Victory Lap

Many champions have been crowned at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. In 2015, the Tour of California will pick its winners here, too. The final stage of the Tour concludes with several speedy 3.1-mile laps around the stadium and Brookside Golf Course. Should be exciting, right? Don't let the competition have all the fun. Preview the Tour’s inspired finish on a 9-mile ride that includes the lionized loop and an adjoining scenic street. Approach the bowl on the same road as the pros, following bike-friendly Arroyo Boulevard past lovely homes that overlook the Arroyo Seco. Tall oaks arching overhead form a photo-worthy canopy. Pass below the Arroyo Seco Bridge, an elegant concrete span on Highway 134, and cruise down to the Rose Bowl. Get set and go on a loop around the stadium and the adjacent golf course on a paved biking and walking lane that borders the roads. Pedal past long green fairways and catch views of the San Gabriels as you make your lap. A short climb back up Arroyo Boulevard is rewarded with a fun, fast, and winding ride to the finish. Coming up roses!

Begin from San Pascual Park (960 San Pascual Ave. in Los Angeles). Take San Pascual Ave. northeast for 0.4 mile and bear left up Arroyo Blvd. Go north for 2.5 miles and turn left onto the bike trail that loops around the Rose Bowl. Bike back on Arroyo Blvd. to San Pascual Park. Use the Arroyo Seco Trail Guide.