Tour of California Day 1 results

Amgen Tour of California

 

Okay, here's what I don't get. Levi's the leader, right? But, this is stage 1. The site says, "Rabobank's Graeme Brown (AUS) won the bunch sprint to claim the stage win from T-Mobile Team's Greg Henderson (NZL), with Discovery Channel Pro's Allan Hansen (AUS) placing third. " Where's Levi's name in there? How is he the leader after one stage but he didn't win the stage?

Oh, hold on... I think this explains it, from a different page on the same site...

"Graeme Brown (Rabobank) won Monday's Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California minutes after a huge pileup took down race leader Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) and some 50 other racers on a finishing circuit in downtown Santa Rosa, bringing most of the race to a halt.

"Although Leipheimer's chase group crossed the line more than a minute down on the front group, race commissaires ultimately decided to give all finishers the same time, preserving the hometown favorite's overall lead. Typically, crashes that occur within the final 3km result in an automatic same-time designation; this ruling was based solely on the commissaires' discretion."

Am I right? So, the prologue is like a 2 mile dash and sprint? Levi won that so he's the overall leader. I think.

 

Any chance this is on some cable channel I can DVR?

 

VS channel (old OLN) @ 7:00 pm

 

Thar's pretty much it,Glen. I don't like how the riders almost always give the win to a guy who lives in the city they are going into. This happens in almost every grand race. They do it a lot in the TdF, and it's not supposed to having a bearing on the outcome but I think it does. I wish they'd just race and dropp that "Let the homeboy take this win", bs.

Today is stage one. Yesterday was the prolouge. I think that's what it's called.And because of the pile up all finishers are awarded the same time. Levi remains in first, but I don't look for him to stay there.Watch Ivan Basso, I think he'll win it. He's got a lot to prove.

 

Is Levi supporting Basso or the other way around? Which is Disco's lead rider?

 

Pics from the 2006 Amgen TOC

What a cool race! I got to hang out in Redondo last year with a roadie friend of mine to see the final stage of the inaugural race. Here's a couple of pics I shot off...

I'd really like to go up to Solvang for Stage 5 (they are running one of my fave rides up there for the time trial -- up and over Ballard Canyon -- so bitchen!). I put it up at routeslip if you wanna check it out: RouteSlip.com - Stage 5 - Solvang Time Trial in Solvang, California (sometimes Routeslip can take a little while to load, so be patient...)

The Early Breakaway

There was a crash in the first lap at about mile 6. These four riders who happened to be in front at the time were the only ones not involved in the crash, so they became an early breakaway by default (all the fans were shocked when these guys rolled by by themselves so early on in the race -- that just never hasppens). They were eight and a half minutes ahead of the pelloton at the end of the first lap(!), but were eventually reeled in by the big group right at the end of the race. None of these guys finished on the podium, though they spent nearly the entire race working extremely hard since they were out in front all alone. Aussie Glen Chadwick in the lead in this first 'stacked-up' shot (wish I had shot with a bit more DOF)...



The Leaders

Next lap around Scott Zwzanski had taken the lead, followed by Davide Frattini, Chadwick and then Aaron Olsen (again, wish I had a bit more DOF, oh well):



At The Back of The Pack

Shooting the pelloton can be trying -- tons of bikes all whizzing by at the same moment -- not much chance to single out any particular rider. This shot didn't look like much when I first looked at it, but then I noticed I got the one rider in green at the back and I quite liked it:



The Competition (well, mine anyways...)

Hey! Why does ~he~ get to stand out oin the course like that?!?! Oh, obviously someone sanctioned by the ToC... I was stuck behind railings, etc. But, that's cool -- most folks were willing to give me and the big Sigma a bit of room.





Turning The Corner

I believe this to be either Phonak rider Nicolas Jalabert or perhaps Steve Zampieri from the middle of the pack (see the pelloton in the bg). Nicolas finished in 18th place and Steve in 56th in this final race, way way ahead of any of the breakaway four (see below).



Scott At The Back

Scott Zwizanski (seen at the front of the breakaway in my first pic postings), now at the back of the front four (these lined up shots I was able to get make it look like these guys are on a four man tandem bike! Ha!). From the hanging slack-jaw it looks like it was a very hard ride indeed for those guys who were out in front for most of hte race. This took its toll...



Glen's Last Lead

This is Glen Chadwick on the final lap at the lead of the front four. The breakaway was soon gobbled up by the pelloton (of course). The breakaway riders all finished high in the double digits, in this order:


Aaron Olsen -- 69th
Glen Chadwick -- 86th
Scott Zwizanski -- 90th
Davide Frattini -- 91st

So, they led for 9/10ths of the race... and were then relegated to the bottom of the barrel. Ouch.



Enjoy.


shud

 

Great pics! Say, wasn't Phonak disbanded? I thought that happended after TdF and Floyd.

 

Big Sur Thursday

Thursday should be interesting! The weather forcast is calling for heavy rain along the coast.
Does anyone know if they ever cancel stages for weather?

 

I thought Phonak disbanded as well. It'odd that there is one Phonak and one BMC rider on the same bikes.



Hombrechtikon, 2006-08-15
Andy Rihs Disbands Phonak Cycling Team
Team owner Andy Rihs withdraws from pro cycling. After carefully examining all the alternatives, he will disband the Phonak Cycling Team at the end of the year. The deciding factor in this decision is the doping case of team captain Floyd Landis.

“As a passionate cyclist, I am bitterly disappointed that the sport of cycling apparently has become a synonym for doping. I truly regret this development and it has brought me to the decision of disbanding the Phonak Cycling Team per the end of 2006,” Andy Rihs explains the reason for his decision. He has done everything possible to avoid any doping cases in his team and had even introduced the strictest controls internally of all ProTour teams. Nevertheless, the fatal solo initiative of one rider could not be avoided. “For this reason, today I see myself forced to do something I have never done in my whole life as a businessman: I have given up!” Rihs said and emphasized that this decision has been very difficult for him. “I am particularly sorry for our young promising Swiss riders who share no guilt in this development, as well as for the competent staff members.” The team offered numerous young as well as experienced Swiss and international riders the opportunity of participating in the sport of cycling at its highest level over the last seven years. “I deeply regret that I can no longer do this in the future.”
Together with the team management, Rihs intensively looked for alternatives over the last several days. However, after careful consideration and examination of all possibilities, it has become clear that successor solutions for the Phonak Cycling Team are not possible – for financial reasons and also due to the uncertainty with regard to the renewal of the ProTour licence that expires at the end of this year. Rihs came to an agreement with the new global title sponsor iShares regarding an early termination of the title sponsorship contract.
The team will continue to participate in all the races scheduled for the remainder of 2006. The riders will thus have the opportunity of presenting themselves as valid candidates for other teams. Also, Rihs will support – wherever possible - the employees, in particular the young Swiss riders, in their searches for new jobs.

 

So, is it possible some dude is riding in a Phonak kit but he's not on the team? I wouldn't think you could do that on a Pro event.

 

I don't think so.

The bikes are exactly the same. Maybe the new colors made his butt look fat.

 

Guys --

My pics are from the final circuit race from the 2006 race! Look at the top of my post and you'll see I say I saw last year's final leg in Redondo. The pics are from Feb of 2006, when Phonak was still in bidniss.

HTH

shud

 

Doh!

Oops. My bad.... :-k

 

Hey Mike,
I don't think any "pro" racer would hand over a victory like that. Those guys get paid squat for all that glorious suffering...heck, Floyd wins the first Tour of California last year and gets $15,000 which he should split with his teammates etc.
My understanding of the peleton, especially in a stage race, is if they pass thru a town/village a racer is from it is up to the current tour leader to let him go off the front and be greeted by his fellow citizens alone and then the back off and allow the peleton to absorb him. I think it was a Credit Agricole rider a few years back who abused this privilege and Lance punished him later in the race.
The Levi thing was very dissapointing in my opinion.
The guys who dodged the crash put in big efforts for a chance to climb up the GC, instead all they got was the correct placing in order of the sprint finish but no time really gained.
Either way I am stoked to have cycling back on tv, always gets me motivated:bang:

 

Yeah, I'd like to see them go up in the General Classification too, but like so many sports now days they are over regulated. I look for this to quite possibly turn into a bike race to be run with the greats. It has that potential. Over 600,000 people have already lined up to watch and be a part of it. I might take Friday off to go up to watch it myself.

 

The powers that be have to be taking notice of that many spectators. Lets hope it keeps growing.
There better be some OC stages next year!

 

Stage 5 Pics!

OK... I totally played hooky today -- even called in sick with a 'scratchy throat.' You'd think I was 12...

Anyways, on a total whim I drove up to Solvang to shoot stage 5. It just so happened that the time trial today went up my fave ride there (Ballard Canyon), so I staked out a place in the shade and snapped away. Check 'm out...

The first pic is Glen Chadwick. The others I don't know (yet). I got tons more, but wanted to post these ones right now









Enjoy (as much as you MTBer guys can...)!

shud