Tour of California News
by Jen See on Sep 24, 2009 5:28 PM EDT
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PrintNews is filtering out of Interbike about next year's Tour of California which will run from 16 May through 23 May. The race will reportedly include three stages in the Sierra Nevada, including a mountain-top finish, and a mountain-top finish in Big Bear in the San Bernadino Mountains. A final time trial in Venice Beach is also on the possible menu. The official route announcement is 6 October or thereabouts.
Steephill spoke to a few of the race organizer people this week, and has more information. 2010 Tour of California Info..
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Wow...
time trial in Venice… that’s almost walking distance for me, depending on the route… Big Bear summit finish? Meh… they could have gone waaaayyyy bigger on that…
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
Is any info leaking out about the PdC get-together?
That always generates the best stories of the race.
Bruges?
I might cross the Atlantic too in April…
Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill (F. Coppi)
Stay tuned
ABRUZZIAM...uh oh
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2009 10:56 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Well I guess they couldn't do the summit finish in February
but still, Big Bear<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Zoncolan, Mortirolo, Terminillo
Ok the stage may not be on at the same time, but I for one can’t get excited about a medium tough climb in Cali if the Dolomites are currently on.
Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!
Also, and I don't mean to just rail on the ToC, I want it to succeed
but I believe the organizers are becoming a bit overzealous with wanting to eventually extend the race. There is a reason many Tour riders don’t do the Giro. Because they don’t want to do a race over 8 days in May, knowing they will have to probably do another week race in June to be fully prepared for the Tour. If they do want to do a longer race in May they will probably do the far more prestigious Giro. Leave it 8 or 9 days, don’t go 10 or beyond.
Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!
I struggle seeing any riders doing a race over a week that isn't a GT
ToC should look at the Volta Portugal for example. It has had to be shortened and the race has lost a lot of luster because no big names want to do that length of race outside of GT’s. Maybe I just can’t see it because I’m with you, I don’t want to see it. No need to throw in a bunch of boring transitional stages to lengthen it when it can be plenty exciting in a one week situation.
Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!
Not a good analogy
The Tour of California is a whole different race than the Volta Portugal. First financially they are different. There’s a whole lot more demand for a longer than a week stage race in California in May than in Portugal in August.
Second, along with that financial muscle there’s a prime spot on the calendar for say a two week long race: May, during the Giro. May is a time well after the cobbles and early stage races are over as well as Basque week and the Ardennes. You still have one and a half months until the Tour with just the Dauphine (8 days long) and Suisse tours (10 days long) on the calendar right before said Tour. So you have this big gap that sprinters and climbers who aren’t going to the Giro (i.e. most of ’em) have free. They will get a real test in California with plenty of time to recover for the Tour. Yes, they may well skip the Dauphine or Suisse as a result, but does that bother ASO/AEG? Not one bit.
One big plus: unlike the Dauphine and Suisse you won’t see riders participating only to get in shape as there will be plenty of recovery time. They will look at California as something to actively compete for without worrying that they’ll mess up their Tour prep. The object here is to have perhaps fewer big races in order to have more defined peaks to the calendar. In the long run there will be a set of top races well defined in relation to each other with other lesser races in between. California will be one of those top shelf races.
The ToC hasn't felt that financial pich yet
but that may happen. I think I’m just annoyed at the arrogance of the organizers often. They keep thinking their Tour is already at such a high plateau and before you know it, it will be the 2nd biggest race in the world. Why? Because it’s American? These other races have been around for decades and the sport of cycling is more respected in Italy for instance than the US. I want the ToC to be an important PT race, but it shouldn’t try to challenge the Giro for top honors in May. F off my Giro ASO!
Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!
I think you're reading into things way to much
It’s a race. I don’t think they are trying to upstage the Giro at all. They just want better weather and worked with the necessary parties to make that happen. Sure, the conflict sucks, but i don’t think it’s an affront by the TOC people at all to lessen the stature of the Giro.
Well if it weren't for the ASO take over I would be sure they aren't trying that
but you’re probably right, I’m reading into things too much. I look forward to seeing how it works out in May, and how fun it will be to watch both Giro and ToC in the same day.
Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!
Yeah I agree
I do not think they are trying to upstage the Giro.
Directly.
There’s more than enough good riders to go around.
Plus give Cali time.
I think they are
I think this is a direct attack on the Giro. ASO wants to own or have an interest in ALL the major pro races. This fell into their lap and they and their proxies are taking advantage. I have no evidence of this but I believe it. I am not sure what I feel about it.
whether they intend to or not, it will
when there are scarcely any American riders in the Giro & teams like Garmin treat it even less seriously than they did this year
lol, truly
And stages in the Sierra Nevada borrowed from the Vuelta. I mean, really, can’t these Californians come up with anything original?
Yes there is one thing you Californians did that was orginial
you voted an actor who speaks terrible English into the governors seat, that was quite original.
Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!
It was hard
for the time of year and with the long transfers. I’m guessing they won’t be able to avoid the transfers this time either.
Long transfers are a lock
If they plan on racing into or out of Santa Rosa, doing three Sierra stages with one mountain top finish (guaranteed to be at least a two hour drive from any place that will pay for a start), a mountain top finish in Big Bear followed the next day by an ITT in Venice, which is a three hour drive on a good day… This year is going to be a bitch and a half. Hope the sun comes out more.
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