Images from the start of the final stage in Thousand Oaks
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Thumbs up from cycling fan and rider Patrick Dempsey(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The RadioShack bus attracted a huge crowd(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Veteran Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) talks on stage(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The peloton awaits the start(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Rory Sutherland (United HC) gets questioned before the start(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
A BMC trio(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Hincapie gets lots of questions from the media(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
The start was the last chance for an autograph(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Levi Leiheimer (RadioShack)(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
A last chance to talk tactics(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Quick Step are serious today(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
George Hincapie (BMC) signs an autograph(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Hincapie shows the stars and stripes(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The crowds await the riders (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Oscar Pujol of the Cervelo TestTeam(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Garmin-Transitions need some extra width for their bus(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
A lucky rider gets a pre-race massage(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Liquigas-Doimo talk tactics(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas-Doimo) was all smiles(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Jelly Belly riders are popular with kids(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
BMC: it says it on the bus(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
BMC get ready to race(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Hincapie attracts a crowd(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
No smiles from Quick Step at the start (Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
After seven hard days of racing, the Amgen Tour of California began its final stage on Sunday. However instead of a deserved procession or flat criterium stage, the riders were faced with a testing course containing Mulholland Highway climb, which takes the peloton up 1,000 feet.
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
