The Amgen Tour of California kicked off a captivating start to its race Sunday and a very cool weekend of cycling love overall in the state capital. The world's greatest sprinter won the first stage with a dominating race to the line before huge crowds lining the streets of downtown Sacramento. Sacramento Bee photographers captured many great pictures along the 104.3-mile route from Nevada City, Calif. to Sacramento. (24 images)
Follow The Frame on Twitter at sacbee_theframe
The peloton take a hairpin turn on Salmon Falls Road during the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Paul Kitagaki Jr.
Riders take off at the start of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California in Nevada City on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Fans wave from a window near the start of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California in Nevada City on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
A fan waves a flag as the peloton goes by shortly after the start of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California near Nevada City. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Radio Shack rider Lance Armstrong rides with his teammates in the peloton during the first stage of 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday afternoon. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Four riders break away from the pack at the start of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Fans gather on Mill Street in downtown Grass Valley to wait for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California to arrive. The Sacramento Bee / Randall Benton
Radio Shack rider Levi Leipheimer, right, rides along Jackson Highway during the first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday afternoon. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Cyclists make the turn from Mill Street onto Neal Street in Grass Valley near the beginning of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Randall Benton
Barbara Goss, of Reno, and Nancy Ives, of Truckee, cheer as the 2010 Amgen Tour of California goes through Auburn on Sunday. The two women have also attended the Tour of France together. The Sacramento Bee / Lezlie Sterling
The peloton makes a turn onto Sacramento Street from Lincoln Way in Auburn during the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Lezlie Sterling
Cassie and Matt Siebecke and their daughter, Kaleigh, 2, await the arrival of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Foresthill Road at the Foresthill Bridge. The Sacramento Bee / Randy Pench
Riders in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California cross the Foresthill Bridge in Placer County Sunday morning. The Sacramento Bee / Randy Pench
The peloton crosses the north fork of the American River during the Amgen Tour of California from Nevada City to downtown Sacramento on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Randy Pench
The peloton rides past a bike fan as riders climb out of the confluence of the American River on Highway 49 heading for Cool during the first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday afternoon. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Omar Iqbao, right, and Ashraf Omar, 7, of Rancho Cordova watch as the 2010 Amgen Tour of California passes on Jackson Highway Sunday afternoon. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Brian Williams of Seattle, Wash. chalks a message to his favorite riders on L Street near the state Capitol, during the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Bryan Patrick
Riders pass by St. John's Lutheran Church in downtown Sacramento as they head to the finish of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Randall Benton
A young race fan looks on as the riders approach on L Street during the final lap of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Bryan Patrick
Fans photograph the riders as they pass the intersection of 17th and L streets in downtown Sacramento at the finish of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. The Sacramento Bee / Randall Benton
Tom Boonen, center, and George Hincapie, right, check their injuries after a crash at 17th and L streets in Sacramento on the last lap of the first day of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. The Sacramento Bee / Randall Benton
Racers come down L Street near the state Capitol during the 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday in Sacramento. The Sacramento Bee / Bryan Patrick
Mark Cavendish of HTC-Columbia celebrates his victory of the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California in a finishing sprint after 104.3 miles of racing from Nevada City to Sacramento on Sunday. The Sacramento Bee / Jose Luis Villegas
Fans gather at the podium to take pictures of the winners of the first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California in Sacramento Sunday afternoon. The Sacramento Bee / Bryan Patrick
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.