With Santa Clarita readying to host the Amgen Tour of California for the fifth time, city officials are welcoming the public to a viewing party and warning residents of potential delays.
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For the first time ever, the race will be heading south to north, and there will be plenty of opportunities to view the cyclists, “unprecedented climbs and demanding sprints on the approximately 750-mile course,” according to officials.
While city officials are encouraging people to come out and enjoy a viewing party, it’s also made a massive push to let everyone know about the route and how it may affect their commute.
“We’re doing a whole lot of outreach,” said Evan Thomason, city communications specialist. “There will be impacts and we’re doing our very best to lessen those impacts by informing residents so they can plan ahead.”
With several road closures planned, the city has placed about 20,000 door hangers to let those residents most affected know about the race, he said.
There’s also a Santa Clarita website created for the Amgen Tour of California to help those looking for more information about the closures, Thomason said.
The website has elevation maps, bike routes and information useful as a fan or a concerned resident.
For Tuesday, the city and Sheriff’s Department have released the following information:
There will be an approximate 20-minute closure of southbound San Francisquito Canyon Road, west to Copper Hill Drive, and through the industrial center to the I-5 Freeway between 12:45 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The closures are what’s known as “rolling closures,” officials said.
This means the timing of the closure is predicated upon the race’s progress, and it could be delayed if there’s a crash.
It also could be delayed If there’s an emergency situation for any reason that prompts vehicles to cross through the cyclists’ path — public safety takes top priority, Thomason said.
Here’s Information about Tuesday’s stage from the city’s website, SantaClaritaTourofCA.com:
This stage will feature the 22-mile climb up Lake Hughes Road and follow the route of the famous Furnace Creek 508, the ultra-endurance race through Santa Clarita. The peloton will likely break apart on the massive climb, but an 18-mile descent to the finish will give the riders a chance to regroup and mount a large field sprint toward the finish line.
Best place to view: There will be a Lifestyle Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Magic Mountain at the finish line in between Citrus and Auto Center Drive at the finish line (northeast corner of Westfield Valencia Town Center.
This is the best place to view the race in Santa Clarita. There will be jumbo-tron televisions showing live progress of the race as seen on NBC Sports Network, as well as trick riders, vendors and a beer garden. All the excitement will build towards the actual finish as riders complete the 111 mile stage with a sprint to the finish.
The race can also be viewed along the route. Once the riders come to Bouquet Canyon Road at approximately 3 p.m.
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