SECURITY TIGHTENED FOR BIG RACE CYCLING TOUR TO PASS THROUGH ON SATURDAY.

Byline: JUDY O'ROURKE

Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- A crack security team has a game plan to avoid glitches when up to 100,000 spectators and dozens of world-class cyclists converge on Santa Clarita's streets Saturday for a stage of the nation's most elite cycling race.

Efforts will focus on keeping the route clear for cyclists in the Amgen Tour of California, but security will be beefed up.

"It is certainly something we are concerned about, but we certainly don't expect any problems," said Rick Gould, the city's director of Parks and Recreation. "One of the most important safety issues is for spectators, to make sure they're not on the route so that you don't have crashes or conflicts with the cyclists."

The prologue for the 650-mile race began in San Francisco on Feb. 18. The route skirts Sausalito, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, Stockton, San Jose, Seaside, Solvang, Santa Barbara and Santa Clarita, ending in Long Beach on Sunday.

CHP escort

A contingent of California Highway Patrol officers from the Newhall station will escort racers from the county line at Highway 126 into the hands of Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies at the city limits. Roughly nine officers on morning duty and 11 in the afternoon will be joined by a sergeant and 20 officers from the Newhall station for the event.

Another sergeant and 16 officers from the agency's Southern Division motor squad will stick with the pack in Santa Clarita. The CHP's Golden Gate, Coastal and Southern divisions are on the race detail.

"This is a very big event and we've made sure we've taken the utmost measures of protecting the security of the bicyclists," said Sgt. Andrew Hernandez. "That's why we've increased the numbers."

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies will be posted at every major intersection in town, a sheriff's posse will roam the route and a helicopter will be on standby. Fifty additional deputies from the county's force of 8,000 will be deployed in Santa Clarita, along with reserve deputies and Explorers.

"We're looking forward to having a successful event in our fine city," Deputy Artie Thompson said.

Signs are posted to warn motorists of road closures and more than 300 trained volunteers -- officially known as course marshals -- will be posted at 111 driveways along the route to ensure that no errant cars interfere with the event.

A city staff member watched Sunday as 144 of the world's top cyclists set off in Northern California, and Gould scouted the first stage finish Monday, taking home a few pointers. He cautions spectators to spread out along the course for clear sight-lines, especially around the 3.1-mile circuit in the Town Center area.

Riders zoom by

"It's difficult to see once you get more than five to six people deep along the fence lines," he said. Riders can zoom by at more than 30-40 mph on straightaways, and he urges viewers to scout vantage points on the route's corners, where riders execute turns. Route maps can be found on the city's Web site, at www.santa-clarita.com.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, East Coast terrorist attacks, security has been increased at many venues attracting large crowds. The FBI will keep an eye on the race from afar.

"The local municipal police and sheriffs will provide all the security and roadblocks; we just have a monitoring role," said Kenneth E. Smith, a spokesman for the agency's Los Angeles field office. "It's a low-key role."

In Long Beach, where the race will wind up, efforts are under way to make sure it goes off without a hitch. The race management team and members of the Police, Fire and Public Works departments worked out the logistics.

The race could dwarf Santa Clarita's popular annual cowboy festival 10 times over, but Long Beach is used to big draws. Roughly 200,000 people attend the Toyota Grand Prix each April, said Blair Cohn of Long Beach's Office of Special Events and Filming.

Cohn said his city is monitoring each day's activities, but he expects roughly 30,000-plus on hand in Long Beach.

"We're used to having these types of events, with the marathon, triathlons, Grand Prix; we have large parades, basically using the same model for how we're doing street closures and the parking plan," he said. "It's going to be a piece of cake for us. We want to ensure that it's nothing but a success."

Gould echoed his sentiment.

"Safety is our No. 1 one priority every day," he said. "It's no different when we put on a special event."

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