The Amgen bike race arrives in Elk Grove Thursday. Where to watch (or avoid)

The Amgen Tour of California bicycle race will finish in Elk Grove for the first time on Thursday. The Stage 5 men’s race, which starts in Stockton, is expected to conclude at Elk Grove’s emerging civic center around 3:40 p.m.

Elk Grove hosted the start of a men’s stage last year.

The city will also host the start and finish of Stage 1 of the women's race Thursday. While the men head to the foothills, the women will ride through the Delta. That race starts at 10 a.m. and is expected to conclude around 2:30 p.m.

The finish line for both races on Big Horn Boulevard is an active construction area at the heart of the city. A civic complex containing an aquatic center, community center and veterans hall is being built south of Civic Center Drive, and a Costco is going up to the north.

Big Horn Boulevard between Lotz Parkway and Elk Grove Boulevard will close beginning on Wednesday. The closures expand to Civic Center Drive between Bruceville Road and Laguna Springs Drive on Thursday. The city has posted detour routes for a number of schools on its website. The rest of the race routes will be subject to rolling road closures.

Men’s Stage 5 highlights

Major roads affected: Twin Cities Road, Bruceville Road, Whitelock Parkway, Big Horn Boulevard

Key landmarks

▪ Intermediate sprint at Clements Road near Legacy Ranch, around 12:15 p.m.

▪ Camanche Reservoir

▪ Pardee Dam Road summit, around 1 p.m.

▪ Pardee Reservoir

▪ Rancho Murieta

▪ Intermediate sprint in Wilton, around 2:20 p.m.

Women’s Stage 1 highlights

Major roads affected: Big Horn Boulevard, Bruceville Road, Whitelock Parkway, Bilby Road, Franklin Boulevard, Hood-Franklin Road.

Key landmarks

▪ Cosumnes River Preserve

▪ Isleton Bridge crossing

▪ Intermediate sprint in Clarksburg as the women pass the Old Sugar Mill, around 1:30 p.m

▪ Freeport Bridge crossing

▪ Hood

This story was originally published May 16, 2018 at 3:00 AM with the headline "The Amgen bike race arrives in Elk Grove Thursday. Where to watch (or avoid)."