Amgen Bike Race

Antonio(Tony) Cruz is a former criterium specialist who took the US title in 1999. One year later he won the US Olympic Trials road race, earning a spot on the team for the Sydney games, a victory he considers as perhaps the most important of his career. The win and his ride in Sydney with Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong and other top Americans, including Armstrong’s US Postal Service teammates George Hincapie and Tyler Hamilton, landed Cruz a try out with Postal who signed him for the 2001 season.

Cruz was part of the legendary squad, adapting his criterium skills to success in stage races and one-day events in both Europe and the US. Often playing the supportive role for team leaders, Cruz abilities as a domestique helped Postal become one of the top teams in the world. In 2004, however, Cruz got the go ahead and earned his first European victory, winning the second stage at the French Tour de L’Ain, followed by four top 10 stage finishes at the Tour de Spain, where USPS won the TTT title.  Cruz migrated with most of his US Postal Service teammates to Discovery once sponsorship changes, helping Discovery to huge team wins at the Giro D’Italia and Tour De Georgia.

Ironically, despite his illustrious career, Cruz almost left the sport for good in 1990. Having been around cycling his whole life, filling water bottles and airing up tires for his father, Carlos Cruz (who still races), Tony started racing at age 12-and excelled. But after competing at such high levels as a Junior, he became burnt out. From 1990-1995, he didn’t compete at all. Instead, he married and became a father. While his wife, Jodi, was in school completing her nursing program in Reno, Nevada, Cruz supported her while working as a Pharmacy Technician. He joined the local cycling club, The Reno Wheelman. Renewing his passion, he began racing and training again in 1996, and within three years, he was USPRO Criterium Champion.

Tony will be working with the Long Beach Unified School District to raise awareness for our students about the AMGEN Tour of California and the Long Beach Festival Weekend.  Tony will also be racing on the Discovery Team during the LB criterium race, (his specialty) so we have a hometown hero to cheer on all week long!

Header Image Courtesy of Allan Crawford

Name: Antonio(Tony) R. Cruz
Country: United States
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 145lbs
Date of Birth: October 31, 1971
Residence: Long Beach, CA
Pro Since: 1999