Zen, there's no way a stage race could cover the entire state in only 7 days. The route also doesn't cover the eastern part of the state. Besides my earlier thought that the population centers are too sparse in many areas, the roads and infrastructure aren't suitable for a large-scale event like this.

Just because the race is called the Tour of California doesn't mean it covers all of CA. This is true for races and recreational rides alike. I recently rode Cycle Oregon. The ride has been in existence for 25 years and only covers a small portion of the state each year. The same is true of other events I've participated in. Heck! The Tour de France doesn't cover the entire country (and also enters other countries each year).

So, I don't think the race promoter is ignoring or slighting other parts of the state, but logistically he's chosen a route that covers the most populous areas of the state.