The Amgen Tour of California picked back up in Pismo Beach Thursday morning as elite cyclists from all over the world started stage five of the competition.
Less than 24 hours before the tour picked back up the cyclists rolled into Morro Bay. But they didn’t cross the finish line without some drama. With just five miles to go, Tejay van Garderen, who at that point was the overall leader, fell off his bike. Then just moments before crossing the finish line 10 cyclists were involved in the crash.
But the show must go on, so Thursday morning cyclists took off from Pismo Beach at 10 a.m. and started their 136.4-mile ride to Ventura.
Several Central Coast residents lined up the streets surrounding the Pismo Pier to cheer on the cyclists and watch them take off.
“I think it’s just the energy of the riders for one thing you know and the competition,” SLO Bike Club cyclist Teri Winston said. “They are like, they’re pumped and they’re trying to beat the other guy but they don’t want to hurt him. I just think it’s very exciting so, lots of fun.”
The tours fifth route took competitors south along Highway 1 through Oceano and Guadalupe to Orcutt.
From there they headed out to Foxen Canyon and Highway 154. The cyclists then climbed over the San Marcos Pass and took Highway 192 into Ventura County for a finish in the City of Ventura.
The Amgen Tour of California started Sunday in Sacramento and will wrap up Saturday in Pasadena.
