2014 Tour of California May 11-18

[Pentacycle]

They should take climatic conditions more into account. Why not have this race somewhere in March? Catalunya could then be shifted to May. Both races are now prone to weather that is less-than-ideal for the riders: snowy stages in Catalunya, scorching hot weather in California.

The 2009 calendar put the ToC in February and Catalunya in May, I don't know anymore why they changed it. Probably because of the overlap of the Giro with another WT stage race?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

The 2009 calendar put the ToC in February and Catalunya in May, I don't know anymore why they changed it. Probably because of the overlap of the Giro with another WT stage race?

So now they have 2 grand tours at once - crazy!

 

[Michele]

10char

 

[Arredondo]

Fantastic win by Chavez. It's just so good to see him win such a hard stage in California with style. A couple of months back, there were even doubts if he could ever race a bike again.

He's just a massive talent. Really one of the guys who has to dominante the GT's the next years.

Wiggo also really strong. You can say the field is weak, but that doesn't give right to the perfomance of Wiggins. He's picked up a good climbing level in a remarkable short period of time.

 

[movingtarget]

What a week GreenEdge is having. Add to that Gerrans win at Liege and multiple stage wins at Romandie plus the overall at at the Tour of Turkey. Quite a year for them so far.

 

[BigMac]

They should take climatic conditions more into account. Why not have this race somewhere in March? Catalunya could then be shifted to May. Both races are now prone to weather that is less-than-ideal for the riders: snowy stages in Catalunya, scorching hot weather in California.

What? No. This conditions are part of cycling. The climate, good or bad, was always a factor in cycling. The heat is what makes this race. And Catalunya whithout bad wheather is not the same. That's ruining the essence of cycling. Riders are not what they used to be, and if you go around making races standardized, you end up destroyong the diversity and eventually ****ing up the sport.

It is already painful enough to see riders neutralize stages because of the most petty of things.

 

[Astana1]

I'd say Wiggo has earned himself a spot as a domestique on Sky's Tour team.

As for this year's ToC, it's easily been the worst collection of stages ever.

 

[Astana1]

What? No. This conditions are part of cycling. The climate, good or bad, was always a factor in cycling. The heat is what makes this race. And Catalunya whithout bad wheather is not the same. That's ruining the essence of cycling. Riders are not what they used to be, and if you go around making races standardized, you end up destroyong the diversity and eventually ****ing up the sport.

It is already painful enough to see riders neutralize stages because of the most petty of things.

Agree completely.

 

[maltiv]

I'd say Wiggo has earned himself a spot as a domestique on Sky's Tour team.

As for this year's ToC, it's easily been the worst collection of stages ever.

Really? Just a couple of years ago we had a ToC where every single stage ended with a sprint, including the "MTF" which was won by Sagan

 

[Richeypen]

Agree completely.

No complaints about riders having to battle through the extreme hot or cold. However having to cancel the race deciding stages because they are under snow is not beneficial to anyone. Catalunya should be later in the season as the time of year is not conducive to high cols.

 

[Richeypen]

Really? Just a couple of years ago we had a ToC where every single stage ended with a sprint, including the "MTF" which was won by Sagan

Wiggo is going to win, therefore the route is poor

Otherwise the people who laughed at Wiggo in 2010 would have to admit they were wrong. After winning le Tour, Paris-Nice, Romandie and 2x Dauphines, the Tour of Cali isnt going to make them admit squat. Easier to say that he only wins because the route is ****e.

 

[Netserk]

Wiggo is going to win, therefore the route is poor

Otherwise the people who laughed at Wiggo in 2010 would have to admit they were wrong. After winning le Tour, Paris-Nice, Romandie and 2x Dauphines, the Tour of Cali isnt going to make them admit squat. Easier to say that he only wins because the route is ****e.

The 2011 Dauphine route was quite good. Actually it was pretty awesome.

 

[doperhopper]

What? No. This conditions are part of cycling. The climate, good or bad, was always a factor in cycling. The heat is what makes this race. And Catalunya whithout bad wheather is not the same. That's ruining the essence of cycling. Riders are not what they used to be, and if you go around making races standardized, you end up destroyong the diversity and eventually ****ing up the sport.

It is already painful enough to see riders neutralize stages because of the most petty of things.

not a bad idea this "standardization" - how about a track with some hill?

 

[DirtyWorks]

Wiggo also really strong. You can say the field is weak, but that doesn't give right to the perfomance of Wiggins. He's picked up a good climbing level in a remarkable short period of time.

Well, he had the power at Paris-Roubaix. I realize it isn't the same race, but the basic power is there. IMHO, he's showing management he's got the power to be a TdF rider.

As for the race itself, it's a nice show, but the terrain is not a challenge. The heat and no humidity is the biggest challenge.

 

[DirtyWorks]

not a bad idea this "standardization" - how about a track with some hill?

Why so complicated? Line them up in a room and let them ruin a back tire on a trainer with pre-programmed route every day for 5 days and compare power output.

 

[DonMI6]

Why so complicated? Line them up in a room and let them ruin a back tire on a trainer with pre-programmed route every day for 5 days and compare power output.

They could do a kind of 'Tour de Carpark' series in the worlds leading cities.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Today's menu, stage 7:

Another show by Routley?

 

[Jagartrott]

What? No. This conditions are part of cycling. The climate, good or bad, was always a factor in cycling. The heat is what makes this race. And Catalunya whithout bad wheather is not the same. That's ruining the essence of cycling. Riders are not what they used to be, and if you go around making races standardized, you end up destroyong the diversity and eventually ****ing up the sport.

It is already painful enough to see riders neutralize stages because of the most petty of things.

What are you talking about? Perhaps we could organise a race in July in Egypt, the heat will really make *that* race as well. Or organise a Pro Tour stage race in an area where you die from breathing the putrid air (oh...wait).

Last year a rider lost consciousness in the ToC because of the extreme heat. When does that become an issue? Or will avoid having such dangerous excesses 'eventually **** up the sport', as you so eloquently presume?

 

[red_flanders]

The 2009 calendar put the ToC in February and Catalunya in May, I don't know anymore why they changed it. Probably because of the overlap of the Giro with another WT stage race?

Because of a stage into San Luis Obispo along Highway 1 from Big Sur (longer than the stage this year) was hit with a huge winter storm, cold, rain and devastating winds. The riders were shelled, and not happy. It was pretty bad.

From a "can you design a great course" perspective they could easily run it in May and keep out of the hot, inland areas. There are plenty of climbs and terrain along the coast. No idea why they go to ****-holes like Palm Desert and Mountain high, you could run a great course from Santa Rosa South all along the coast. Not sure from an organizational perspective if that's possible, but the weather on the coast from April to November is basically as mild as you could imagine. Daytime highs range from low 60's to low 80's 95% of the time. Maybe road closures are impossible, it's the most populated part of the state, in great part because of the mild weather.

Last week we set record highs. Not normal at all.

 

[BigMac]

What are you talking about? Perhaps we could organise a race in July in Egypt, the heat will really make *that* race as well. Or organise a Pro Tour stage race in an area where you die from breathing the putrid air (oh...wait).

Last year a rider lost consciousness in the ToC because of the extreme heat. When does that become an issue? Or will avoid having such dangerous excesses 'eventually **** up the sport', as you so eloquently presume?

Did you actually have to appeal to extremes?

You can't compare Egypt's heat in July (33º overall average, which means it goes much higher.) to California's heat in May (29º maximum average). That's just absurd.

And one rider losing his conciousness is proof of what? Many times we've seen temperatures like this in Tour and Vuelta. Should we re-schedule them as well? Or prevent those races from going through the hotter places?

 

[DirtyWorks]

Another show by Routley?

The long run-in into Pasadena pretty much invalidates any breakaway. The descent is fast, but not technical enough to benefit good bike handlers.

The heat and lack of humidity will be an issue, again.

 

[red_flanders]

I'd say Wiggo has earned himself a spot as a domestique on Sky's Tour team.

As for this year's ToC, it's easily been the worst collection of stages ever.

I have to agree, the course this year has been particularly bad except the Big Sur stage which is always a winner. I don't know why they abandoned the Telegraph hill prologue TT in San Francisco, but that was one hell of an opener. That's a world class venue. Sacramento...well it's something short of that.

The stages in Sonoma county have always been great, and the stages from SF down to Santa Cruz are also missed. Quite frankly they could do a Tour of the Bay Area that would be 10x better than the ToC course.

 

[Jagartrott]

Did you actually have to appeal to extremes?

You can't compare Egypt's heat in July (33º overall average, which means it goes much higher.) to California's heat in May (29º maximum average). That's just absurd.

And one rider losing his conciousness is proof of what? Many times we've seen temperatures like this in Tour and Vuelta. Should we re-schedule them as well? Or prevent those races from going through the hotter places?

No, we have *never* seen temperatures (> 50°C from the rider's perspective) as high as that in the Tour, and probably also not in the Vuelta. That stage last year was an absolute disgrace and a huge middle finger to the cyclists present.

 

[Astana1]

Wiggo is going to win, therefore the route is poor

Otherwise the people who laughed at Wiggo in 2010 would have to admit they were wrong. After winning le Tour, Paris-Nice, Romandie and 2x Dauphines, the Tour of Cali isnt going to make them admit squat. Easier to say that he only wins because the route is ****e.

He's not exactly beating a rogue's gallery of GC guys at the ATOC. Dennis? Stetina? Craddock? pfffft.

And yes easier routes favor Wiggo.

 

[happychappy]

Look at all that standing water!!!!!