2012 Tour of California May 20 stage 8: Los Angeles 68.5 km

[Caruut]

Hmm Boonen should start worrying If he can't beat Sagan on a flat sprint course like this. i don't see how he can win the Olymoics.

I think Boonen is going to be hoping to latch onto an attack in the last 10 and win from the group. It would certainly be foolish to try and base his late season around beating Cav in a sprint.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Out of interest who can be invited to this race? Colombia coldeportes made the race a little more interesting with Duarte on stage 3 and Atapuma on 7, is there scope to invite some other strong continental, procontinental teams from outside the Americas?

A good question. I don't follow the UCI rules in this area, and just like the UCI, there are lots of rules that define who can automatically come, who qualifies for an "invite" and probably a half dozen other variations of that depending on the classification of the event and which rules the UCI enforces.

I thought the teams from the Americas contributed to the racing.

 

[Don Johnson]

I am sure Sagan is a huge talent but there is a big difference between the ToC and TdF...

Sagan is going to deliver, and deliver big. He will win GTs and monuments.
The women will love him. He will be a big thing for Liquigas. He will have many beautiful children.
Look at the photo of Tom looking down at him in CN today. We will see the same face from many champions, looking at Sagan. He is the real deal. We are lucky to see him in LA today. Sagan will win many GTs and monuments.
His class is exceptional.

 

[ElChingon]

The Sprint Finish:

Now with captions! (click at your own risk, especially if you're the sensitive type):

https://twitter.com/#!/CardosoLynnda/status/204364905766322177/photo/1/large

 

[CobbleStoner]

Out of interest who can be invited to this race? Colombia coldeportes made the race a little more interesting with Duarte on stage 3 and Atapuma on 7, is there scope to invite some other strong continental, procontinental teams from outside the Americas?

like any stage race, the organizers decide on who gets the Pro Conti & Conti invites, this year Jelly Belly and I think 1 or 2 other American conti teams got snubbed for the Coldeportes and Bontrager/Livestrong Development team, tough decision but it turned out to be the right one, those two teams helped the race

 

[Michele Scarred Pony]

Gesink, whoop whoop!

Eternal hero.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I see the organizers are crowing about this being the hardest AToC, yet, but at the same time bemoaning the fact that were it not for Sylvain Georges's solo, Peter Sagan would have won all the road stages, less Mt Baldy.

They still don't appear to understand there is a difference between hard and selective.

Imo, they need to bring back Sierra Road and lose Big Bear, plus have a stage with similar parcour to the first 3 stages of this year, but with the finish more or less directly off the downhill.

This would also free up at least stage to become a proper "flat" sprinter's stage.

Hard, but fair and, selective.

 

[DominicDecoco]

....

The comparison is undebatable.

 

[El Pistolero]

Lol, the guy on the right is someone from a real life tv show here in Belgium.

 

[mastersracer]

I see the organizers are crowing about this being the hardest AToC, yet, but at the same time bemoaning the fact that were it not for Sylvain Georges's solo, Peter Sagan would have won all the road stages, less Mt Baldy.

They still don't appear to understand there is a difference between hard and selective.

Imo, they need to bring back Sierra Road and lose Big Bear, plus have a stage with similar parcour to the first 3 stages of this year, but with the finish more or less directly off the downhill.

This would also free up at least stage to become a proper "flat" sprinter's stage.

Hard, but fair and, selective.

The last stage should be a modification of the final stage from 2010, which went through the Santa Monica mountains. There are enough potential variations to make an interesting final day that offers a great fan venue (like the KOM on Mulholland in 2010) and a selective enough route to make it possible for final GC to be determined.

 

[avanti]

The race organizers need to provide better winners jerseys with a reliable way to attach the team name. How about using velcro or iron-on transfers. Or let each team preprint jerseys to wear should they be awarded one.
(I know that in the TdF there is a jersey printing van near the podium)

 

[Don Johnson]

The Sprint Finish:

Now with captions! (click at your own risk, especially if you're the sensitive type):

https://twitter.com/#!/CardosoLynnda/status/204364905766322177/photo/1/large[/QUOTE

( Slovakian team, Liquigas, Sagan) See you at the TdF, Worlds road race, and olympics, bye,bye,now!!

 

[BeachBum]

Different view of the sprint-- maybe Boonen threw his bike too soon?

http://www.citizenside.com/en/photo...ur-of-california-final-stage-los-angeles.html

 

[JA.Tri]

throw falls short

Yes Tom did throw early...too soon. Don't think he would have won but it sure would have been close!