The Amgen Tour of California bike race is coming to Davis for the fourth year in a row — which means, once again, that there will be a temporary closure of Russell Boulevard at the north edge of campus.

It happens this coming Monday, May 17. The closure, westbound and eastbound, is scheduled from 10:40 a.m. to approximately 11:10 a.m.; during this time, all vehicle traffic — including Unitrans buses — will be blocked from entering the campus from the north, and from leaving the campus the same way.

Unitrans service will be held up around most of the city-campus system, due to street closures and traffic congestion. Riders are advised that no buses will arrive on campus after 10:25 a.m. and none will leave until 11:15 a.m. — so people may need to adjust their travel times.

In addition, Unitrans will be detouring its E, L and M lines in the downtown area, starting at 8:15 a.m.

The Amgen Tour, now in its fifth year, is scheduled to begin May 16 with a 104-mile ride from Nevada City to Sacramento. Stage 2 is set to begin at 11 a.m. the next day in downtown Davis, accompanied by a festival at Central Park. A day earlier, the second Science of Cycling Symposium is scheduled to be held. (See below for more information on Amgen-related activities.)

Lance Armstrong among the racers

The Amgen racers started a stage in Davis last year as well — only it was on a Sunday, in the middle of a three-day weekend. The city planned for a crowd of 10,000 to 30,000 people, and arranged for overflow parking at UC Davis and shuttle bus service from Unitrans — only to see the attendance held down by rain.

This year’s stage start in Davis is on a Monday, but, with seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong expected to participate again, the city is expecting as many as 10,000 people. So, in collaboration with the campus’s Transportation and Parking Services, or TAPS, the city is advertising the availability of parking in Lots 1 and 2 south of the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

With last year’s Amgen event taking place on a Sunday, when Unitrans does not offer regular service, the transit agency’s buses were available for Amgen shuttle service. This year, Unitrans will be running its regular service (with delays) — so, there will be no shuttles between the campus and the race.

TAPS Director Cliff Contreras said student employees will be on duty at Lots 1 and 2 to sell parking permits and direct people to downtown, if they want to see the start of the race, or to Russell Boulevard. The student attendants also will hand out Amgen Tour programs.

2 circuits of downtown

The starting line is on C Street between Third and Fourth streets, alongside Central Park. During a neutral start, the racers will make two untimed circuits of downtown: going south on C street, east on Second, north on F, west on Fifth and south on C, past the starting line and around once again to Fifth Street.

On the second circuit, the racers will keep going west on Fifth, which turns into Russell, and keep on going — all the way to Santa Rosa, a 110-mile trek that should take about four hours.

After making two circuits around downtown Davis, the riders are expected to hit Russell Boulevard at about 11:03 a.m. — and they should be across Highway 113 within three or four minutes. The race clock starts at Arthur Street, on the other side of the bridge that takes Russell Boulevard over the highway.

Drivers take note: The Fifth Street-Russell Boulevard closure will be in the west- and eastbound directions, between B Street and County Road 98. And, remember that city streets will be closed around Central Park and along the downtown circuit.

Just because the race is a Monday does not mean the city is not celebrating, with Central Park as the focal point. Race-day activities:

• U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame and Museum — In its new home in the city’s Third and B Street Building (at the southwest corner of Central Park). Special hours during the Amgen: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission: $5 for adults; $3 for seniors 60 and up, and children 6 to 12; free for children 5 and under.

• Davis Stage 2 Festival — With food booths and other vendors. 9:30 a.m.-noon, Central Park. Free admission.

• Cycling teams arrive — B Street next to Central Park. 10-10:45 a.m. Among the racers due to participate: UC Davis graduate student and Cycling Team member Paul Mach, riding with the Bissell Pro Cycling Team. Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, three-time Amgen Tour champion (2007-09), are riding with Team RadioShack.

• Autograph Alley — In the pavilion at the south end of Central Park. 10:20-11 a.m.

Science of Cycling Symposium

This event, free and open to the public, is scheduled from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Natsoulas art gallery, 521 First St., Davis.

Last year's inaugural symposium drew 150 people, according to Travis Lybbert, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. He was one of the organizers last year, with Matthew Wood, assistant professor, Department of Environmental Toxicology — and they have teamed up again to present this year's symposium.

Lybbert is among the presenters, giving what he described as a "freakonomics-style" evaluation of sprint finishes in cycling races.

The other presenters and their topics:

• Judd Van Sickle Jr., biomechanical engineer, UC Davis Sports Medicine — ”Cycling Biomechanics: Fit and Injury Prevention.”

• Adam Switters, exercise biology major, UC Davis, and a member of the 2010 Yahoo! Cycling Team — "Developing Young Athletes and Avoiding Burnout."

• Mark Shaw, co-founder and chief technology office, Strava — "Cycling Computers and Online Cycling Services."

On the Net

Amgen Tour of California

Paul Mach's blog

Amgen in Davis, including the schedule and a list of street closures and times

Unitrans: Look under News and Updates for a link to the special bus schedule for the morning of May 17. The Unitrans home page also includes a form for obtaining real-time bus arrival times for all stops in the system; you can also receive this information via text message. For more information, call (530) 752-2877.

U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame