Upcoming: 3rd Tour of California, February 17-24

In only three short years, the Tour of California has garnered the kind of respect within the pro peloton that takes most events many years to attain. Behind flawless management and well thought out stages, Amgen, the title sponsor for the event, has established te TOC as one of the most desireable races for riders to attend.

The 2008 TOC: Amgen will host a first-class event for the third time

Previous additions have included such stars as Thor Hushovd, Michael Rasmussen, Enrico Gasparotto, Giovanni Visconti, Ivan Basso, Saul Raisin, Cadel Evans, Giberto Simoni, Paolo Salvodelli, and Viatcheslav Ekimov, among others. And while all of the above names are absent from the 2008 edition, the level of talent has only increased in this the third year of the event.

Simoni won't show for 2008, but other big names will

Leading the list of cycling luminaries taking the start for the 3rd edition include two-time defending world champion Paolo Bettini, former world champion and Paris-Roubaix winner "Tornado" Tom Boonen, former 2005 yellow jersey holder and French hero Thomas Voekler, Davide Rebellin, the only man ever to win all three Wallonian classics in the same year, Stefan Schumacher, winner of the 2007 Amstel Gold race, German national champion Fabian Wegmann, British super sprinter Mark Cavendish, former Luxembourg national champ Kim Kirchin, three time world champion Oscar Friere Gomez, Paris-Roubaix and Grand Tour hopeful Vladimir Gusev, young climber and last year's best young rider Robert Gesink, two-time defending world time trial champion Fabien Cancellara, last year's Paris-Roubaix winner Stuart O'Grady and two-time Tour of Germany winner Jens Voigt. With such a laundry list of talent, the race is sure to be animated and intense.

Boonen will be looking for stage victories in his American debut

The american contigent too is impressive, lead by third place 2007 Tour de France finisher and defending Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer, veteran and fan favorite Chris Horner, former Discovery rider and new BMC team leader Antonio Cruz, current American cyclo-cross champion Tim Johnson, former Het Volk winner George Hincapie, Olympic Bronze time trial medalist Tyler Hamilton, former U-23 time trial champion Danny Pate, former Paris-Nice winner Bobby Julich and two-time defending American time trial champion David Zabriskie.

For the love of the game: Even when suffering, Horner always seems to be smiling

For in-depth coverage of the rider's in the Tour of California, please view my other article at bicycle.net.