Now that the San Francisco Grand Prix is no longer, this race offers Bay Area cycling fans their only chance to see the best road cyclists in the world battle it out on our turf.

If you're not a cycling fan or you'd rather swing by the Castro to get your fill of dudes in tight lycra shorts, stay away from North Beach on Sunday. The Tour kicks off on Sunday with a 1.9-mile prologue time trial that stretches from the Ferry Building at Pier 1 to Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill. Individual racers will leave the Ferry building at one-minute intervals starting at 10:00 AM, with the last 10 racers leaving at two-minute intervals. The short, steep finishing climb up Telegraph Hill will give spectators a great opportunity to get right up to the racers as they fight the power of gravity--it will be like our very own L'Alpes d'Huez.