The forecast for America's biggest cycling stage race just got considerably sunnier.
After four years of racing in soggy mid-February, the 2010 Tour of California is being moved to mid-May, according to VeloNews.
Though AEG Sports, the race's owner, would not confirm the report, Sacramento Sports Commission CEO John McCasey is moving ahead with plans as though the May 16-23 time slot is official.
The last two Tours were plagued by storms, including heavy rain during the first stage in Davis this year.
The move also avoids a conflict with the 2010 Winter Olympics, Feb. 12-28 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
McCasey said the only drawback to the May time slot is it conflicts with the world's second-biggest cycling event, the Giro d'Italia. Many elite professional teams might race in the Italy event, a tuneup for the Tour de France, instead of the Tour of California.
"I know that's a concern (of AEG's)," McCasey said.
McCasey said a bid would be sent out in the next week in hopes of hosting the Tour's prologue – the opening time-trial event – in downtown Sacramento for the second consecutive year.
"We had such a tremendous amount of success with the prologue in February," McCasey said. "It would be hard not to go after that again.
"I know they have been very, very pleased with Sacramento in the past."
An estimated 75,000-100,000 people packed the 31-block course last Feb. 14, a Saturday. That number was up considerably from the previous two years, when the race's second stage ended in Sacramento on a Tuesday afternoon.
McCasey estimated downtown hotels made $479,000 for the Friday before and the night of the prologue, and local businesses along and inside the route made $131,000 during the event.
Should the mid-May time slot hold and Sacramento again host the time trial, the prologue will be held on Sunday, May 16, 2010, rather than a Saturday.
"We're going to sell it as a weekend of cycling in downtown Sacramento," McCasey said.
McCasey envisions holding the pre-race banquet on the Friday night before the prologue, a day of cycling-themed events Saturday and the prologue Sunday.
"With a weekend event, there is an opportunity to ramp up for it," said Michael Ault of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. "There's more excitement.
"This last year, we got a considerable amount of coverage that we wouldn't have been able to afford."
May should provide excellent weather, according to McCasey: "We shouldn't get our famous heat – just our minor-league heat."
Call The Bee's John Parker, (916) 326-5519.
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