5 Things to Know When the Amgen Tour Comes to Town

The Amgen Tour of California is an eight-day, 750-mile professional bicycle race presented by AEG Sports, and for the first time in race history, Murrieta is serving as one of 12 host cities.

The second stage of the Amgen Tour will leave from Murrieta's Town Square Park at approximately 10:20 a.m. on Monday, May 13. The race starts in Escondido the previous day and ends in Santa Rosa on May 19.

On Monday, cyclists will ride from Murrieta up into Idyllwild and down State Route 74 into the Coachella Valley to the base of Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

Here are five things Murrieta residents should know when the races comes to town:

1. AEG Sports will set up its stage and related equipment in Town Square Park beginning at 6 a.m. Sunday until 1 p.m.

2. From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, the City of Murrieta is hosting a kick-off festival at Town Square. Festivities include a 5K Walk for Hope in support of Michelle's Place Breast Cancer Resource Center; kid's activities, vendor booths and a beer garden featuring local micro-brews such as Brew-Ligion, Black Market, Craft and Wiens Brewery. There will also be four live bands: Painted Daizies, Stop the Phoenix, Kanan Road and 760. Local “celebrities” Dane and Gene Wunderlich will be the emcees for the event. The festival is free to attend.

3. On Monday, festivities start at 7 a.m. at Town Square Park with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Murrieta Firefighters Association. There is no charge to eat, but donations are accepted. There will also be fitness activities in the park, such as power boot camp and Tai Chi.

4. At 10:20 a.m., a shotgun will signify the start of stage 2 of the world-class bike race.

Riders will leave from Town Square, turn west onto Juniper Street, north on Washington Avenue, then head northeast on Kalmia Street/California Oaks Road until they reach Clinton Keith Road. The route takes riders east on Clinton Keith to Whitewood, then north on Whitewood, west on Baxter, north on Antelope Road and east on Scott Road.

The above-mentioned roads will be temporarily closed by approximately 10 a.m. Monday, according to city officials. The roads will reopen in a rolling manner shortly after the riders pass through.

Members of the community are encouraged to line the route for the event that will be broadcast by NBC Sports Network.

5. The City of Murrieta is expecting to draw large crowds Monday. The community is advised that city facility parking lots and surrounding streets will likely be very crowded to accommodate the bike race and the crowds.

Therefore, the Murrieta Public Library is scheduled to open at noon instead of 10 a.m. Monday. The Library will remain open until its usual closing time of 8 p.m., and will resume normal business hours on Tuesday.

See the attached route map and event flier for more information about the race coming to town.