Amgen Bicycle Tour of California Coming to Yosemite Area
Date: February 10, 2009

The largest cycling event in America, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding, recently expanded, 750-mile course from Sacramento to Escondido from February 14-22, 2009. For the first time, the Tour will be passing through the Yosemite National Park area with the course going through the gateway communities of Mariposa and Oakhurst. The Yosemite portion, Stage 4, will occur midday on Wednesday, February 18.

Visitors entering and exiting the park via Highways 41 (from the south) and 140 (from the west) can expect short traffic delays as the race travels through this region. The delays are expected to last no more than 45 minutes and will occur between noon and 2:00 pm. Park visitors should expect these short delays and can utilize the time watching over 100 world-class cyclists biking through the region for the first time. Viewing of the event is encouraged in downtown Mariposa and Oakhurst, as well as pull-outs along the highway. All traffic delays will be conducted by the California Highway Patrol.

At the conclusion of the Stage, there will be a Lifestyle Festival in Old Town Clovis. In addition to awards presented to the riders, tables with vendors and personnel from local area attractions will be in attendance. National Park Service representatives will attend the Festival to interact with the media and answer questions about Yosemite National Park.