|
Tour of California
Here's the press release link and a snippet below
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...4206808&EDATE= Six world-class teams including Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team (USA), Gerolsteiner (GER), Davitamon-Lotto (BEL) and Phonak Hearing Systems (SUI), Saunier Duval Prodir (ESP) and Credit Agricole (FRA) and the T-Mobile Team (GER), were also announced as the first professional teams confirmed to race in the Amgen Tour of California. In addition, two of the top professional cycling teams in North America, the Health Net Pro Cycling Team, presented by Maxxis, and the Navigators Insurance Pro Cycling Team, will compete in the race. Team representatives along with mayors, other civic officials and a who's who of the international cycling community were on hand to discuss the eight-day stage race which will travel through San Francisco, Sausalito, Santa Rosa, Martinez, San Jose, the Monterey Peninsula, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Thousand Oaks to finish at Redondo Beach. |
|
San Jose! w00t! time to get the vacation request in! :)
|
The Tour of Northern California?
|
Originally Posted by gcasillo
The Tour of Northern California?
San Diego is mexico. Callie stops in LA :D |
What happened to the Sacramento-Tahoe stage? I wonder if the organizers read "Patty Reed's Doll"
|
Well with AMGEN as the main sponsor it doesn't suprise me that they are hitting the Santa Barbara/Thousand Oaks area. I believe the CEO live in SB and of course their corp hq is in TO. There have been some rumors floating around the Austin area that AMGEN is thinking of relocating here, with this announcement I wonder if that's changed?
|
I just looked at the link and ESPN2 is the broadcasting partner..if past is prolog then we'll get 5hours of cycling condensed into 30min with 15 of that being 'human intersest' stories.
|
Does anyone know what this means for the Tour of Georgia? I know they are/were planning on having it again this year mid April.
|
As far as the route goes, look what time of year it's taking place in. Yep, Feburary, which can be wet and cold as heck, so leaving many of the big mountain roads out is a smart thing to do IMO. If they wanted to incorporate big assed mountain climbs this time of year, the San Gabriels offer some of the best.
To really do justice to California's topography the race would probably have to take place in May/June/July, which of course contradicts with the rest of the UCI schedule. |
The TT in San Francisco will be cool (especially since I live there!). I'm assuming it will be along the flat Embarcadero, does anyone know? It's a bit disappointing that the route doesn't pass through the East Bay hills (great riding) and skips the Penninsula (even better riding with plenty of challenging climbs). Overall, I am psyched for this race :)
|
It won't affect Georgia in any way.
Georgia is going strong. No worries. They just got UCI to grant an upgrade to hors categorie. I'm aware of a couple of other states trying to get something similar going. It increases tourism. It provides an economic impact. It provides communities with a big event to rally around. They tried this in 1989 with the Trump event (later DuPont). But the country wasn't ready for it. Now, thanks in large part to Armstrong, we can expect more success with a major U.S. stage race. |
The only way from Santa Rosa to Sausalito that doesn't involve huge detours and multiple bridges over the bay is to go right past my office building so I guess I'm going to have a good view of stage 1 :)
|
Originally Posted by PaulBravey
The only way from Santa Rosa to Sausalito that doesn't involve huge detours and multiple bridges over the bay is to go right past my office building so I guess I'm going to have a good view of stage 1 :)
|
Originally Posted by EventServices
It won't affect Georgia in any way.
|
where did you get info that the TT was in San Francisco? Where/when is the San Jose section??!?
|
Originally Posted by zakk
where did you get info that the TT was in San Francisco? Where/when is the San Jose section??!?
|
Originally Posted by EventServices
It won't affect Georgia in any way.
Georgia is going strong. No worries. They just got UCI to grant an upgrade to hors categorie. I'm aware of a couple of other states trying to get something similar going. It increases tourism. It provides an economic impact. It provides communities with a big event to rally around. They tried this in 1989 with the Trump event (later DuPont). But the country wasn't ready for it. Now, thanks in large part to Armstrong, we can expect more success with a major U.S. stage race. I wouldn't worry about the "big names" showing. The US is a huge consumer and as the sport grows here, it will be in the teams interest to send their "big names" to our races. |
I wish someone would come out with a few stage details. I want to know stage lengths and what knee-poppingly steep hills this thing hits.
|
Awesome, the first stage is here in SF on Sunday, and the Sausalito to Santa Rosa Stage is on President's day, so I don't have to worry about missing work!
|
Originally Posted by Pizza Man
Awesome, the first stage is here in SF on Sunday, and the Sausalito to Santa Rosa Stage is on President's day, so I don't have to worry about missing work!
I just got back my vacation request for TUes. and Wed. so I can see the San Jose Finish then watch the TT :D |
Interesting take on it...
EPO pioneer to sponsor Tour of California November 2, 2005 WASHINGTON (AFP) - Sponsorship of top cycling races has taken a new twist with the news that the world's biggest producer of EPO (erythropoietin) - arguably cycling's most abused drug - is to sponsor the Tour of California. According to reports here Wednesday biotech firm AMGEN - who boast more than two billion dollars in annual sales - will be the title sponsor for the February race. AMGEN pioneered the manufacturing of recombinant EPO. Originally created to help people with cancer or kidney problems, its use as a huge boost to endurance athletes was quickly recognized at the start of the 1990's. ADVERTISEMENT EPO is banned by cycling's world ruling body and has been the UCI's (International Cycling Union) biggest enemy. The hormone, used by millions of people around the world as a medicine, boosts the red blood cells, allowing further oxygenation of the muscles which can then work for longer and recuperate better. The drug was famously 'outed' when the Festina doping scandal at the 1998 Tour de France almost brought the race to its knees. AMGEN says its sponsoring of the Tour of California, a minor race by European standards, is motivated by its awareness of the inappropriate use of its product. "We believe we have a responsibility to ensure that the medicines we develop are used properly," AMGEN scientific director Steve Elliott told USA Today. "It is always disturbing to find out that an athlete would abuse a drug intended to save someone's life." |
Originally Posted by Pizza Man
Awesome, the first stage is here in SF on Sunday, and the Sausalito to Santa Rosa Stage is on President's day, so I don't have to worry about missing work!
|
You know it just hit me. Big thumbs up to the organizers for not calling it the Tour de California.
|
For those local to the race or if you want to attend... the website has a volunteer section and could probably use the help. I volunteered but I don't know when they inform you.
http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com |
| All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:44 AM. |
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.