Tour of California
 

The ToC starts on Sunday and is televised on Versus.

Will you be going, and will you be providing us with some of your excellent pictures?

Yes. I will be at the Prolog Time Trial. I want to see the Mount Hamilton / Sierra stage but the weather forecast calls for rain next week so that is iffy for me.

Kind of annoying that Santa Cruz was just named "Bicycle Friendly" , then many events seem to avoid Santa Cruz and stop in Seaside. Bikes, Trikes, and Tikes is planned in Seaside too.

If possible; many pictures please!!!

countersTrike

I'll be watching dialy on Versus. Wish I could be there, rain or shine.

Thanks for the reminder!!

I'll be on "the ominious" Balcom canyon on saturday (23rd) and on Mill Creek Summit on Sunday.

I just heard that the CSC squad had a bad crash on Decker canyon yesterday afternoon during a training ride.
Some bad injuries. Jens Voight is covered in road rash.

The Tour of Qatar is on Saturday as well.

I've got my dvr set to record on Versus.

Really looking forward to the ToC this year - at the rate things are going, they may end up having more Pro Tour teams than the TdF:D.

For those not up on the television scheduling, the coverage starts at 1700 on Saturdays and Sundays, 2300 during the week (eastern time). That Tour of Quatar overview is 1800 Saturday.

The racing season has started! Can regular 60 degree afternoons be far behind?

And for those not up on military time, that's 5pm on weekends and 11pm week nights. ;)

We've been having 60s and 70s most afternoons for a few weeks. 71 tomorrow.

Will see about making it for the Seaside-San Luis Obispo leg any other attendees?

I'll be on Cardiac Hill (hwy. 128) on Tuesday, then Sac. for the finish. Ive never watched a professional bicycle race live, so I'm excited. My cowbell is ready, too. ;)

What is that?

You're going to love it. If you have time, add one other location to your list. Stage starts are a great way to see the riders and teams up close. Arrive early and walk around the parking area where the team vehicles set up before the stage.

Velodiva and I just returned from the KOM race up Sierra Road, Category 1 climb. It was a beautiful day and we both did great. The pros on stage 3 of the ToC will climb Mount Hamilton (back side), Hors Category, descend the 19 mile technical descent and then follow the same route we did today i.e. climb Sierra Road and descend to finish in San Jose.

Great! What were your times? We are in Stanford and did a short ride today. Two rides tomorrow, one before and one after the prologue

Velodiva 33:28, 5th out of 15, for the Cat 3/4 women and mine was 38:14. I do not know my place - yet.

We will be at the prolog tomorrow. We plan to ride our tandem to the event and park it at the free valet bike parking.

Weather
 

After two Sunny weeks in NORCAL the weather will probably be overcast up until just before the start tomorrow morning then it should be 50+F for most of the ride until after they turn inland on Coleman Valley road and are approaching Santa Rosa when it should warm to the low to mid 60sF. The rest of the trip through NORCAL looks iffy with the possibility of rain every other day beginning Tuesday. Not sure about the weather further down the coast.

Stage 3 today. Isn't that when the climbing really starts? Anyone watching from one of the big climbs?

Yes. Mount Hamilton, Hors Category and the Sierra Road Climb. I am working and cannot attend. Plus...I have had my fill of climbing Sierra Road for this year.:eek:

Does anyone agree with me that the people that run Versus are idiots. Here comes the race leader on a killer sprint, break for woodie enhancment commercial, back to the race 3 min. later, who the heck knows what happened.

Watching Levi Leipheimer today was awesome.

Were you there? Looked like a good crowd. Chechu did an amazing pull up Mt. Hamilton and then Levi was the only one able to hang with Gesink on the Sierra Road.

that is good you went and saw it with your own eyes. I was figuring on tommorow, to ride salinas to big sur in and see if I can catch the first kom along that route. according to google maps 53.2 mi and I have not rode that much for a time so will see how it goes.