As a cold wind jostled the banner hanging over the starting line along Highway 50 near the California-Nevada state line late Saturday afternoon, Amgen Tour of California officials pondered their options for Sunday's opening stage of the eight-day pro cycling race.
While plans call for a 118.7-mile ride from South Lake Tahoe to Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort starting at 10:30 a.m., the National Weather Service forecast calls for 1-2 inches of snow and ridge gusts to 65 mph.
The biggest concern is the climb up 7,200-foot Brockway Summit on Highway 267. The forecast calls for up to four inches of snow above 7,000 feet.
Race officials could eliminate the Northstar finish and reduce the stage to a prologue along part of Lake Tahoe, or, in a worst-case scenario, cancel the opening stage. Another possibility is a postponement of a few hours, which could allow riders to complete the entire first stage if the weather improves throughout the day.
The Stage 2 schedule calls for a 133.2-mile ride from Squaw Valley to Sacramento on Monday, with two circuits around the state Capitol leading to an expected sprint finish at 11th and L Streets.
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