AVILA BEACH - As a late November rain falls over Avila Beach keeping the crowds away, news that the 2013 Amgen Tour of California is coming to the beach town next year has brightened the day at the Peloton Cellars wine tasting room in the heart of the Avila Landing shopping center.
"We're ecstatic", says one of the co-owners of Peloton Cellars, "my phone lit up with text messages, we posted it, it immediately went to Facebook, we picked Avila because of the cycling, there's so many cyclists that visit this area."
Stage Five of the 2013 Amgen Tour will bring thousands of people from Santa Barbara to Avila Beach on May 16, 2013.
And that's welcome news for smaller merchants in Avila Beach like the Taco Shack because business is usually a little slow in May.
"I think it should be a great month for all of us", says Taco Shack manager Danny Salguero.
But not everyone in Avila Beach is thrilled that the Amgen Tour is coming.
One prominent hotel owner has expressed concern about traffic, a lack of parking.
"People are going to be complaining, oh there's nowhere to park, its going to be too crowded", says David Bradford of the Morovino wine tasting room in the Avila Landing, "that's the whole idea, its going to be great for Avila Beach, its going to help put Avila Beach on the map."
And that's just fine with the owners of Peloton Cellars.
"Our winery is cycling themed because its our two passions coming together", says one of the co-owners of Peloton Cellars, "so to have it in the town where one of the Tour stages is ending, we're just thrilled."
Solvang and San Luis Obispo lost out on their bids as host cities for the 2013 Amgen Tour of California.
