13/05 - 19/05: Tour of California

[DNP-Old]

Stage 1 - Long Beach › Long Beach

Stage 2 - Ventura › Gilbratar Road

Stage 3 - King City › Laguna Seca Recreation Area (Monterey County)

Stage 4 (ITT) - San José › Morgan Hill

Stage 5 - Stockton › Elk Grove

Stage 6 - Folsom › South Lake Tahoe

Stage 7 - Sacramento › Sacramento

UAE-Team Emirates
.. AIT EL ABDIA Anass
.. BYSTRØM Sven Erik
.. DURASEK Kristijan
.. GANNA Filippo
.. KRISTOFF Alexander
.. MIRZA Yousef Mohamed
.. RAVASI Edward

Quick-Step Floors
.. GAVIRIA Fernando
.. DE PLUS Laurens
.. RICHEZE Ariel Maximiliano
.. NARVAEZ Jhonatan
.. KEISSE Iljo
.. HODEG Álvaro José
.. ASGREEN Kasper

Team EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
.. CLARKE Simon
.. CRADDOCK Lawson
.. HOWES Alex
.. MARTINEZ Daniel Felipe
.. MCLAY Daniel
.. OWEN Logan
.. PHINNEY Taylor

Mitchelton-Scott
.. BAUER Jack
.. EWAN Caleb
.. HAYMAN Mathew
.. HEPBURN Michael
.. KLUGE Roger
.. MEZGEC Luka
.. YATES Adam

Team LottoNL-Jumbo
.. POWLESS Neilson
.. KUSS Sepp
.. TOLHOEK Antwan

Trek - Segafredo
.. GUERREIRO Ruben
.. STETINA Peter
.. SKUJIŅŠ Toms
.. CONCI Nicola
.. RAST Gregory
.. STUYVEN Jasper
.. REIJNEN Kiel

Team Sunweb
.. ARNDT Nikias
.. FRÖHLINGER Johannes
.. HINDLEY Jai
.. KÄMNA Lennard
.. STAMSNIJDER Tom
.. TEUNISSEN Mike
.. WALSCHEID Max

BORA - hansgrohe
.. SAGAN Peter
.. OSS Daniel
.. BODNAR Maciej
.. MAJKA Rafał
.. POLJANSKI Pawel
.. MCCARTHY Jay
.. SAGAN Juraj

AG2R La Mondiale
.. GASTAUER Ben
.. FRANK Mathias
.. DILLIER Silvan
.. NAESEN Oliver
.. GAUTIER Cyril
.. COSNEFROY Benoit
.. VANDENBERGH Stijn

Team Sky
.. BERNAL Egan Arley
.. GEOGHEGAN HART Tao
.. ROWE Luke
.. SIVAKOV Pavel
.. STANNARD Ian
.. WISNIOWSKI Lukasz
.. HENAO Sebastián

BMC Racing Team
.. VAN HOOYDONCK Nathan
.. BOOKWALTER Brent
.. VAN GARDEREN Tejay
.. ROSSKOPF Joey
.. BEVIN Patrick
.. SCHAR Michael
.. WYSS Danilo

Team Katusha - Alpecin
.. BOSWELL Ian
.. KITTEL Marcel
.. POLITT Nils
.. FABBRO Matteo
.. HAAS Nathan
.. HOLLENSTEIN Reto
.. ZABEL Rick

Dimension Data
.. CAVENDISH Mark
.. MORTON Lachlan
.. RENSHAW Mark

Hagens Berman Axeon

Holowesko -Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
.. KRASILNIKAU Andrei
.. EISENHART Taylor
.. MURPHY John
.. BRYON Miguel
.. COMPANIONI Ruben
.. LIENHARD Fabian
.. RHIM Brendan

Rally Cycling
.. BRITTON Rob
.. HUFFMAN Evan
.. PATE Danny

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
.. CLARKE Jonathan
.. MANNION Gavin
.. MCCABE Travis
.. NORRIS Lachlan
.. PUTT Tanner
.. TVETCOV Serghei
.. HAEDO Lucas Sebastian

 

[DNP-Old]

Egan's ITT the most intriguing thing for this race, to me. We finally get so see what his work in the windtunnel and his new position is worth against somewhat representative level. I'm also backing Dani Martinez to finish podium here. Having a great year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Are to going over the circuit as well in Laguna Seca?

 

[alexix7]

More than 4500 height metres in stage 6. Simply wow !

 

[Sestriere]

Quite a good route imo. Although one more hilly stage instead of a sprint would've been cool.
If I'm not mistaken the ITT is the longest of any world tour race this year. Longer than those of TdF, Giro, Vuelta and Suisse. The climbers will have to use the mountains to have a chance in the GC.
If Yates is back in Tirreno shape he will be the main opponent to Bernal, particularly if he improved his TT like Simon. Majka will be good as well. Personally, I'm interested in Guerreiro (and Kämna for the TT).

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re:

Egan's ITT the most intriguing thing for this race, to me. We finally get so see what his work in the windtunnel and his new position is worth against somewhat representative level. I'm also backing Dani Martinez to finish podium here. Having a great year.

Bernal won ITT in TdR and NC this year.
Should win California easily.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Egan's ITT the most intriguing thing for this race, to me. We finally get so see what his work in the windtunnel and his new position is worth against somewhat representative level. I'm also backing Dani Martinez to finish podium here. Having a great year.

Bernal won ITT in TdR and NC this year.
Should win California easily.

NC doesn't tell that much, hence why he wrote representative level..
And Romandie was obviously a mountain ITT. Nothing to do what so ever with windtunnel work.

That said, Im obviously also backing him to win this race.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

Egan's ITT the most intriguing thing for this race, to me. We finally get so see what his work in the windtunnel and his new position is worth against somewhat representative level. I'm also backing Dani Martinez to finish podium here. Having a great year.

Bernal won ITT in TdR and NC this year.
Should win California easily.

NC doesn't tell that much, hence why he wrote representative level..
And Romandie was obviously a mountain ITT. Nothing to do what so ever with windtunnel work.

That said, Im obviously also backing him to win this race.

Yes, but in NC flat 25km TT his avg speed was 52,3 km/h..

 

[Valv.Piti]

Its against the Colombians. We all want to see him against decent competition in bigger races because we are intrigued about just how much he has improved and we can only gauge that against good competition. Or at least better competition that the Colombian NCs.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Yes, and it may be more interesting than some next week Giro stages.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re: Re:

Egan's ITT the most intriguing thing for this race, to me. We finally get so see what his work in the windtunnel and his new position is worth against somewhat representative level. I'm also backing Dani Martinez to finish podium here. Having a great year.

Bernal won ITT in TdR and NC this year.
Should win California easily.

Neither of those two are representative in any way, shape, or form.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Why his speed in NC is not in any way representative? Because of the location of Medellin (ca 1500 m asl)?
EDIT: What I'm saying is that he is able to ride very well in ITT, regardless of his competitors.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

Quite a good route imo. Although one more hilly stage instead of a sprint would've been cool.
.

Nah, I think a 50/50 split between hills and sprints, with a TT in the middle, is a decent mix. Also, if the wind whips up in the Central Valley, that Elk Grove stage could get echelon-y.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Why his speed in NC is not in any way representative? Because of the location of Medellin (ca 1500 m asl)?
EDIT: What I'm saying is that he is able to ride very well in ITT, regardless of his competitors.

Obviously his new, improved TT position didn't have as big of an effect in Medellin as it will have in California as the air is less dense on high altitude and a good TT position is therefore not as important, so he will be even better in California

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Quite a good route imo. Although one more hilly stage instead of a sprint would've been cool.
.

Nah, I think a 50/50 split between hills and sprints, with a TT in the middle, is a decent mix. Also, if the wind whips up in the Central Valley, that Elk Grove stage could get echelon-y.

Three completely flat stages are too much, but otherwise its a superb route. Four really nice and really different stages in very varied terrain. Like it very much.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

Quite a good route imo. Although one more hilly stage instead of a sprint would've been cool.
.

Nah, I think a 50/50 split between hills and sprints, with a TT in the middle, is a decent mix. Also, if the wind whips up in the Central Valley, that Elk Grove stage could get echelon-y.

Three completely flat stages are too much, but otherwise its a superb route. Four really nice and really different stages in very varied terrain. Like it very much.

I think a medium-hilly stage would have been nice in the mix; the 3 climbing stages look too tough for a puncheur to mix in, and the flat stages are, as you say, dead flat.

If Kittel is in form, Sagan may not win a stage!

 

[yaco]

Don't expect much from A.Yates in this race - The 34km ITT will be the most decisive factor in this race - Have to think Bernal is favorite for the GC, while most of the sprinters are coming back from a break.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Quite a good route imo. Although one more hilly stage instead of a sprint would've been cool.
.

Nah, I think a 50/50 split between hills and sprints, with a TT in the middle, is a decent mix. Also, if the wind whips up in the Central Valley, that Elk Grove stage could get echelon-y.

Three completely flat stages are too much, but otherwise its a superb route. Four really nice and really different stages in very varied terrain. Like it very much.

I think a medium-hilly stage would have been nice in the mix; the 3 climbing stages look too tough for a puncheur to mix in, and the flat stages are, as you say, dead flat.

If Kittel is in form, Sagan may not win a stage!

You're right.

Perhaps the ToC also want to see Sagan participate in the Giro.

 

[Anderis]

Is there, apart from TdF, a stage race in the calendar with better sprinting field than this?

 

[carton]

Re:

Is there, apart from TdF, a stage race in the calendar with better sprinting field than this?

KRISTOFF
GAVIRIA
SAGAN
PHINNEY
HAYMAN
STUYVEN
OSS
DILLIER
NAESEN
STANNARD
ROWE

What strikes me most is that only the first three of those guys have a real shot at getting a result. I think some guys are here for the sun, surf and the IPAs.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Is there, apart from TdF, a stage race in the calendar with better sprinting field than this?

KRISTOFF
GAVIRIA
SAGAN
PHINNEY
HAYMAN
STUYVEN
OSS
DILLIER
NAESEN
STANNARD
ROWE

What strikes me most is that only the first three of those guys have a real shot at getting a result. I think some guys are here for the sun, surf and the IPAs.

What kind of list is that? You think Hayman and Phinney are better sprinters than Ewan, Kittel, Cavendish, Walscheid, McLay and Arndt who are also participating but not on your "sprinter list".

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

Are to going over the circuit as well in Laguna Seca?

"Mazda Raceway Summit" being the KOM name suggests it's the same finish as before, so yea, they'll be climbing up the hill on the circuit, then descending through the Corkscrew to the finish. The circuit is pretty short (it's not like going around Spa-Francorchamps or Road America (which would also be a pretty cool finish for a bike race), let alone the mostly-defunct old road courses like the Nürburgring, old Brno, old Spa etc.).

I think the worthwhile stages here are actually pretty damned good. The MTF comes early, on a climb hard enough in this kind of field to guarantee gaps, so it won't prevent action in the Laguna Seca stage as it would if they were the other way round. Not used to that, but it's not perfect; admittedly there's maybe too much in the way of sprint stages where there is no other alternative outcome with almost half the race being thus (one could at least have included some hills then had the flat run-in to test a bit of durability though I appreciate the Tour of California has almost spammed that type of stage in the past) and while the MTF won't stop people racing in Laguna Seca, the TT and the Elk Grove stage might have been better the other way around because the TT might well tame stage 3. A flat stage 4 would allow a bit of respite between the stage best suited to racing from distance and the TT, and not made any change to the racing on the South Lake Tahoe stage.

The critique is best reserved for two things: firstly, TV timing - absolute dreck. You shorten the race to seven stages, have two weekend stages, and serve up two completely pan-flat stages with no dirt roads, no cobbles and not one single categorized climb. And secondly: the women's race parcours. It's great that the women get a really strong stage to South Lake Tahoe, but the other two stages are pan flat sprints, including a Sacramento circuit course which is on the best day for TV coverage yet is the usual crappy 3km city circuit we get from the old version of La Course, from Ride London, from Madrid Challenge and so forth, which gives the women absolutely zero opportunity to make anything worthwhile from it. It's a one stage race, two sprints and a mountain stage. The mountain stage ought to be good - but would it have killed them to make it an ITT on one of the other two stages, to introduce a bit of interest?

 

[Koronin]

I'd like one more hilly stage, however, overall I do like the route. My only real problem with this race is I live on the opposite coast.

 

[May0maniac]

Honestly, that's the best Cali route that I can remember, looks pretty good.

 

[Urbi27]

Kamna was deleted from the startlist, what's going on with this guy? Last race - Milan-SanRemo. He has some health problems?