2012 Tour of California
| UCI America Tour | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates | May 13–20, 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 735.6 mi (1,184 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 30h 42' 32" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 |
Winner |
 Robert Gesink (Netherlands)
|
(Rabobank) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second |
 David Zabriskie (United States)
|
(Garmin–Barracuda) | |
| Third |
Tom Danielson (United States)
|
(Garmin–Barracuda) | |
|
|
|||
 |
Mountains |
 Sebastian Salas (Canada)
|
(Optum–Kelly Benefit Strategies) |
 |
Youth |
Wilco Kelderman (Netherlands)
|
(Rabobank) |
 |
Sprints |
 Peter Sagan (Slovakia)
|
(Liquigas–Cannondale) |
| Team | RadioShack–Nissan | ||
The 2012 Amgen Tour of California was the seventh running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 13–20, and was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour. It began in Santa Rosa and concluded in front of Los Angeles's Staples Center after eight stages. As per the Union Cycliste Internationale rules adopted in 2011, the use of race radios was prohibited, since only the events which are designated UCI World Tour events can use the devices.
The event was marked by two major performances: Rabobank's Robert Gesink winning Stage 7 finishing in Mount Baldy to secure the overall classification victory and Peter Sagan of Liquigas–Cannondale dominating the sprint finishes, taking 5 stage wins and the sprinter jersey.
Sixteen teams were participating in the Tour of California, including eight UCI ProTeams, four UCI Professional Continental teams, and four UCI Continental teams. They were:
Eight men escaped very early in the race and built a sizable gap with the peloton. Among them was Canadian David Boily (SpiderTech–C10), who won all four of the King of the Mountains competitions along the way, claiming the red jersey. The climbs were graded category 3 and 4, and the break held a maximum lead of eleven minutes. With 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to go in the race, the 3 remaining breakaway companions, Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell), Maxime Bouet (Ag2r–La Mondiale) and Jeff Louder (UnitedHealthcare) shook hands to congratulate each other for the nice effort since the bunch was 10 seconds behind them and reeled them in moments later. Almost at the same time the peloton caught the break, Peter Sagan (Liquigas–Cannondale) had a puncture. He worked his way back and avoided a crash that occurred with 2 miles (3.2 km) to go. His team-mate Daniel Oss piloted him in the last few kilometers, and Sagan out sprinted his rivals.
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