2019 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S RACE
empowered with SRAM:
Over three days from May 16-18, the elite field of 16 teams comprised of 92 riders representing 21 countries will compete over a 177-mile course for the first time exclusively in Southern California, including the race start in Ventura, the “Queen Stage” from Ontario to the summit finish atop Mt. Baldy, and the overall race conclusion from Santa Clarita to Pasadena. Seven of the world’s current top-9 UCI ranked women’s teams will compete in the three-day road race, including top-ranked Boels Dolmans.
The only UCI women’s stage race on the continent, and fifth longest of the 23 UCI WorldTour races, America’s Greatest Race will showcase Boels Dolmans’ Olympic gold medalist and current World Champion Anna Van der Breggen (2017) and the top-three finishers in last year’s edition including California-based reigning race champion Katie Hall (2018) returning to compete along with six current National Road Race Champions.
The elite field will include former World Champions Lizzie Deignan (2015/Trek-Segafredo) and Chantal Blaak (2017/Boels Dolmans); WNT Rotor Pro Cycling Team‘s German rider Lisa Brennauer and Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team’s Amber Neben, who both hold multiple World and National Champion titles.
Starting off in their hometown of Ventura, Calif. sisters Kendall Ryan (Team Tibco Silicon Valley Bank) and Alexis Ryan (Canyon Sram Racing) will try their home court advantage on a punchy stage that includes 5,000 feet of climbing and ends with an unforgiving ascent to Serra Cross over gifted climbers Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (CCC – Liv) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon Sram Racing), who took third place at last year’s race.
Astana’s Arlenis Sierra (Astana Women’s Team), who claimed the green jersey at the 2017 California event and a stage win in Sacramento last year will return, as will Trek-Segafredo U.S. riders Tayler Wiles, who placed second in last year’s edition, and Ruth Winder, who claimed a stage at the 2018 Giro d’Italia Femminile.
The world will watch to see what the field’s upcoming cyclists have in store, including 2020 Tokyo Olympic hopefuls Emma White (Rally UHC); Chloé Dygert (Sho Air TWENTY20), who set a World Record on the track for individual pursuit last year; and Tustin, Calif.-based speedster Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb), who at age 26 holds 72 national titles and a 2017 stage victory in California.
With equal prize money being awarded each stage, the final three stages of the men’s Amgen Tour of California event run consecutively beginning with a stage finish in Ventura Thursday making it the only multi-stage men’s and women’s duel event on the UCI WorldTour calendar.
@Oran Kelly Kendall Ryan Team TIBCO Silicon Valley Bank
« I’m really excited the race is in Ventura. I know the finish line like the back of my hand; I know every pothole and crack in the road. »
The women to be awarded as much as the men
For its 12th edition, the Amgen Tour of California women’s race empowered with Sram will award the men and women equally.
Stage 1:
Ventura, Thursday, May, 16th 2019 –The wind and challenging hills saw the peloton shatter and reform many times over, including on the final climb to the finish. As the teams were organizing to launch their sprinters to the line, World Champion Anna van der Breggen of the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team attacked and ran away to a solo victory despite a wicked headwind. Van der Breggen is a returning race champion, having won the event in 2017.
Photo by Gerhard Plomitzer – www.plomi.smugmug.com at Fleche Wallone 2018
1 Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 2:36:17
2 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling 0:00:18
3 Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Astana Women’s Team
4 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb Women
5 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) CCC-Liv
6 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM
7 Emma White (USA) Rally UHC Cycling Women
8 Elizabeth Deignan (GBr) Trek-Segafredo Women
9 Brodie Chapman (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:20
10 Marta Cavalli (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling
GC:
Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Boels Dolmans 2:36:04
2 Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Valcar-Cylance Cycling 0:00:25
3 Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Astana Women’s Team 0:00:27
4 Elizabeth Deignen (GBr) Trek-Segafredo Women 0:00:29
5 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb Women 0:00:31
6 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) CCC-Liv
7 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM
8 Emma White (USA) Rally UHC Cycling Women
9 Olga Zabelinskaya (Uzb) Cogeas Mettler Look 0:00:32
10 Brodie Chapman (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:33
