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BICYCLE.NET will be on-site cover the race.

PROFESSIONAL CYCLING ROAD RACE BEGINS SUNDAY IN SAN FRANCISCO

February 18-25 Race Receives Highest UCI Designation for a Race Outside Europe

LOS ANGELES, February 14, 2007 – The world-class roster of teams and cyclists – considered to be the finest collection of talent to compete in a U.S. stage race – entered in the 2007 Amgen Tour of California, an internationally sanctioned professional cycling road race that will host 18 teams and 144 riders racing throughout California February 18-25, 2007, has been announced by race presenters AEG.*

In its second year, the race received an upgraded rating from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international governing body of cycling, to a 2. Hors Classe (2.HC), the highest rating a professional stage race outside of Europe can receive.

Top cycling talent from 28 countries around the world will compete across 650 miles of California roadway from San Francisco to Long Beach, coming from as far away as Trinidad and Tobago, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Cuba, South Africa, Belarus, Luxembourg and Kazakhstan.

The collection of riders, considered the strongest field of participants ever to race in the United States, will include Discovery Channel Pro Cycling, T-Mobile, Predictor-Lotto, HealthNet and Team CSC, which returns to defend the title as the overall classification winner of the 2006 Amgen Tour of California. Some of the notable riders expected to begin the race in San Francisco on Feb. 18 include:

Top 2006 Tour de France Finishers:

• Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole): Prologue and Stage 20; third overall Sprit
• Jens Voigt (Team CSC): Stage 13
• Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank Cycling Team): Stage 16; first overall KOM
• Matteo Tosatto (Quick Step-Innergetic): Stage 18
• Michael Rogers (T-Mobile Team): Tenth overall
• Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team): Ninth overall KOM

Top 2006 Giro d’Italia Finishers:

• Ivan Basso (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team): First overall; second overall KOM
• Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas Pro Cycling Team): Eighth overall

2006 World Champion Medalists:

• Paolo Bettini (Quick Step-Innergetic): World Road Race Champion
• Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC): World Time Trial Champion
• Dave Zabriskie (Team CSC): World Time Trial Championships silver medalist

Top 2006 Amgen Tour of California Finishers:

• Dave Zabriskie (Team CSC): Second overall
• George Hincapie (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team): Stage 2 and 5; fourth overall and third overall in sprint classification
• Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team): Prologue; sixth overall and first overall KOM
• Juan Jose Haedo (Team CSC): Stage 1 and 4; second overall in sprint classification
• Thomas Peterson (Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle): First overall Best Young Rider
• Bobby Julich (Team CSC): Third overall
• Team CSC: Defending team champions

California Natives/Residents:

• BMC Racing Team: Ken Hanson (San Luis Obispo); Scott Nydam (Santa Rosa); Mike Sayers (Sacramento); Jackson Stewart (Los Gatos)
• Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team: Levi Leipheimer (Santa Rosa); Tony Cruz (Long Beach)
• Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis: Australian rider Karl Menzies (Folsom); Kyle Gritters (San Diego)
• Predictor-Lotto: Fred Rodriguez (Emeryville)
• Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell: Ben Jacques-Maynes (San Jose); Garrett Peltonen (Folsom)
• Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle: Lucas Euser (Napa, San Luis Obispo); Steven Cozza (Petaluma)
• Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team: Cuban rider Ivan Dominguez (Chatsworth)

See the AMGEN site for full team rosters.

1. Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team (USA)
2. Team CSC (DEN)
3. Predictor-Lotto (BEL)
4. Rabobank Cycling Team (NED)
5. T-Mobile Team (GER)
6. Liquigas Pro Cycling Team (ITL)
7. Crédit Agricole (FRA)
8. Gerolsteiner (GER)
9. The Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis (USA)
10. Navigators Insurance Cycling Team (USA)
11. Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle (USA)
12. Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team (USA)
13. BMC Racing Team (USA)
14. Jelly Belly Cycling Team (USA)
15. Colavita/Sutter Home Presented by Cooking Light Team (USA)
16. Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell (USA) Emile Abraham (TTO)
17. USA Cycling National Development Team (USA)