Tour of California route that Lance Armstrong will ride

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The detailed routes of each of nine Amgen Tour of California stages were released today. You can download the map here.

Lance Armstrong, who is training in Spain with his new team, Astana, might enjoy the 1,930-foot Sierra Road climb during Stage 3 from San Jose to Modesto. Or maybe Stage 6, the Solvang individual time trial.

For the first time, the 4-year-old race will have nine legs (a prologue and eight stages). Cyclists will finish for the first time in San Diego County, with the finish line being set at Grand Avenue and Broadway in Escondido.

The race opens Feb. 14 with a prologue in Sacramento, a fast and flat 3-mile sprint that starts at Capitol Mall and 9th Street and finishes at L and 11th Streets.

The one Los Angeles County leg will be Stage 7 on Feb. 21. It stretches from Santa Clarita to Pasadena. The finish will be West Drive at the Rose Bowl -- where last year’s race ended in the rain.

-- Diane Pucin