Northern California - Tour of California 2010 in May

The TOC 2010 will be in May at the same time of the Giro of Italy. The race wants to become a TDF preparation. A mountain top finish is planned. Interesting.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/may09/may06news2

From the article ...

The stage race will take place on May 16 to 23, within the same time slot as the Giro d'Italia. "We will be head-to-head with the Giro but frankly I don't think that will really affect us," Messick said. "The Giro is a great race, but very few cyclists who are serious about the Tour de France will also race the Giro."

What???? I guess Lance, Levi, Vandevelde, Zabriskie, etc ... who are racing Giro are not serious about Tour de France??? WTF :eek:

"Messick said the May date will allow access to more terrain in the high Sierra Mountains that are normally covered with snow."


This aspect could be pretty cool.

May is still early season for the High Sierra. The 9000+ foot mountain passes like Tioga and Sonora usually open at the end of May, and even that date may require hard work from the snow plow people. I'm sure they can find an interesting route in the lower mountains, though.

Plenty of superhard climbs in the lower Sierra. But it's a going to be a lot less fun without the big Euro riders.

From the article ...

The stage race will take place on May 16 to 23, within the same time slot as the Giro d'Italia. "We will be head-to-head with the Giro but frankly I don't think that will really affect us," Messick said. "The Giro is a great race, but very few cyclists who are serious about the Tour de France will also race the Giro."

What???? I guess Lance, Levi, Vandevelde, Zabriskie, etc ... who are racing Giro are not serious about Tour de France??? WTF :eek:

Perhaps that's implying that many of the TdF hopefuls use the Giro as preparation for the Tour, as opposed to racing to win the Maglia Rosa outright (sp?).

Let the Giro be something other than preparation for another Grand Tour (for the TdF GC hopefuls, not the whole peloton) and let the ToC provide a shorter preparation, along the lines of a Dauphine Libere or Tour de Suisse.

Dunno.

Getting the ToC into the high Sierras is a great idea, though.

Sure would make for a better spectator event. It's cold in February, darnit.

Sure would make for a better spectator event. It's cold in February, darnit.

And freaking wet...

Tour de France warm up races are notoriously boring... in fact the Tour itself is pretty boring except for three or four stages out of 20. I'd much rather have the best 7 day stage race in the world than a mini TdF.

But I admire the ToC for thinking big and going head to head with the Euro races.

And freaking wet...

Hmmm, good job we'd never have weather like that in May in NorCal. Hang on.....


Yeah, interesting all or nothing strategy from the organizers.

But will it conflict with rides I want to do? I'd rather ride than watch.

I got snowed on last Memorial day at Tahoe. And let's not forget last year's Davis Double with 109 degree heat. This might not work as well as the tourist bureau hopes...

I'm glad to hear they are having a race next year.
But I thought Escondido and the Palomar road was sufficient and appropriate.
How mountainous do they want to get? The 2009 was a very good route.
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