2013 Tour of California: Stage 2: Murrieta - Palm Springs (199 Km)

[Afrank]

The GC contenders come out to play.

The finale of the stage will be contested on the slopes of Tram Way, a 3.6 mile climb near the Northern entrance to the Coachella Valley that averages over 9% gradient.

 

[Afrank]

Hope to see Schleck try something on the finish climb, Mancebo for the win.

 

[Jancouver]

Hope to see Schleck try something on the finish climb, Mancebo for the win.

Seems like Mancebo is OK with the heat so it would be great if he could take the win. My dark horse FTW is Leo Konig.

 

[Jancouver]

Here are some nice pictures from the last climb of the stage one

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.525102947547227.1073741853.162679427122916&type=1

 

[Ferminal]

Hardest day for sure given the heat. Wouldn't be surprised if there are some surprise stragglers before the final climb.

 

[ElChingon]

Highway 74 after it passes 371 is a pretty wild ride, I've seen cars and moto's fly off the road so any cyclist that doesn't watch it on those sharp turns is going to re-enact Frank Schlecks TdS flying off the road as most of those have minimal guard rails or nothing to keep them from going off of it. Then right before the descent down to Palm Desert there's a turn where you can see the whole Coachella Valley below, hopefully no one will try to get a good view or they may not make it down in one piece

Will be a fun section to watch, hopefully the moto's won't have video interruptus due to the hillsides which block one side of the road from time to time.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Well today might be a bit too much.
The heat is just crazy for a bike race. A hope nobody collapses. Will be a brutal battl.

 

[Cimber]

Anyone got a detailed profile of that last climb?

 

[Lupetto]

It's on strava.

http://www.strava.com/segments/palm-springs-tram-climb-616496

 

[Gloin22]

It's on strava.

http://www.strava.com/segments/palm-springs-tram-climb-616496

Wow, that's tough at the end. Westra might loose that jersey today.

 

[Leadbelly]

Wow, that's tough at the end. Westra might loose that jersey today.

I don't know if you caught it, but in the interview after yesterday's stage, Westra did say he had been dropped on the final climb (presumably he was in the Sagan grp) and had to chase back on. So that doesn't bode well for today's finale for him, but with this weather it could be a case of last man standing.

 

[Bavarianrider]

So is this climb finishing near the valley station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway?

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Wow, that's tough at the end. Westra might loose that jersey today.

He surely will, this is made for climbers. Hope to see Andy's ressurrection

 

[SKSemtex]

This stage is two km too long

 

[Cimber]

It's on strava.

http://www.strava.com/segments/palm-springs-tram-climb-616496

Thx. Tough tough climb. Around 10% on average over 6 km

 

[jens_attacks]

it's a brutal climb especially being exposed to the sun which will almost cook the riders

paco, acevedo, andy and zubeldia!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

mancebo can't handle steep climbs, neither can tjvg and westra. this will be all acevedo

 

[webvan]

Shouldn't be a problem at all for ol'Paco...hope Andy shows he's back on track too.

So coverage starts at 2.20PM PST, anyone knows if that will be early enough for the KOM ?

 

[Christian]

Shouldn't be a problem at all for ol'Paco...hope Andy shows he's back on track too.

So coverage starts at 2.20PM PST, anyone knows if that will be early enough for the KOM ?

Hello, does anyone know the estimated arrival time? According to my calculations 2:20PM PST should be 23:20 CET for the start of the live coverage. I am trying to decide how late it is worth staying up to see this stage

 

[theyoungest]

mancebo can't handle steep climbs, neither can tjvg and westra. this will be all acevedo

A short, steep climb. Yeah, Westra can't handle those...

(not that he's ever been in that kind of form before or since)

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Hello, does anyone know the estimated arrival time? According to my calculations 2:20PM PST should be 23:20 CET for the start of the live coverage. I am trying to decide how late it is worth staying up to see this stage

time table says:

4:37 PM 4:03 PM 3:34 PM 3:10 PM

depending on the speed.

 

[Ferminal]

Hello, does anyone know the estimated arrival time? According to my calculations 2:20PM PST should be 23:20 CET for the start of the live coverage. I am trying to decide how late it is worth staying up to see this stage

I need to know what time to set my alarm

At 40kmh they should start the final climb around 2345 CET.

 

[webvan]

So it seems like the climb will be covered then, nice !

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

A short, steep climb. Yeah, Westra can't handle those...

(not that he's ever been in that kind of form before or since)

I don't know what you are trying to see here. but if it's the pairs nice stage he won, that wans't steep and todays final climb isn't short

 

[theyoungest]

I don't know what you are trying to see here. but if it's the pairs nice stage he won, that wans't steep and todays final climb isn't short

Mende is 3k at 10%, you call that not steep? Today's climb isn't that long either.

It's more about the form, which probably isn't there if he was dropped on the climb yesterday.