LOS ANGELES (BRAIN) — Amgen is extending its sponsorship of the Tour of California, which has already continued for more than a decade. AEG, the owner and operator of the race, said Amgen will retain naming rights and other exclusive sponsorship benefits for the race.
A representative said the companies are not specifying the length of the extension, beyond saying it is a multiyear agreement.
This year's race began Sunday and concludes this Saturday, May 19, in front of the California State Capitol building in Sacramento. Team Sky's Egan Bernal was leading the race following Tuesday's stage 3.
"We are incredibly proud of the relationship we have built with Amgen over the last twelve years," said Nick Baker, chief operating officer of AEG Global Partnerships. "Amgen is a partner who has shared our vision for the race since day one. We've been honored to develop the tour with them into an event that is so much more than cycling. Throughout our relationship, we've collaborated with Amgen on initiatives like Breakaway From Cancer to support patients and families dealing with cancer — programs that mean so much to surrounding communities and AEG."
As a part of the renewal, AEG and Amgen are collaborating on an elementary school program for participating California schools. The program, "Be Safe! Be Active! Be Smart!" is aimed at helping children lead a healthy lifestyle while learning about bike safety.