2013 Tour of California: Stage 5: Santa Barbara-Avila Beach (185 km)

[Afrank]

Looks like a field sprint after a couple climbs to soften the legs up. Sagan, Farrar, Matthew, Meersman, Hushovd, etc. you guys know the contenders. Who'll take it?

I'm gonna go with Sagan for this one. Stuyvens to go well here.

 

[El Oso]

Should be at the very least a very scenic stage. I was up there riding about a month and a half ago and it was beautiful.

Never ridden up San Marcos Pass but I've driven it and it's a pretty decent climb; it'll be a nice launch pad for the break. I'm surprised then didn't give Foxen Canyon (the second rise after descending from San Marcos Pass peaking at about 75 km into the race) a Cat 4 climb rating. Those two should sap the break's legs.

Just before they hit Avila Beach, at about 5k to go, there are some rollers that might affect any forming lead out train.

I don't see any way Sagan doesn't win this one.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Looks like the wind is quite strong today. Hopefully it's enough to break up the race.

 

[Roude Leiw]

So break has 7 min… is there any chance they make it?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So break has 7 min… is there any chance they make it?

zero chance.

This time Sagan will definitely win.

 

[Scott SoCal]

Wind looking to be tough.

Saxon trying to split the group.

BOOM! There it is.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Echelons!

Acevedo was miles back.

 

[brilleaben]

Dem echelons!

 

[Scott SoCal]

Dangerous move....

Acevedo is in the third group. Bad position...

 

[Scott SoCal]

The wind is crushing these guys ATM.

Acevedo has no teammates that I can see.

 

[gjb483]

echelons! yellow out the back.

 

[cineteq]

Sagan is in the 1st group

 

[Scott SoCal]

Sagan is in the 1st group

So is Tyler.

Mick Rogers there too. TVG there. Busche from the Shack there too.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Sagan is in the 1st group

No team mates though.

 

[Roude Leiw]

this is good fun. fantastic web side. Might stay up a bit longer

 

[Scott SoCal]

Tyler flats out of the front. Sux

Where's the magic spanner?

 

[Roude Leiw]

Nice sprint by farrar, back in the break. Noble effort by chavanel to get back, but that seems quite impossible

 

[brilleaben]

Acevedo in OPQS group?

 

[Roude Leiw]

Acevedo in OPQS group?

yes, missed the echelon, bye bye yellow for him

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Colombia not as good in the wind...

 

[infeXio]

My stream is not being nice to me atm

 

[UpTheRoad]

It bears repeating -- the TourTracker is fantastic.

Everybody in the break and everybody in the chasing group is listed. The feed is perfect, and the ticker is solid, too.

 

[brilleaben]

My stream is not being nice to me atm

http://1gol.us/ch8.html

 

[infeXio]

Anyone with some cheeky predictions as to how this stage will end?

Will the "break" stay away?!

 

[Scott SoCal]

Anyone with some cheeky predictions as to how this stage will end?

Will the "break" stay away?!

I think it's coming back together. At :40 now

Second group completely strung out. Full gas.