Long Beach was named one of 11 host cities for the 2018 Amgen Tour of California, which is becoming a key buildup to the Tour de France.

Organizers of the seven-day, cross-state bicycle race announced Thursday that Long Beach would be the site of the start of the men’s race on Sunday, May 13.

This year, Long Beach is the only host city in the Los Angeles region. Last year’s tour finished in Santa Clarita, Mount Baldy, Big Bear and Pasadena.

“We look forward to welcoming these extraordinary athletes, and we promise stunning views as Long Beach is the only host that boasts a booming downtown on a waterfront,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement.

The race draws some of the most renowned cyclists and teams in the world. The seven-day stage race will begin in Long Beach and conclude in Sacramento, covering more than 600 miles. Organizers said this is the third time in the event’s 13-year history that the tour will travel from south to north in the Golden State.

The schedule announced Thursday:

Stage 1, Long Beach; Sunday, May 13

Stage 2, Ventura to Santa Barbara county; Monday, May 14

Stage 3, King City to Monterey County; Tuesday, May 15

Stage 4, San Jose (time trial); Wednesday, May 16

Stage 5, Stockton to Elk Grove (near Sacramento); Thursday May 17

Stage 6, Folsom to South Lake Tahoe; Friday, May 18

Stage 7, Sacramento; Saturday, May 19

This is the first time in 11 years Long Beach has hosted the popular bicycle race, officials said.

“The 2018 Amgen Tour of California will captivate fans everywhere with all-star pelotons and new routes that showcase the incredible beauty of the Golden State,” said Kristin Klein, president of the Amgen tour, said in a written statement.

Among the most challenging stages of the course will come in Santa Barbara County, when riders ascend the summit of Gibralter Road, then a mountain summit in South Lake Tahoe with an elevations of 6,500 feet.

The women’s race, from May 17-19, will cover roughly 150 miles in three stages, from Elk Grove to South Lake Tahoe to Sacramento.