Tour of California route annnounced..................

The Tour of California Route was announced.......... Goes from San
Francisco to Redondo Beach. It's great to see that California finally
has a major tour after all these years. I was disappointed that the
route was not more challenging. I would have like to see stage over the
Grape Vine or a stage in Sierra's...In any case it should be a
interesting tour..

(http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/route.html )

Yes winter would be bad time, but there is other times the race can be
held. The San Gabriels would make a excellent stage. I heard that there
is road that goes from Palm Desert to Pasadena....
Fred Marx wrote:
wrote:
The Tour of California Route was announced.......... Goes from San
Francisco to Redondo Beach. It's great to see that California finally
has a major tour after all these years. I was disappointed that the
route was not more challenging. I would have like to see stage over the
Grape Vine or a stage in Sierra's...In any case it should be a
interesting tour..

(http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/route.html )

hmmm the Sierras in February..... you can make the leap here I think
(think Ski season if that helps...).
There are some good mountains in the Coast Range around Santa Barbera.
Most of thoe high passes of the San Gabrials are pretty ugly in February
too.

wrote:
The Tour of California Route was announced.......... Goes from San
Francisco to Redondo Beach. It's great to see that California finally
has a major tour after all these years. I was disappointed that the
route was not more challenging. I would have like to see stage over the
Grape Vine or a stage in Sierra's...In any case it should be a
interesting tour..

(http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/route.html )

The tour's CEO didn't seem to know how to pronounce Levi Leipheimer's name

Too bad they're not doing any mountaintop finishes. I don't know how
scenic that route will be in February. The natural route for Martinez-San
Jose would be over Mt. Diablo and Mt. Hamilton, but I think that'd be iffy
at that time of year.

Robert Chung wrote:

Too bad they're not doing any mountaintop finishes. I don't know how
scenic that route will be in February. The natural route for Martinez-San
Jose would be over Mt. Diablo and Mt. Hamilton, but I think that'd be iffy
at that time of year.

I encountered snow at the top of Mt. Hamilton during the road race of
that name... and I think that was the beginning of June!

Actually, the whole thing could be kinda iffy, if it rains like last
year.

wrote:

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/route.html

I guess the answer to the question, 'What will we do when LANCE retires?'
was "Sign up Amgen as a sponsor."

wrote:
Yes winter would be bad time, but there is other times the race can be
held. The San Gabriels would make a excellent stage. I heard that there
is road that goes from Palm Desert to Pasadena....

It's not a major tour, it's a training race. As a training race,
it can not be held other times of the year. Not if you want
riders other than Jittery F Joes to show up.

Bob Schwartz

Bob Schwartz wrote:
wrote:
Yes winter would be bad time, but there is other times the race can be
held. The San Gabriels would make a excellent stage. I heard that there
is road that goes from Palm Desert to Pasadena....

It's not a major tour, it's a training race. As a training race,
it can not be held other times of the year. Not if you want
riders other than Jittery F Joes to show up.

I kept wincing when I listened to the press conference. They kept
repeating that they're creating a world-class tour. Not in February they
ain't.

Bob Schwartz wrote:

It's not a major tour, it's a training race. As a training race,
it can not be held other times of the year. Not if you want
riders other than Jittery F Joes to show up.

Do you think Hincapie will skip Het Volk to ride TdC?

Jenko

Ron Ruff wrote:
Robert Chung wrote:


Too bad they're not doing any mountaintop finishes. I don't know how
scenic that route will be in February. The natural route for Martinez-San
Jose would be over Mt. Diablo and Mt. Hamilton, but I think that'd be iffy
at that time of year.


I encountered snow at the top of Mt. Hamilton during the road race of
that name... and I think that was the beginning of June!

Actually, the whole thing could be kinda iffy, if it rains like last
year.


I agree -- Hamilton will be very dicey.

Calaveras Road is an obvious alternative, although that dumps one into the Milpitas
sprawl zone, making traffic control a considerable challenge. An alternative descent,
Sierra Road, is probably too steep.

They could simply end the race in Milpitas, at the abrupt border between
rural and suburben Calaveras.

Dan

Robert Chung wrote:
Too bad they're not doing any mountaintop finishes. I don't know how
scenic that route will be in February. The natural route for Martinez-San
Jose would be over Mt. Diablo and Mt. Hamilton, but I think that'd be iffy
at that time of year.

Speaking of route suggestions, I think they should run the
Sausalito stage in conjunction with the Starbucks ride.
Imagine the prestige of running a race with that many riders
with national and world champion jersey trim.

Bob Schwartz