"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - 200 photos and videos (and counting) from today's Tour of California Prologue

I thought that I'd share with you some pics from the start area of the Prologue. They're located at Steve Hill's Grassy Knolls site.

http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/storyboard.php

Just select prologue and photo and you should see them. I'll load some video clips once I figure out how to get them out of the camcorder.

Just some random musings:

These guys go fast. That's probably a "duh", but this was my first Pro race and it was, afterall, the flat section of a time trial so they're going faster than in a regular stage.

Those Cervelo's are SEXY. I just like the big tubing and red on black. It would be embarassing to poke along on one of those babies.

The perfect weather brought out some big crowds, especially at the finish (from what I could tell from the big screen)

I saw Jens Voight and Tom Danielson take off. Of course, I wouldn't have recognized them, if the announcer hadn't yelled their names and their bios (helmets and sunglasses are great disguises). Andy Hampsted also gave an onstage interview with, I think, Bob Roll (again the sunglass disguise).

Let's see how many of you folks can recognize the Phonak, Disco, CSC, and TMobile riders.

Watch it tonight on ESPN2.

:) :) :)

drool.

too awesome. thanks.

What photos? All it shows is some options to create a gallery. After I click on it, it say 0 found.

What photos? All it shows is some options to create a gallery. After I click on it, it say 0 found.

Did you select the prologue and photos before you clicked create gallery?

Make sure you unclick the other boxes (like video, audio comments, race day)

I guess it's confusing because "Create Gallery" could mean "create a container to upload pictures" instead of initiating a search based on the above criteria.

Great pics!! I hope more people upload pics to your server. What software are you using? Reminds me of http://www.crazyguyonabike.com and craigslist almost..

This guy MUST have won, right? After all, his bike is a TURBO!

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/1349/576lx.th.jpg (http://img365.imageshack.us/my.php?image=576lx.jpg)

It's amazing how many people didn't use TT bikes/bars.

It's amazing how many people didn't use TT bikes/bars.

I was amazed that more people didn't use those solid wheels. It wasn't windy. I'm sure these guys can afford it. I guess there were some turns and a 200 ft climb at the end. Was that the reason?

Did you select the prologue and photos before you clicked create gallery?

Make sure you unclick the other boxes (like video, audio comments, race day)
Got it, had to select pre-race check box.
Anyway, interesting race. Although my back was to it for the most of it. :(
The expressions on the hill before 500m mark, varied between fun and pure pain.

Ahh, the Specialized Angel:
http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/uploads/images_r/100.jpg

Team Jelly Belly on them fine Orbeas:
http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/uploads/images_r/78.jpg

yeah, what was up with all the regular road bikes?

yeah, what was up with all the regular road bikes?

I think because the prologue was so short, and over 1/3 climbing that the weight of a bike was more important than aerodynamics. It's probably a lot easier to do a sprinting climb using regular bars than TT bars. Only 3.1km (1.8 miles) long:

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Route/stages/prologue.html

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/docroot/images/prologue_profile.gif

The Grassy Knoll Project is off to a really good start with contributions from those at the race. It's been cool watching the storyboard automatically update as new pictures and video come in. Check out what we have so far:

<a href="http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/show.php?clip=20&user=1&filter=8673">ToC Prologue photos and videos</a>

enjoy!

HTML Code doesn't work unless you put a [/html] after it and a [html] before it. You could also use the forum-code of: {URL=www.steephill.tv....***link text*{/url**

Replace { with [


EDIT:

There's a glitch in the Matrix.... I just replied to one thread and it ended up in another. There must be some serious pruning/combining afoot around here.

What photos? All it shows is some options to create a gallery. After I click on it, it say 0 found.

Here's the full link you want:
http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/storyboard.php?event=1&filter=8673

It's a dynamic gallery, but you are right it's a little confusing. I'll make a fix tomorrow!

http://www.steephill.tv/grassyknoll/uploads/images_r/78.jpg


Those shoe covers are the ****. I need to find some.

Oh, and the yellow(sorta) leaders jersey is not the best looking thing ever IMHO.

"Golden Jersey of Leadership" right, my bad. It is still ugly. (I am slightly disappointed in ESPN's coverage but at least they are showing it.)

"Golden Jersey of Leadership" right, my bad but it is still ugly. (I am slightly disappointed in ESPN's coverage but at least they are showing it.)

ESPN didn't even show Levi's full ride but they showed Mark Mccormack entire ride...

ESPN didn't even show Levi's full ride but they showed Mark Mccormack entire ride...


Yes it was kind of lame, but I will continue to watch because I have watched everything on cycling.tv like 5 times each.

ESPN didn't even show Levi's full ride but they showed Mark Mccormack entire ride...

They had a motorcycle follow only a few riders. I don't know how they chose which ones to follow.

Here are a few pics I snapped Saturday and Sunday. I was a course marshall during the prologue on the sharp turn from Bay to Stockton, twas pretty cool. It was interesting to watch 128 pros take a sharp corner at good speed. Unfortunately, I wasn't supposed to take pics, but I managed a few.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/apw/sets/72057594067786515/