyclists will ride through the quaint mountain town of Fawnskin and pass by some of Big Bear’s most recognizable locales, such as the Big Bear Discovery Center, Serrano Campground and the East Boat Public Launch Ramp. The cyclists will cross over Stanfield Cutoff to the City of Big Bear Lake and make a mad dash for the finish line at the base of Snow Summit Mountain Resort at an elevation of 7,000 feet.
The race starts in Palmdale at 10 a.m., and is expected to end in Big Bear Lake sometime between 2:35 p.m. and 3:25 p.m. When the riders cross the finish line in Big Bear they will have climbed more than 12,000 feet. The Big Bear Climb should be a determining factor in the outcome of the final standings.
About the Amgen Tour of CaliforniaThe largest cycling event in America, the 2012 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style road cycling race, presented by AEG, that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course from May 13-20.
February 08, 2012
