SANTA ROSA TO HOST DAY 2 OF AMGEN TOUR

Professional cyclists will race into downtown Santa Rosa on May 17, marking

the second day of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California.

Sources said Wednesday the city will host the Day 2 finish of the eight-day

race billed as the nation's top professional cycling event. Race organizers

are expected to make a formal announcement today.

City leaders confirmed earlier this month that the race would return to

Santa Rosa for a fifth straight year. The remaining questions then were

whether the city would host the start or finish of a stage and what day the

cyclists would race through town.

''It's great news for us, for our business and for all the bike shops in

town,'' said Glen Fant, an owner of NorCal Bike Sport and the Bike Peddler

stores in Santa Rosa. ''We definitely see an increase in business because of

all the excitement the tour makes.''

The Sacramento Bee reported Wednesday that the race's first stage will

begin May 16 in Nevada City and end in Sacramento. Citing unnamed sources, the

newspaper reported the second stage will start the next day in Davis and

finish in Santa Rosa.

A local source confirmed the details of Santa Rosa's role in the race.

The city must raise $175,000 in private donations to host the event. The

funds will include proceeds from the 3,500-rider King Ridge GranFondo on

Oct.3, the largest amateur cycling event ever held in Sonoma County. The ride

was hosted by professional cyclist Levi Leipheimer, a Santa Rosa resident who

has won the Tour for three straight years.

Next year's Tour will start in spring, rather than February when the racers

at times were buffeted by rain and strong winds. The event will overlap with

the 2010 Giro d'Italia, forcing riders to choose between the two races.

Staff Writer Robert Digitale can be reached at 521-5285 and

robert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com.