OVERVIEW

DOWNTOWN

Downtown Stage Finish
Downtown Santa Rosa—tried and true for five fabulous races.  Upon request we can provide more detailed maps with parking and staging options for this or any of the locations listed.  When it comes to getting to any of these start/finish location options we have the local expertise to help design the route.

Downtown Stage Start
Again—tried and true.  But what in Santa Rosa isn’t?  Historic Railroad Square served as a beautiful stage start location for the 2007 and 2008 Tours.

OTHER OPTIONS

A Place to Play Park Circuit
One of Santa Rosa’s newest parks providing the backdrop for a fast and flat circuit through tree lined streets.  This 3.8 mile loop will provide for an exciting stage sprint.

Fountaingrove Circuit
A challenging finish or circuit made even more decisive with the alternative section added will send the riders up a sharp climb though the northern hills of Santa Rosa.  With breathtaking views and dramatic elevation changes, this option will add excitement to the finish of any stage.

Railroad Square Circuit 
Highlighting Historical Railroad Square, this 3.3 mile loop will provide a fast flat finish for the sprinters or breakaway.

Roseland Circuit
This 3.5 mile circuit through the  heart of Roseland cuts though wide tree line streets, finishing in the energetic commercial corridor where crowds are sure to line the streets. 

EPIC STAGE

What the heck… We thought we’d give this a try, too! (thinking way outside the box)

Sonoma County, without a doubt is one of the most beautiful and challenging cycling destinations in the world.  This course, an epic stage with history, is a cross section of everything that makes Sonoma County great: 

The Route starts with a run towards the mountains.  Traveling from Santa Rosa, the cultural and cycling epicenter of the county, the Tour crosses historic Woller Bridge and moves into one of the premier wine growing regions in the world.  The section from Warm Springs Dam to the coast is steep—longer and harder than anything that has been included in Tour before.  The area is remote but the road is big, open, and well paved, thus making race logistics easy.  The climbs are steep and the descents are fast and technical.

The 44 miles from the dam to the coast is hilly and hard, but the climb to the Stewart's Point Rancheria is what legends are made of.  It rivals any climb in the Tour of California or the Giro d’Italia.  It is also beautiful, crossing an historic bridge over a small river, climbing in the shadows of mature redwoods…it’s an announcer’s dream stage for Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen.   Passing through Salt Point State Park the course runs along one of the most beautiful coast lines in the world, and most unique in California.  The deep switchback, stunning rugged coast, and lack of development will make stunning visuals from the air and the road…this is stuff where posters come from.  

At Timber Cove, it's back to the office.  A short steep climb puts the riders on the ridge line that parallels the coast before coming to the best and fastest decent in the Sonoma County on a wide, smooth and non technical road.  From the top the visuals are amazing with views of the entire Sonoma County coast line all the way to Pt. Reyes.  From the bottom, switch-back after switch back with a continuous steam of riders laying on the line to get back to a group. 

And, then it's back to Coleman Valley Road, part of the Tour’s past, part of the Levi Leipheiemer King Ridge GranFondo, and part of every cyclist’s psyche whether they live here or not.  As in past Tours this climb will be lined from top to bottom with fans.  Phil and Paul will love it.

The course then runs through the charming alpine town of Occidental before making a screaming 15 mile run back to Santa Rosa.

This route has it all—134 miles with 8,500 feet of climbing, and...