Tour of California rides through AV

Valley Press on ^ | Sunday, February 22, 2009. | ALEXA VAUGHN

[BenLurkin]

ACTON - Cycling fans from near and far gathered along Soledad Canyon on Saturday to see cycling champions, including seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, compete in a stage of the Amgen Tour of California. In Stage 7 of a 750-mile race that started in Sacramento, cyclists rolled out at noon from Santa Clarita, wound through Soledad Canyon into Acton and then turned right on Aliso Canyon Road en route to Angeles Crest Highway and a ride over the San Gabriel Mountains to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

About 1:15 p.m., more than a hundred spectators watched the pelaton, or main bunch of cyclists, sprint past the intersection of Crown Valley and Soledad Canyon roads before they headed for the tour's highest elevation, 4,906 feet, at Millcreek Summit in the San Gabriels.

Though they were not at the races's finish line, friends, families and couples sought out spots along the road to welcome the racers with their own celebrations.

Tony Jensen of Acton said he and a co-worker had been anticipating the race for a while.

"You don't get to see a race like this every day," Jensen said.

Many spectators came from out of town to see this particular stage of the race.

Christopher Tynan and Heather Kuykendall, who drove from Napa, lounged by the trunk of their car with glasses of red wine as they waited for the racers.

[BenLurkin]

"TOUGH STAGE - Spectators along Soledad Canyon Road in Acton cheer on cyclists competing in the Amgen Tour of California pass through in stage 7 of the race on Saturday." EVELYN KRISTO/Valley Press

[Daffynition]

Cool! Wonder if Cagey was there?