Northern California - Amgen Tour of California and Mount Diablo

According to Cycling News, Mount Diablo will be featured in stage 3 (San Jose to Livermore). No summit finish. I suspect it will go to junction and then to Livermore,
It would be a hastle if the race went to the peak, but you never no.

Reference:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/higher-harder-route-for-2012-tour-of-california

No summit. Climb Southgate to junction, descend Northgate. Then over Marsh Creek to Byron Highway. Too bad they're not heading back to the Livermore Valley via Morgan Territory or Vasco.

No summit. Climb Southgate to junction, descend Northgate. Then over Marsh Creek to Byron Highway. Too bad they're not heading back to the Livermore Valley via Morgan Territory or Vasco.
Coming over Patterson Pass and Cross isn't a bad way to get back to Livermore.
Here's the map:
http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/docroot/media/2012/2012AToCStage3Map.pdf

Very disappointed that there is no Bay Area hilltop finish this year. Sierra Road last year was spectacular.

I'm thinking I can pick my spot on SGR, and after the caravan goes through make it to Livermore for the finish too. That'd be 50 more hilly miles for the race and 28miles straight back to town for me.

I'm thinking I can pick my spot on SGR, and after the caravan goes through make it to Livermore for the finish too. That'd be 50 more hilly miles for the race and 28miles straight back to town for me.

Exactly what I was thinking about doing too.

If they're going up South Gate does that mean that the pavement might get fixed? I'm guessing not but we can always hope.

I think I'll be tryin to make the first three stages of the tour. They're within driving distance. I know I'm taking that week off work for sure.

If they're going up South Gate does that mean that the pavement might get fixed? I'm guessing not but we can always hope.

I doubt riders would allow a race to go through such demolished pavement. The peloton will mostly be all together at that point making the short twisty section very dangerous.
I have no idea who owns this road, private or public entity, but they might have found an organization willing to partially or entirely pay for the repair. Which would be great news for all of us.

I doubt riders would allow a race to go through such demolished pavement. The peloton will mostly be all together at that point making the short twisty section very dangerous.
I have no idea who owns this road, private or public entity, but they might have found an organization willing to partially or entirely pay for the repair. Which would be great news for all of us.
It's privately owned but with public access and patrols by the sheriff. My understanding is that there is an agreement to repair the road prior to the race.

Has it gotten worse or has it always been that bad? I rode it on sun and I was a bit surprised when I hit that first turn. For some reason the holes looked bigger than before. Then again, I have climbed mostly out of n gate since its closer to my house.

Coming over Patterson Pass and Cross isn't a bad way to get back to Livermore.
Here's the map:
http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/docroot/media/2012/2012AToCStage3Map.pdf

Agreed Peter, but I'd still think it would be better if they went over Vasco or MT and then out Old Altamont to Midway to get to the east side of Patterson Pass. Byron Highway and Mt. House are sort of boring :-).

This is soooooooooo wonderful. It's going to be REALLY hard to pick a spot. I'd love to watch them at the closest point to my Antioch house, but watching them zip by on Marsh Creek would be over too fast. I'd love to see pros descend Northgate. YIKES. But I'll likely pick a spot on Southgate Road, then MAYBE try to get to the finish.

I sure hope I get to see it on tape afterwards.

If I were brave I'd set up a video camera on Northgate and pick it up after the race. .... like it would still be there...

Just WOW. TOC on our mountain!

Hey, I'm so excited to hear about the ToC including Diablo, though it would have been even sweeter had they used the summit as a stage finale. Anyway, I'm definitely going to call in sick/take the day off to ride up there, but for anyone who knows, how does the road closure work? What time do they close the road? Am I going to have to get up there really early in the morning? What about afterward? How long do you have to wait to continue up, or turn around? Any info would be appreciated!

Oh, and I sincerely hope that means they fix Diablo Scenic Blvd...but does it also mean they will fix the recently fixed and subsequently failed portion of North Gate road too...? I guess it takes a professional bike race to get stuff fixed around here.

how does the road closure work? What time do they close the road?

My experience the last 3 years, twice on Calaveras, once on Mines, is that you need to drive on the road about an hour before the race goes through. The first set of police motorcycles cleans the road about 20 to 30 minutes before the riders.

Regarding Diablo it could be different. Anyway driving up the mountain could be a mess. If you ride I think you will be safe by planning to arrive at your chosen spot about 30 to 45 minutes before the racers. The TOC website has a document showing the timing riders are expected to reach each major location along the stage.

i know a couple of heartbreaking turns on south gate that provide a looooong view of the road ahead (and more importantly behind in this case) where i will park my butt on race day. :thumb:

Has it gotten worse or has it always been that bad?

Yes.

I got the day off from work it is all arranged and approved. Yay!

Yes.

:lol:

Planning to take the day, ride up the North side, find a place on the south side, watch & cheer, then ride to the summit. Whoo-hoo! I'm excited!

My experience the last 3 years, twice on Calaveras, once on Mines, is that you need to drive on the road about an hour before the race goes through. The first set of police motorcycles cleans the road about 20 to 30 minutes before the riders.

Regarding Diablo it could be different. Anyway driving up the mountain could be a mess. If you ride I think you will be safe by planning to arrive at your chosen spot about 30 to 45 minutes before the racers. The TOC website has a document showing the timing riders are expected to reach each major location along the stage.

Well I'm definitely going to ride up. Could you tell me where to find the timing sheet on the website? I couldn't find that information, but maybe it's not available yet...

Well I'm definitely going to ride up. Could you tell me where to find the timing sheet on the website? I couldn't find that information, but maybe it's not available yet...

I don't think it's available yet.

So how long would you guess it will take the pros to ride up to the junction? I'm sure the group will just be riding tempo, since it's not the finish, but still, it's gotta be a crazy fast time. Based on what a lowly mortal like me can do it, I'm gonna guess these guys will be within a minute either side of 20 minutes, riding at tempo (I always start timing from the actual lower gate (after the last house), not the school...too dangerous to ride at speed on that horrible road). Hopefully the TV cameras will pick them up when they cross the "start" and at the top, so I can time it on my DVR.

So how long would you guess it will take the pros to ride up to the junction? I'm sure the group will just be riding tempo, since it's not the finish, but still, it's gotta be a crazy fast time. Based on what a lowly mortal like me can do it, I'm gonna guess these guys will be within a minute either side of 20 minutes, riding at tempo (I always start timing from the actual lower gate (after the last house), not the school...too dangerous to ride at speed on that horrible road). Hopefully the TV cameras will pick them up when they cross the "start" and at the top, so I can time it on my DVR.

There's a KOM at Junction so we could see an ambitious group going for it. 20 minutes from the Tire Poppers (5.7 miles) would be blazing though.

Metrics:
Diablo Challenge is 11.2 miles, record is about 45 minutes - at that same average pace it'd be about 23 minutes. I believe the record holder may ride the AToC this year though !

NGR time trial is 10km, record is about 22 minutes - at that pace we would see 20 minutes.

Of course we're dealing with pros, in a stage race, on the first climb of a long stage, and SGR is the easy side. I'm going with 22 minutes.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iAvITuHfyFg/RstGpeIFo9I/AAAAAAAABSk/3_Aa8r-rI2s/s800/Diablo%2520Profile.jpg

Borenstein: Dangerous road on Amgen race route exemplifies California dysfunction (http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_19940151)

Looks like the deal isn't done yet.

This is the part I don't get:
Property owners apparently fear they would be liable for any accidents after a faulty repair.
How are they exempt from liability NOW?

Good link - I'm actually surprised they didn't agree this before finalizing the route, the fact that the organizers are unaware that this problem has been stalled for years doesn't bode well. Riding the Challenge for the last 3years it amazes me that somehow we get everyone up and through that section, but I just can't imagine it working out for ATOC. I think we'd need a wheel guy on standby for the motorcycles too.

Some of the worst potholes are on short descents as that part of the road is both up and down.
On a downward section during the DMD last April I hit one of those pot holes so hard it shook a bottle right out of my cage. The bottle went rolling down the hill, and I was lucky it did not go under anyone's wheels and send them to the ground.

Now multiply the DMD speeds and rider congestion to TOC proportions and you have a bottle caused crash for sure.
If they don't fix the road I have to hope they change the route.

I love Mt. Diablo but I love pro cycling more. For many pros this is an important tune up for their Tour de France. I would feel sick if one of my TDF favorites missed out in July because of a broken collar bone, broken wrist, or worse, suffered in May on that "road"

This is not necessarily bad news for us. From the link it can be concluded that an agreement has already been made than the road will be repaired and who will pay for it.
The private owner are probably in a dream position, having their road repaired and paid by somebody else. What they are now looking for is to have the state or the race organizer take full responsibility for covering them in case somebody claims damage because of the road. They are basically in a very favorable position and try to take full advantage of it.

The way I read that article, the details have not been worked out yet.

I know that Save Mt Diablo have been trying to get at this for a while coming perilously close in the last year but to no avail, there was clearly quite a bit of frustration from the way the organizers of the Mt D Challenge described this situation last fall.

Looking over the route map and times - I'm suggesting you get where you want to be on Diablo before 1 o'clock... when I'm predicting the race will hit the freshly patched section of pavement below South Gate Road.

Looking over the route map and times - I'm suggesting you get where you want to be on Diablo before 1 o'clock... when I'm predicting the race will hit the freshly patched section of pavement below South Gate Road.

Sounds perfectly guessed!
Now it's time to do some planning; do I have enough time to be on Calaveras and then be on Diablo? I know I will have plenty of time to reach the finish line in Livermore after Diablo.

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/docroot/media/2012/12-AToC-Stage-3-Log.pdf

If I was designing a ToC stage it would be something like this: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=384598

Livermore -> Mt. Diablo

2/3 of a DMD (137 miles)
Mines, Hamilton, Sierra, Calaveras, Palomares and a mountain top finish on Diablo (imagine them finishing with "the wall")!!

It would be like an Alpine TdF stage... break them down with earlier hills, a few climbers will try to go early, and then the GC contenders will attack on the last climb (Mt Diablo == Alpe d'Huez) :)