SOUTH LAKE TAHOE – With snow forecast for Sunday's first stage, and the tragic death of Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt still rocking the cycling world, Amgen Tour of California officials said safety would be their top priority.

Race director Jim Birrell said Friday a number of options were under consideration, including altering the opening 118.7-mile route from South Lake Tahoe to Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort if necessary.

Birrell said race officials would meet tonight and make a final decision Sunday before the 10:30 a.m. start.

"Safety is paramount," Birrell said. "We partner with Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) and CHP (California Highway Patrol). … We'll be able to inform (riders) of the road dangers that will be out there. We take (safety) to heart."

A big concern is the climb over 7,200-foot Brockway Summit on Highway 267.

"If there's ice on the road, we'll have a reactionary plan to that," Birrell said. "If it's wet, it will be all systems go."

The National Weather Service is calling for as much as 3 inches of snow accumulating overnight today, with morning snow and 55 mph gusts on the ridges projected Sunday.

Snow is also possible for the start of Monday's second stage, a 133.2-mile ride from Squaw Valley to Sacramento.

The first stage calls for 1 1/2 clockwise loops around Lake Tahoe, followed by a climb up Highway 267 and the descent toward the finish at Northstar.

"There's a lot of different variables," Birrell said. "We can look at a start here (South Lake Tahoe) and finish at Northstar. … If we have to reverse it and not hit the whole circuit, those are things we'll look at."

Several riders expressed confidence race officials would make the right decision and cyclists would adjust to difficult conditions.

"The group, for the most part, is experienced enough to know the level of risk to take," said Santa Rosa's Levi Leipheimer, a three-time Amgen champion who rides for Team RadioShack.

HTC-Highroad's Tejay Van Garderen also expects caution on Sunday.

"The peloton is usually pretty cautious in those kind of conditions," he said. "None of us want to crash. None of us want to have anything happen."

Tragedy struck Monday in the third stage of the Giro d'Italia when Weylandt, 26, died after a downhill crash in the third stage.

The Tour of California plans to honor Weylandt with a moment of silence before the overall start by allowing his Leopard Trek team to lead the peloton out from the Stage 1 start and by riders wearing wristbands with the words "In memory of Wouter Weylandt."

Leopard Trek teammate Andy Schleck, like Leipheimer and Van Garderen a contender for the overall Tour of California title, said money was also being raised to support Weylandt's pregnant girlfriend and their unborn child.

"The loss of Wouter last week was especially for me a big shock," said Schleck, the Tour de France runner-up the past two years. "He was a good friend of mine. There are no words to describe the feelings going through me.

"It was kind of hard for me to stay focused on training the last few days. … We ride for Wouter."

Andrew Messick – the president of AEG Sports, which owns and operates the Tour of California – said the tragedy was a reminder cycling is a risky sport.

The riders are well aware of the dangers. Downhill stretches, they said, can be particularly treacherous.

"When we're in the race, it's nerve-racking; it's stressful," Leipheimer said. "Just a moment's loss of concentration can mean serious injury, or as we saw last week, even more.

"We go downhill very fast. There's not a lot of room for error. It's a real issue."

Bad weather only adds to the risk.

Birrell emphasized that race officials would look at all variables they can pull together "to make the right decision for the safety of these riders."

"The decision will ultimately be Sunday morning. … I know we'll reach the right decision," he said.

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