This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

SACRAMENTO-

Race officials for the 9th Amgen Tour of California held a press conference with the world’s best cyclists on Friday afternoon in Sacramento.

For the first time since 2009, Sacramento will host Opening Race on Sunday. The first race begins at the capital, goes towards Auburn, El Dorado Hills, and back to Downtown. The second day will be a 12-mile individual time trial in Folsom. The entire eight-day event will cover 720 miles across 12 cities, and finishes in Thousand Oaks.

This year, Amgen included two professional women’s races, one in Sacramento, and the time trial in Folsom.

“You can see that the sport is growing,” Alison Powers, top ranking professional cyclist, said.

“It is incredible opportunity to be here for ‘Twenty Sixteen’ and ‘Break away from cancer’,” Alison Tetrick, another top ranking professional cyclist, said.

For the men, Amgen is an important race that prepares competitors for the world’s most prestigious race.

“It is definitely seen as a precursor to the Tour De France, where some of the people intending to win the Tour de France are coming to California to hone their fitness to hone their racing skills,” Bowen Doxsee, Manager of City Bicycle Works, said.

Doxsee said Sacramento cycling fans will get to see the most action at Sunday’s race in the final three circuit laps at the capital. Historically, there have been racers who win within milliseconds at the final three circuit laps.

Race organizers said this year’s course is one of the toughest in its history, which includes a 123 mile opening day race, and two mountain top finishes.

“Over the course of eight days, there will be 50,000 feet of climbing,” Kristin Bachochin of sponsor, AEG said.

A winner is determined at every stage. But the overall winner with the shortest time will be determined in Thousand Oaks on May 18.