The California coastline has never disappointed as a beautiful backdrop (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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A group sprints to the finish in the rain during stage 2 in 2010 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) looks dazed and bloodied after hitting the deck during the 2010 Tour of California (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Peter Sagan (Liquids) wins another stage in 2010 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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The race heads high into the San Bernardino mountains for stage 6 in 2010 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Peter Sagan (Liquids) spent a lot of time on the podium in 2012 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Sylvain Georges (AG2R La Mondiale) has to be helped after crossing the line after his solo win in Big Bear. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Robert Gesink (Rabobank) took home the overall win for 2012 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Robbie McEwen (Orica-GreenEdge) gets a special gift for his retirement in 2012 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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110 degree temperatures made for a tough day of riding and working on the way to Palm Springs (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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The James Dean memorial is just one of the iconic places the race has past over the years (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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The races passes through the wide open fields of the central valley (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Fans race riders along the climb (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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The coastline is dotted with bridges for the peloton to cross (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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The peloton crosses the landmark Golden Gate Bridge (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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High winds and a strong field make for an exciting day of racing (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Big crowds see the riders off from Pismo Beach (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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A helicopter shot from the first year of the race (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Riders cross the Bixby Bridge during the 2006 version of the race (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Passing through one of the fishing communities which had never seen a bike race before (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Horrible weather along the coast in 2008 made for one of the race’s most memorable stages (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Janier Acevedo (Jamis) is helped after winning in the blistering heat (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Jens Voigt (RadioShack) takes home a stage win in Avila Beach (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Taylor Phinney (BMC) on the way to his win in Santa Barbara (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Mario Cipollini stages a comeback for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Dominique Rollin (Toyota United) won one of the more miserable days of US stage racing during the 2008 edition (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Michael Ball brought his Rock Racing team to compete in 2008 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Fans have never failed to be creative throughout the years (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Lance Armstrong (Astana) raced in 2009 for his comeback for the Tour de France (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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A breakaway hits the bottom of Sierra Road in 2009 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Fans went crazy over having Lance Armstrong back on the scene in 2009 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Fans got to see the dangers of bike racing up close during the first stage in 2007 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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World Champion Paolo Bettini, race leader Levi Leipheimer and US National Champion George Hincapie line up for the start in 2007 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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JJ Haedo (CSC) takes the win in 2008 heading into Santa Rosa (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Chris Horner (RadioShack) heads to the line and the overall win of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins lead the group for the final stage in 2014 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Bradley Wiggins (Sky) won the 2014 Amgen Tour of California (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Janier Acevedo (Jamis) proved he could take on the big names with his win in Palm Springs (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Rohan Dennis (Garmin) on the way to wining atop Mount Diablo (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Floyd Landis (Phonak) rides the TT with his unique style back in 2006 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Chris Horner (Lotto) during the 2006 Amgen Tour of California (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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A snowstorm in Tahoe made the first stage of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California a non-starter (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Chris Horner (RadioShack) put his stamp on the race when he dropped the rest of the field going up Sierra Road (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Chris Horner (RadioShack) after his TT win (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
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Ivan Basso (Discovery) puts pressure on the front of the race on a climb in 2007 (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
2015 marks the tenth anniversary for America's biggest stage race, the Tour of California which debuted on the cycling calendar in February 2006. The race has since moved to May, from 2010, in an attempt to attract the biggest names in the sport. The first ever stage of the race was a prologue held in San Francisco and won by Levi Leipheimer who became the first rider to pull on the yellow leader's jersey but it was Floyd Landis claiming the overall victory.
Leipheimer would make the race his own though with three straight victories between 2007 and 2009 before Australian Michael Rogers became the first non-American rider to claim overall victory. As Leipheimer's strangle hold on the GC was ended, Peter Sagan became a new star of the race from 2010 when he won two stages at the race and the points classification. Sagan has won at least one stage in the race each year since with his 2012 feat of winning the first four stages of the race a definite highlight and holds the record of most stage wins with 13.
Chris Horner and Tejay van Garderen have provided two further overall wins for America at the race while in 2014, Bradley Wiggins became the first Tour de France champion and Briton to claim overall victory at the race and his name to the list of winners. Three time best young rider at the race, Robert Gesink was the first European winner in 2012 with his stage win on Mount Baldy setting up the victory and is the only former winner racing in 2015.
The race has also witnessed several notable wins from breakaways from the likes of Taylor Phinney (2014), Lieuwe Westra (2013) and Jens Voigt (2013) while the weather has made its impact felt on the race. The first stage of the 2011 edition of the race had to be cancelled due to heavy snow in Lake Tahoe but generally the race shows of the beauty of the California coastline and the Sierra Nevada under blue sunny skies.
Enjoy our retrospective gallery of the race but clicking through the photos above.
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