BBVA signs on as official sponsor for Amgen Tour of California
Participating in this sponsorship deal:
About Sponsor:
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. is a multinational Spanish banking group. It was formed in 1999 from the merger of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya and Argentaria, both of which in turn had previously amalgamated three important banks in Spain, namely Banco de Bilbao, Banco de Vizcaya, Banco Exterior de España and the state-owned Caja Postal de Ahorros, with other minor entities. BBVA is the second largest bank in Spain and 7th largest financial institution in the Western world with a market capitalization of over 61 billion €. The bank has recently focused on overseas expansion, and now operates in 40 countries. Like many other Spanish companies, it enjoys a dominant position in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. It also has a strong presence in southern European countries, especially Portugal and Italy, and has announced its intention to expand into the United States and in Asia.
About Property:
The Tour of California (Amgen Tour of California) is an annual professional cycling stage race on the UCI America Tour and USA Cycling Professional Tour. It began on February 19, 2006. The eight-day race covers 650–700 miles (1,045 - 1,126 km) through California. A typical edition might begin in Nevada City, travel through the redwoods, wine country and the Pacific Coast, and finish in a southern California city such as Escondido. The 2009 race crossed the Central Valley from Merced to Fresno, with an excursion through the Sierra Nevada foothills, before crossing to the coast. The tour is sponsored by Amgen, a large California-based biotech company.