rbarelas

So I'm flying in from Dallas May 12 to see the Stage 3 race of the ATOC which ends in Mt. Diablo State Park. I need some advice on how to do it. I read on the website that they sell tickets for the end of the race, which i'm totally fine with, I just want to be able to see my favorite cyclists in the end and maybe get an autograph and have a good time. Does anyone have experience as a spectator to races like these, or if you're familiar to the area how do you access the park. thank you.
I hope to hear from any of you soon.

Clipped_in

I haven't been to the ATOC, but at the Tour of Utah, you would have much better success showing up at the pre-start activities to get autographs, and see your favorite pros (outside of the racing). In my experience, there isn't much public mingling with the riders after the stage finish.

gsa103

Will you have a bike?

The mountain top finish area is very small, with restricted access. The park will close to car access well before the race ends. The best way to get up the mountain is by bike. Its 1-3hrs (1 hr is serious racer 200W+ sustained) from the bottom to the top (depending on rider strength).

Last year, they blocked all access at around Devil's Elbow, and it was about 0.3mi hike to the top area. There was a massive sea of bikes at the bike parking area. We dropped down lower and watched on a steep section before Juniper campground. I suspect it'll be much less crowded this year due to the weekday.

If you're a solid climber, and have a car, you might be able to catch the start, then bolt for Danville and get up ahead of the race. It'll be about 45 min drive from the start to parking for Diablo, which would leave you ~2hrs to get to top.

The advantage of watching from a steep section is that the tour doesn't just fly by.

DXchulo

I've been multiple times. To me the most interesting thing is the team bus area before the start. There's more of a chance to see multiple riders and there's tons of bike porn.

Some of the lesser-known riders are very accessible. The big names don't hang out a whole lot, but just look for Bob Roll, follow him around, and you'll at least get a close look at them. Depending on how aggressive you are, you might get a picture with a few.

Specific route info isn't always available far in advance, but there's usually a way to drive from the start to an area where you can see the peloton ride by.

I doubt the actual viewing on Diablo is all that great. Very crowded with a lot of weirdos trying to be seen on TV. That's an experience all in itself, though. It all depends on what you want to see.