Opinion: Does Tour de California lose clout without Armstrong?
By John Schumacher, Sacramento Bee
The Amgen Tour of California has displayed a deft touch in tweaking its route for the sixth annual pro cycling race.
Adding Lake Tahoe? A game changer. Returning to the Central Coast for a postcard ride down Highway 1? Breathtaking. Following the Solvang time trial with a Stage 7 climb up Mount Baldy? Dramatic.
But as cycling fans await the May 15-22 race – Stage 2 finishes at the state Capitol on May 16 – a bigger question hovers over the event.
Will Lance Armstrong compete?