"Let’s get rid of Guangxi and do a Tour California sometime" - Simmons lists things against return of USA WorldTour stage race
Cycling
American champion Quinn Simmons has made the bold claim to try and revive the Tour of California and bring WorldTour cycling back to the United States, even suggesting replacing the Tour of Guangxi's end-of-season slot.
The Chinese stop on the WorldTour is in doubt after 2027 amid financial pressure on the Guangxi regional government but its future after next year's race remains in doubt. Lidl-Trek all-rounder Simmons has an idea - lobby to see the Tour of California, or at the very least, an East Coast classic on the UCI WorldTour calendar in its place.
Last ran in 2019, the race faces significant challenges for joining the calendar, including logistical costs of road closures, financial pressures and the invitation of teams to the continent to take part in the race as Simmons acknowledged the challenges faced.
“The entire peloton wants to do Tour California again, wants to do Utah,” Simmons said on the With Pacepodcast.
“All the riders, we wanna be here racing. Let’s get rid of Guangxi and do a Tour California sometime end of the year or something.”
Quinn Simmons on stage 9 of the 2026 Tour de France
Huge challenges in the way of reviving Tour of California
Although there's appetite for an American stop on the schedule within the peloton, convincing American organisers to take on the race, with little finacial profit incentive, is the biggest challenge.
Offering an alternative, Simmons sees a chance to capitalise on the fact that teams already travel to Canada every year - with the cycling world descending on Quebec and Montreal this week for one-day races. He thinks a Philadelphia or East Coast race could make logistical and financial sense.
“The problem is convincing Americans to put something on that loses money."
“If you want WorldTour teams there, you have to pay us to come. I think it would work maybe a second weekend with Philly, something on the East Coast. But in terms of a big stage race for WorldTour riders, I don’t see it happening.”
Raising cycling's profile in the United States
When it comes to raising cycling's profile, Simmons thinks a marquee Tour de France rider would bridge the gap between the sport's popularity in the US and appetite to revive a Californian stage race.
“You need to win the Tour. And right now we don’t have someone that can do that. We need a Tour winner if they wanna bring it back here."
For Simmons, the Tour is cycling's showcase, even more so than competing in the Olympic Games: “I would never trade having done the Olympics for having done the Tour, personally. What you do those three weeks, that makes the season and that makes your career,” he added.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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