Is Tour of California 2017 returning to a north-south route?

The host cities for the 2017 Tour of California are a closely guarded secret, but hints of the route gleaned from several official city websites and local reports suggest a return to a north-south configuration, with a possible overall start in Sacramento and stage 2 taking off from Modesto.

Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.