Update: Wintry weather forces Amgen Tour of California officials to move Monday's start to Nevada City, 12:15 p.m.

The big bike race is coming to town for its fifth successive year, and for you, the would-be spectator teeming with anticipation, that could mean one of two things.

An epic day of food, friends and frivolity or, for those who fail to plan and adapt, a single moment of speeding bikes – lots of them – and a short-lived blur of helmets, sunglasses and tight shorts on skinny men, none of whom you are likely to recognize.

Yes, the Amgen Tour of California is back, with plenty of opportunities to watch it in the Sacramento region and its backyard playground.

It starts today along the shores of Lake Tahoe and, on Monday, it will come up and over Donner Pass and roar down the hill all the way to the finish line at the Capitol. Tuesday, it will start in cycling-crazed Auburn and head to Modesto.

The eight-day race is a spectacle, a moving billboard and, if the weather cooperates, a tourism bureau's best promotional postcard to the rest of the world.

Even though some of the sport's biggest names are missing – Fabian Cancellara, Tom Boonen, Philippe Gilbert and Mark Cavendish have other plans, and Lance Armstrong called it quits a second time – the Tour of California appears to be gaining in popularity. Some argue it is the fourth or fifth biggest race in the world.

Organizers are talking up the 700-mile course, the scenery, the world-class field and ample opportunities for charity and business cross-promotions. Fans and advocates will promote more cycling awareness for the masses, touting the health benefits and the positive environmental ramifications of riding a bike. The naysayers will point to those bike riders who blow through stop signs and ride in the middle of the road.

One thing you are not likely to hear among all that? That bike racing can also be the worst spectator sport imaginable.

That's why savvy fans know that actually watching the bike race is a small part of the race experience.

At the Tour de France, for instance, fans are known to congregate on the roadsides of the mountain routes a day or two in advance to get the best viewing spots. They hold parties, have picnics, talk cycling, drink anything from Gatorade on up and, for better or worse, a few will decide to strip down to Speedos and sneakers and run alongside the cyclists grinding their way up the steepest pitches of the narrow road.

But the uninitiated fans in California are likely to find a flat spot on the road, stand around waiting for the peloton and watch the riders come and go, all in the space of six bewildering seconds. Going about it that way would be like showing up at a tennis match, watching one booming serve and a return that splashes into the net, then getting up and heading for the parking lot.

John Boyer, a local cycling advocate who has lived in Italy, knows that the race may be the focal point, but it's the socializing before and after that mean the most.

"I love this event. I've been to each and every one of them," said Boyer, whose company, Edible Pedal, makes restaurant food deliveries by bicycle. "You should make a day of it. Bring a picnic, make the race just a part of the day and add other events to it."

Since Monday's finish in Sacramento will twice circle Capitol Park, hanging out there with thousands of other fans is a solid choice for socializing, picnicking and people-watching. There will also be a lifestyle and product pavilion near the finish line, with everything from bike companies to health organizations promoting their issues.

Boyer, who recently opened a small bike shop in a midtown alley, sees the bike race as a chance to push a positive cycling agenda.

"We've got so many problems from the automobile. We need to get people out of their cars and move their bodies from point A to B in their everyday life – like the Dutch and the Danish," Boyer said.

Those who don't picnic might find a coveted restaurant seat along the route and watch while enjoying a good meal and a nice bottle of wine – kind of like how we imagine our European cohorts go about it.

Andrea Lepore, a co-owner of Hot Italian pizzeria, rushed to open her restaurant two years ago in time for the Tour of California. The pizzeria has a strong cycling component – bikes and gear are for sale in one section of the building and there are 32 stylized bike racks outside for two-wheel parking. Hot Italian also helped host the Bicycle Film Festival, which ran from Thursday to Saturday, featuring a movie at the Crocker Art Museum as well as showings at Fremont Park.

An avid cyclist, Lepore says she will step out of the pizzeria to watch the racers speed by.

"I was looking forward to the sun, but I don't know if that is going to happen," said Lepore. "I love that it brings the best racers in the world. It's so exciting to have a world-class event like this." And the Italian way to watch the race? "We encourage people to ride their bikes down here and grab a pizza and a beer," Lepore said.

In Auburn, which is hosting the start of Tuesday's stage, locals have embraced the race and turned it into a festive occasion. The "Vino Velo" gala, featuring local restaurants and area wineries serving unlimited food and wine, is noon to 5 p.m. today at Winchester Country Club. Tickets are $65 or $85 for VIP admission.

Even the opulent Sutter Club in downtown Sacramento is not immune.

According to an email to its members, "The Sutter Club provides bicycle enthusiasts and those new to the sport some of the best seats in the house for Monday's stage, a 133-mile route from Squaw Valley to Sacramento. Please join fellow Sutter Club members and guests for a casual day of good food, camaraderie, and this world-class athletic event."

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