jdon

I have been fortunate the past 3 days in that I had the pleasure of attending the Tour of Alberta. It has been well organized although not particularly well attended. Most fans wearing kit and holding bikes were in the 50+ group and a lot of spectators were seniors. Perhaps because it is mid week or maybe that is the demographics of local cycling interests.

Either way, It is nice to see the likes of Peter Sagan, Cadel Evans, Dave Z and Ryder Hesjedal supporting local cycling avocacy.

Crappy phone pic of the final lap today in Red Deer, AB. While it is a stage race, they have been finishing with 3 crit style laps. Better for the spectators.

Shamrock

Great picture, now that is racing!!!!!!!!!

Zinger

Lucky You ! I haven't gotten around to attending another stage race for 34 years now.

First few stage races in Colorado in the '70s were sparsely attended too but a few years later they were getting spectators totaling in tens of thousands. Promoter Michael Aisner used to boast of close to 100,000 so it could possibly be more than half that many, lol.

Glad to see Sagan come over here to compete instead of showing for the sponsors and abandoning like some of Sky's guys did in Colorado last month. I'm becoming a fan of his now.

jdon

It has been fun but having been away from home for 3 weeks, it is time to go home. Otherwise I might have spent the whole week traipsing along with these guys!

Rhodabike

The television coverage of this has been pathetic. You'd think with all the classics and major stage race coverage that Rogers Sportsnet does, the people presenting the Tour of Alberta could have watched and learned how to do it right.

qcpmsame 

Agreed, Stage one's coverage was just repeated "We are experiencing technical problems..." and the same 3 Alberta Province tourist commercials. Shame about this, the racing has been good and the area has so many different types of terrain that looks beautiful, when we can see it.

Bill

jdon

Yeah, that is the problem with first year small budget productions. 1 helicopter, 1 media source, 1 government sponsor etc etc. All in all, I have enjoyed it and todays coverage hasn't been too bad. There have been some great finishes. Yay Cadel!

qcpmsame 

Yes, the Saturday coverage was much better and Alex's commentary has been very well done. As you said the single helo and fewer motos for camera work is making a poorer technical aspect. I hope this does work for Alberta, watching the Continental Pro teams and seeing Cadel yesterday was nice. That Canadian Development team seems to be doing well, funding must be their weak point for now. I'm jealous that you got to see some stages

The fact they successfully rerouted the stage after that horrible flooding speaks well for the organizer's commitment and thinking on the fly. The Province looks beautiful, today our son is getting started in Quebec City for the start of graduate work on language instruction. Maybe he can see the upcoming race there.

Bill

Dan Burkhart 

Great shot right there, even if it was shot with a phone. The race is a great thing, and I do hope it becomes an annual event.

GamblerGORD53

I saw the whole field of riders do the weenie time trial. I was by the first wide left turn and could also see the start of the downhill. It wasn't hard to figure out who was fast and who wasn't. I talked to Marc Koos when he came back to hang around. Before the race I asked a guy how long they use their chains and surprisingly he said a month or so.

Then Thursday I rode out to see them in Leduc and do a century+ that I haven't taken the time to do all year. It turned out to be the most perfect day ride ever. I rode my new custom Sturmey 5 tourster heavyweight, 63 lbs with 2 locks, 20? tools, 3 water bottles, coat etc. Slow ?? NOT. I started at 9:09 near West Edm mall and got to Leduc DQ, 25.5 miles in 90 min. Wind aided 17.5 mph. I then waited an hour for them and had lunch there as usual. Instead, I could have beat them to Wetaskiwin easily, at 48 miles. So then I puttered till supper, around 18 miles then at 5:30 headed home into the dying wind with welcome downslope. So 112 miles total and still averaged 13.84 mph, 13:20 hr ET. Fresh paved roads, no cramps, perfect sunny weather, pink sunset for half an hour, the clouds followed me all the way home. On the hwy I saw 4 single riders and a group of 6 older riders, all going the other way. They ALL waved. haha So I didn't get to race anybody, as usual.

The tour guys rode 3.5 miles Less and only had 8 miles not wind aided, 3 hr 32. I got a 10 min video which is ok but only shows the riders for 10 secs of course. On freeze frame it shows the riders well.