The eight-stage tour, held February 19-26, encompassed 700 miles of riding over a route that included ten host cities, wine country, redwood forests, and the Pacific Coast. Sixteen internationally renowned teams competed in this world class race, including Health Net/Maxxis. With nightly coverage in prime time on ESPN2 and anticipated attendance of more than one million, the tour received widespread media attention.

Prior to the tour, Brad Klipping, bicycle marketing coordinator with Maxxis, was enthusiastic about the new sponsorship: “Maxxis is extremely excited to continue supporting the growth of professional road racing in the United States. We believe that the Tour of California will become one of the most respected and anticipated tours of the professional calendar. The Tour of California will give domestic racing fans another chance to view firsthand the strategy and incredible endurance that leads to victory, and Maxxis is proud to be part of that from the very first year.”

Maxxis was the official automotive and bicycle tire of the tour and was also the presenting sponsor of the eight Lifestyle Festivals offered in the finish cities. At each festival, fans enjoyed a health and fitness expo; received cancer awareness education from Amgen and The Wellness Community's Breakaway from Cancer initiative; took part in fun activities in the Kids’ Zone; learned about bicycle safety; picked up lots of great giveaways; and watched the day’s racing on a big screen.

The company also offered a dazzling stunt show at each Lifestyle Festival: Members of the DK BMX Stunt Team performed gravity-defying tricks, awing fans with back-flips, Supermans, and 720s, which call for a cyclist to perform two 360-degree spins in mid-air.