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happa gal
Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1275
Location: Northern California
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 Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:11 pm Post subject: Tour of California 2010 Stages Announced |
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Stage 1: Sunday, May 16 – Nevada City to Sacramento
Stage 2: Monday, May 17 – Davis to Santa Rosa
Stage 3: Tuesday, May 18 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Stage 4: Wednesday, May 19 – San Jose to Modesto
Stage 5: Thursday, May 20 – Visalia to Bakersfield
Stage 6: Friday, May 21 – Pasadena to Big Bear Lake
Stage 7: Saturday, May 22 – Los Angeles (individual time trial)
Stage 8: Sunday, May 23 – Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills
Hmmmm....race has been trimmed a day....no prologue....Big Bear Lake mountains should be interesting....was hoping that Venice Beach would have the ITT but downtown LA should be fun....no crossing the Golden Gate Bridge...
http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com
http://www.velonews.com/article/9...tour-of-california-route-unveiled
James Raia (sportswriter extraordinaire!!) writes about the course over at SF Examiner - http://www.examiner.com/x-1155-Cy...time-trial-summit-finish-unveiled
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Bartali
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 7730
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Hi Happa. Do you think they will get at decent start list other than the US pros? |
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happa gal
Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1275
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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Bartali...that's the big discussion/debate right now. The organizers were asked that today at the press conference. The best they could come up with is that there are many riders who want to prep for the Tour but not via the Giro. They feel that the ToC may be an attractive aternative. I wonder though.
The big US names all declared their intentions via Twitter thois morning. Levi stating he is going after win #4.
The weather should be better in May. I understand the organizers tried to have the race go through Yosemite...but had huge difficulties since it's a National Park. That's a pity. Having the waterfalls at Yosemite as a backdrop would have been breathtaking!! |
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Bartali
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 7730
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| I think it is a shame as the ToC had cut out a nice little niche as an early season tour. LA and LL will mean Shack is severely depleted in Italy - If I were the Giro, I wouldn't let them ride. Better to field a domestic team. Columbia will be split, but presumably Cavendish will want a strong squad in Italy. Garmin - not sure? |
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CapeRoadie
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 9583
Location: The sandy windswept peninsula
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:53 am Post subject: |
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| Bartali wrote: | | I think it is a shame as the ToC had cut out a nice little niche as an early season tour. LA and LL will mean Shack is severely depleted in Italy - If I were the Giro, I wouldn't let them ride. Better to field a domestic team. Columbia will be split, but presumably Cavendish will want a strong squad in Italy. Garmin - not sure? |
I wonder if Floyd Landis will remain with OUCH (soon to drop sponsorship and be taken over by United Health Care, btw) or if he even has a chance at a UCI Pro Tour team. I can't imagine anybody wanting him. Can't make it there in May--too busy a time here for me, so the new time frame sucks for me. Really enjoyed the time I spent in CA watching the race and hangin' with you guys!
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Me, a fan?
Joined: 07 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
Location: up yonder
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 2:02 am Post subject: |
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| Bartali wrote: | | I think it is a shame as the ToC had cut out a nice little niche as an early season tour. LA and LL will mean Shack is severely depleted in Italy - If I were the Giro, I wouldn't let them ride. Better to field a domestic team. Columbia will be split, but presumably Cavendish will want a strong squad in Italy. Garmin - not sure? |
Man, that's a tough call for Garmin. With the Giro allegedly having a 30k TTT and 3 other TT's, they'd definitely want to participate in that.
If the other thread about Astana not fulfilling requirements to maintain their license, maybe Alberto will be riding for Garmin next year. We could see him as a part of their "tier 2" team that rides the TOC while the big boys ride the Giro. 
Man, that would be great! Lance & Alberto in Cali. The only bad thing would be Alberto having to watch out for fans dishing out kidney punches or something of that nature.
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Enchantress
Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 327
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 2:48 am Post subject: |
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With the california tour moving to the same slot as the Giro, I'm a bit curious as to what sort of participation the former will get from the big teams and riders.
I think it probably backfires and they suffer a bit of a drop in the overall level of the field. |
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berck
Site Admin
Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 1196
Location: SF Bay Area
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:26 am Post subject: |
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| Enchantress wrote: | With the california tour moving to the same slot as the Giro, I'm a bit curious as to what sort of participation the former will get from the big teams and riders.
I think it probably backfires and they suffer a bit of a drop in the overall level of the field. |
Well, like happa said, nobody's really sure yet. In 2011, ToC is suppose to be a Pro Tour event requiring all the big teams. Just don't know about the riders yet. Not all the big riders do the Giro. It will be interesting to see what happens. |
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HuwB
Joined: 17 May 2007
Posts: 7285
Location: Deep in the Black Mountains.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:03 am Post subject: |
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The problem for Cali is, that this May slot is not great for Tour prep.
Too soon for many.
Look to the past couple of Volta y Catalunya, to see who is riding at this time.
None of the big players go there. Only Valverde rode, this year. It seems populated by the French and homeboys.
I've seen elsewhere, that folks think Saxo and Rabo will bring Gesink and Spartacus to the party, but I'm not sure.
As for both Schlecks, I'd be doubtful.
Will Liquigas want a slot, having had Nibali riding high, this February?
Again doubtful.
A lot of US centric debate, here:
http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=4188&page=5 |
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kathy
Joined: 17 May 2007
Posts: 7141
Location: Formerly Hen Wlad fy Nhadau, now, Murcia, Spain
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:16 am Post subject: |
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| berck wrote: | | Enchantress wrote: | With the california tour moving to the same slot as the Giro, I'm a bit curious as to what sort of participation the former will get from the big teams and riders.
I think it probably backfires and they suffer a bit of a drop in the overall level of the field. |
Well, like happa said, nobody's really sure yet. In 2011, ToC is suppose to be a Pro Tour event requiring all the big teams. Just don't know about the riders yet. Not all the big riders do the Giro. It will be interesting to see what happens. |
Berck, I thought that the Protour teams aren't required to ride all the Protour races from next year. Some of them even missed out GT's this year.
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mr shifter
Joined: 21 Jul 2007
Posts: 1836
Location: The Green and Pleasant Land
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:43 am Post subject: |
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It could however fit in with some teams then going to the Dauphine or Tour of Suisse.
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berck
Site Admin
Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 1196
Location: SF Bay Area
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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| kathy wrote: | | berck wrote: | | Enchantress wrote: | With the california tour moving to the same slot as the Giro, I'm a bit curious as to what sort of participation the former will get from the big teams and riders.
I think it probably backfires and they suffer a bit of a drop in the overall level of the field. |
Well, like happa said, nobody's really sure yet. In 2011, ToC is suppose to be a Pro Tour event requiring all the big teams. Just don't know about the riders yet. Not all the big riders do the Giro. It will be interesting to see what happens. |
Berck, I thought that the Protour teams aren't required to ride all the Protour races from next year. Some of them even missed out GT's this year. |
You're probably right. |
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berck
Site Admin
Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 1196
Location: SF Bay Area
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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| mr shifter wrote: | | It could however fit in with some teams then going to the Dauphine or Tour of Suisse. |
It could, but will it? That is what we are going to find out this year. The date much better for weather reasons. |
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happa gal
Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1275
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| 2010...the team make up will be 50% Pro and 50% Continental....by invite. |
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happa gal
Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 1275
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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by James Raia (SF Examiner)....Ten ideas for a better race
...my personal fav is #9!!!...Enjoy!
| Quote: | Now that the route for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California has been announced, it's time get on with more important things.
A late-race mountaintop finish is cool. A downtown Los Angles individual time trial appears to be a great idea, too.
And the route for the fifth annual event will be the race's most difficult to date.
But here are 10 things I'd to see happen to make the Tour of California better. Some really should occur. The others? Just having a a little fun, you know?
10. A ban on the use of the word "grueling" throughout the entire eight days by anyone associated with the race. Bike racing is hard. It doesn't need embellishment.
9. A ban on white cycling shorts.
8. A young, unheralded pro taking a flyer and staying away from the big boys.
7. Levi Leipheimer winning a road stage. He's won two prologues, four individual time trials and three overall titles in four years, but not a road stage.
6. The fifth year as the last year of the race's eight-day format. Jonathan Vaughters said it best at the Rose Bowl press conference two years after the final stage. "The race should expand into a two-week race or longer. Let's go for it and do it right or not bother."
5. Discontinue the announcement of attendance estimates after stages. The totals aren't acccurate, they're guesses at best, tablulated by officials with vivid imaginations at worst. Besides, no one cares.
4. Hey, you other 15 cities. Take a look at Santa Rosa. Best city support every year so far. Store front windows decorated with old bikes, woolen jerseys, etc. Fans on rooftops and crowding the streets, all well-behaved and into the race, rain or shine.
3. Media wish (a): A four-color slick race magazine. Not a canned supplement, but the real deal. Athlete profiles, human-interest pieces, statistics, historical cycling essays. OK, sponsors' stuff included if it has to be.
2. Meda wish (b): Mainstream network of radio stations start to finish.
1. Pick any city. Peloton cruising through a small town. Grade school kids are out of classes for few minutes holding up handmade signs about the race. Word gets out. Peloton stops. 125 riders do "knuckles" with 200 kids for a minute or two. Peloton rolls out of town. Kids never forget. |
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bianchigirl
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 4063
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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Number 1 made me lose my dinner - sorry, thought it was supposed to be a professional bike race?
The question is what happens to this race once Armstrong and Leipheimer are gone? The UCI are 'globalising' based on their perception of the enduring popularity of one rider instead of building a credible fan base. We all know what happened to the 3WFs who disappeared in their droves once Armstrong retired. I can see ToC going the same way once the only riders are lesser knowns from the US domestic scene.
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cardinal guzman
Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 4256
Location: The moors.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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| bianchigirl wrote: |
The question is what happens to this race once Armstrong and Leipheimer are gone? |
Young apprentice Phinney will step into the breach. He'll be miles more popular than the creep and il Nano. |
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Nolte
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 2394
Location: irlande
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Bartali wrote: | | I think it is a shame as the ToC had cut out a nice little niche as an early season tour. LA and LL will mean Shack is severely depleted in Italy - If I were the Giro, I wouldn't let them ride. Better to field a domestic team. Columbia will be split, but presumably Cavendish will want a strong squad in Italy. Garmin - not sure? |
and if shack went to send, brajkovic as their leader in the preliminary team sheet (as happened in 2007), will RCS laugh in their face again
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Enchantress
Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 327
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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| bianchigirl wrote: | Number 1 made me lose my dinner - sorry, thought it was supposed to be a professional bike race?
The question is what happens to this race once Armstrong and Leipheimer are gone? The UCI are 'globalising' based on their perception of the enduring popularity of one rider instead of building a credible fan base. We all know what happened to the 3WFs who disappeared in their droves once Armstrong retired. I can see ToC going the same way once the only riders are lesser knowns from the US domestic scene. |
Spot on with this observation.
Truly the biggest draws for many (not all but many) of the locals are the LA & LL pair. Remove them from the race and then what?
The biggest name otherwise in american cycling these days - at least in terms of international recognition - is probably Farrar. I am dubious that he'd be riding the ToC as opposed to the Giro and going head on with Cav, Ale-Jet, etc and trying for wins in probably the 2nd biggest bike race in the world.
Even if Farrar did show up in california, would most of the populace care? I think a lot of american fans, because of armstrong's nearly sole focus on one race, have little awareness of anything but the TdF and riding that for GC aspirations - much less other races or sprints/points jersey's or single day classics. |
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MS
Joined: 18 Oct 2006
Posts: 917
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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This race will be dead within five years.
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