Tour of California Route Announced, Stage 7 in Downtown L.A., Lance Armstrong to Ride

Riders emerge from a tunnel in Angeles National Forest in a stage between Santa Clarita and Pasadena in the 2009 tour (see more of our favorite 2009 photos here) |AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

As we noted yesterday, downtown Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills will be hosts for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California (it will also include a stage from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake). Announced this morning, here is the full route and all of its 750-mile glory:

Stage 1: Sunday, May 16 - Nevada City to Sacramento
Stage 2: Monday, May 17 - Davis to Santa Rosa
Stage 3: Tuesday, May 18 - San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Stage 4: Wednesday, May 19 - San Jose to Modesto
Stage 5: Thursday, May 20 - Visalia to Bakersfield
Stage 6: Friday, May 21 - Pasadena to Big Bear Lake
Stage 7: Saturday, May 22 - Los Angeles (individual time trial)
Stage 8: Sunday, May 23 - Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills

As for the downtown section, the stage will begin and end at L.A. LIVE. Levi Leipheimer intends to defend is three wins, but watch out, buddy Lance Armstrong will be there with him.