Amgen Tour of California 2019 Official Program

14 | AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA | OFFICIAL 2019 PROGRAM 2019 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIAWOMEN’S RACE EMPOWERED WITH SRAM For 2018 women’s winner Katie Hall (Boels-Dolmans), this year’s course is a challenge she’s ready for. “California is really special to me – it’s my home state, and I’m excited to race these new courses in Southern California,” Hall said. “This is going to be an exciting race! The courses are new and well-designed and will make for some aggressive and exciting finishes.” Hall is particularly happy about the Stage 2 mountaintop finish at Mt. Baldy – the first HC climb in the history of the wom- en’s race. En route to her overall GC win a year ago, Hall captured the Queen Stage after climbing to victory in South Lake Tahoe, and she also went home with the Lexus Queen of the Mountain jersey. Hall is again a contender for the yellow jersey, and so is her teammate, Anna Van der Breggen (NED). The reigning World Champion and Olympic gold medalist, Van der Breggen won the 2017 Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM, and has remained among the top 10 in the UCI rankings this year. Also mix in another Boels-Dolmans rider, Chan- tal Blaak (NED), the 2017 World Cham- pion, who finished among the top 10 in three of her first four WorldTour events this year, including second at the Ronde van Drenthe. “I think I’m not the only rider on the team that can win the race,” Hall jokingly noted of her Boels-Dolmans squad. “That’s real- ly reassuring. And I’m excited to bring the girls to California.” The Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team has been the top team in the UCI standings and is one of 16 elite teams in the women’s field. Over- all, seven of those teams are ranked in top 10, which leads to dynamic power plays in each stage. The race sits near the mid- way point on the women’s WorldTour calendar and is the first stage race on the tour schedule for many. Thus, it’s a new test for the riders and teams that target stage and climbing events. Alongside Hall, the two riders who joined her on the podium in the 2018 race are in the lineup. American Tayler Wiles (Trek-Segafredo) finished second a year ago and CANYON//SRAM’s Kasia Niewi- adoma (POL) was third. The field also includes 2015 World Cham- pion Lizzie Deignan (GBR, Trek-Sega- fredo); WNT ROTOR Pro Cycling Team‘s Lisa Brennauer (GER), who holds multiple World and National Champion titles; and Astana’s Arlenis Sierra (CUB, Astana), who claimed the green jersey at the 2017 Cali- fornia event and a stage win in Sacramen- to last year. Racing on the roads of Southern Califor- nia for the first time, expect to see a roar- ing crowd of family, friends and fans for several riders. Sisters Kendall Ryan (TIB- CO-Silicon Valley Bank) and Alexis Ryan (CANYON//SRAM) will spend a whole day PHOTO: EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES