Press Release From the Office of
Supervisor Neil Derry
World famous cycling event
places international spotlight
on outdoor enthusiast mecca
SAN BERNARDINO, CA – The American equivalent of the Tour de France cycling road race will return to Big Bear in 2012 after garnering rave reviews by organizers of the Amgen Tour of California following the 2010 visit, which drew thousands of spectators to our region along with millions of watchers worldwide.
The race is conducted over eight stages with Big Bear hosting the finish of the sixth stage on Friday, May 18. The “Big Bear Climb” will begin in Palmdale and travel through a rigorous mountain ascent that decimated the 2010 field due to its incredible difficulty.
Although the event is presented by AEG, each stage is hosted and organized by local committees. This year the race will be hosted once again by the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce and its Events Resource Office who will be assisted by a financial partnership with Supervisor Neil Derry.
“The Chamber did a phenomenal job last time and I know that they will make this event even better in 2012,” said Supervisor Derry, who has agreed to contribute $25,000 towards the event. “This event produces millions of dollars in economic benefits to the region when you quantify exposure Big Bear gets to millions of people around the world and take into account the year round boost in tourism from this audience.”
In 2010, the race drew approximately 12,000 spectators to Big Bear and was broadcast on a national television network and across the world depicting the lush green forest and deep blue lake.
With Stage 6 finishing in Big Bear on a Friday, the Chamber of Commerce is working with the Big Bear Lake Resort Association to aggressively market overnight packages to keep out-of-town visitors on the mountain through the weekend.
“The overhead visuals depicted the majestic beauty of the region in a way that words simply cannot,” Derry stated. “This is our chance to introduce Big Bear to millions of people and continue our work to brand the region as an outdoor enthusiast and tourist mecca.”
Those seeking additional information about the tour should visit www.BigBear.com or www.AmgenTourofCalifornia.com.
“With the help and support of County Supervisor Neil Derry, the City, County, Resort Association and Big Bear Chamber of Commerce were able to bring the tour to our mountain community,” said Mayor Bill Jahn “and because of this collaborative partnership, we have seen many more cyclists on our local roads taking advantage of training at high-altitude. Big Bear is poised to be the next big mecca for highaltitude, high-adrenaline outdoor sports!”
