Amgen Tour of California May 15-22 2011

[Libertine Seguros]

Pah, nobody ever complains when all the top riders skip the Tour de France to ride the Brixia Tour.

mainly cos they can't this year

With Madrid moving to May and Brixia going, this means no Tour-alternative top flight cycling in July outside of Austria (and if we're being especially charitable to the field strength, Qinghai Lake).

 

[erader]

Honestly I dont care for it. Giro takes precedent, and to be honest, the fact that Sky are there meaning I will need to put coverage online is more trouble than its worth.

Would be perfectly happy if it was cancelled.

you'll probably get your wish in a year or two. i can't find and team rosters for the race which has clearly peaked with lance and is now in decline.

erader

 

[Polish]

I'm disappointed that some EuroAsiaAustralian Riders that skipped the Giro did not show up at the AToC.....Basso/Wiggans/Cadel/Gesink in particular. They have all ridden the AToC before. Maybe they grew tired of being owned by Levi. Still, that is no excuse. What are they doing next week? Sitting on their butts probably.

There have been 40 stages so far in the Amgen AToC's history...
Here is who has won them so far:

Levi Leipheimer (USA), 6 stages

Juan José Haedo (ARG), 5

George Hincapie (USA), 3
Mark Cavendish (GBR), 3

Olaf Pollack (GER), 2
Fabian Cancellara (SUI), 2
Peter Sagan (Svk) 2

Paolo Bettini (ITA), 1
Tom Boonen (BEL), 1
Graeme Brown (AUS), 1
Ivan Dominguez (CUB), 1
Robert Gesink (NED), 1
Floyd Landis (USA), 1
Jens Voigt (GER), 1
Francisco Mancebo (ESP), 1
Thomas Peterson (USA), 1
Thor Hushovd (NOR), 1
Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA), 1
Fränk Schleck (LUX), 1
Brett Lancaster (Aus) 1
Dave Zabriskie (Pol) 1
Tony Martin (Ger) 1
Ryder Hesjedal (GWN) 1

The following raced but never won a stage...
Savoldelli/Simoni/Ricco/Basso/Friere/Sastre/SuperMario/RUBIERA/NIBALI
Rodgers/Evans/Stuey/Davis/Kohl/Ciolek/HAUSSLER/
AndySchlecks/Kirchen/Ekimov/POPOVYCH/SEVILLA
Rasmussen/VOECKLER/MILLAR/LÖVKVIST/PELLIZOTTI/GASPAROTTO/WEGELIUSWEGMANN/GUSEV/RUBIERA VIGIL/WIGGINS/Lance

I seriously think the AToC will fold up their tents before too long and cease to exist. At least we here in California were able to see some great racing here on on own roads!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Polish, they rode ToC when it was in february and when it fitted on their schedule

Now, they rather go on altitude training + tour recon in may.
Guys like Gesink/Evans have the following plan:
-Altitude training + tour recon
-Dauphine
-more altitude training

so stop trolling and go cry me a river

 

[Polish]

Polish, they rode ToC when it was in february and when it fitted on their schedule

Now, they rather go on altitude training + tour recon in may.
Guys like Gesink/Evans have the following plan:
-Altitude training + tour recon
-Dauphine
-more altitude training

so stop trolling and go cry me a river

waaawaaa troll waawaa trolltroll waawaa
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Hows that lol?

But c'mon. Andy Schleck is using the AToC for Tour Prep.
He did it last year and it almost won him the Tour.
Heck, he may still end up the winner.

 

[pmcg76]

you'll probably get your wish in a year or two. i can't find and team rosters for the race which has clearly peaked with lance and is now in decline.

erader

It would be a pity to see California disappearing but hardly surprising considering the inability of the US to run a long term stage race. We have been through Coors Classic, Tour du Pont, Georgia, Missouri, California and now the new race in Colorado in the last 25 years alone, there have been many other decent domestic race that have come and gone also San Fran, Thrift Drug, West Virginia etc. Only the race in Philly has stood the test of time.

Hopefully California will become a good race and not just a training jaunt for the Euro pros. The route this year seems more promising so hopefully it leads to a good, exciting race. The Tour of California has a lot going for it but just needs to calm down on the overhyping and understand its place in the Pro calendar. It doesnt take anything away from the Giro as someone pointed out, those not at the Giro just didnt want to do the Giro anyway and would be racing somewhere else if not at Cali. Period.

Now, I always wanted to do some trolling so here goes. A certain poster made the claim that apart from Contador, Menchov and Cavendish, the Giro field is weak.

Using that criteria, apart from A.Schleck, the Cali field is **** poor and judging by his performances last year, Baby Schleck wont do too much anyways so what does that leave.

 

[El Oso]

Polish, they rode ToC when it was in february and when it fitted on their schedule

Now, they rather go on altitude training + tour recon in may.
Guys like Gesink/Evans have the following plan:
-Altitude training + tour recon
-Dauphine
-more altitude training

so stop trolling and go cry me a river

I believe that one of the reasons for moving the TOC to May (other than the better weather) was the idea that it would be the step before the Dauphine or Tour de Suisse, much like how the Volta a Catalunya was supposed to be when it was in May. I think they mistook that small issue that it's not great prep for a GT once you account for 10+ hour flights and the accompanying jet lag.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm disappointed that some EuroAsiaAustralian Riders that skipped the Giro did not show up at the AToC.....Basso/Wiggans/Cadel/Gesink in particular.

Wiggins is doing Bayern Rhundfart.

I guess he thinks riding a competative race in europe in preperation for dauphine/suisse/tour with Boasson Hagen, Thomas (who would expect to also be in the dauphine/suiise and tour squads) is better than travelling across the atlantic and back to do a training session.

But c'mon. Andy Schleck is using the AToC for Tour Prep.
He did it last year and it almost won him the Tour.
Heck, he may still end up the winner.

He wheelsucked in the gruppetto and bum sucked in the corporate hospitality bars, that prepared him to wheelsuck contador in the tour de france.


To be honest, theyd be better moving the Tour of California to the end of the season, maybe just after or just before the two Canadian Pro Tour races as an alternative to the vuelta. With the two pro tour races near it it might attract a good field and some riders might see it as worlds preperation.

 

[El Oso]

It would be a pity to see California disappearing but hardly surprising considering the inability of the US to run a long term stage race. We have been through Coors Classic, Tour du Pont, Georgia, Missouri, California and now the new race in Colorado in the last 25 years alone, there have been many other decent domestic race that have come and gone also San Fran, Thrift Drug, West Virginia etc. Only the race in Philly has stood the test of time.

Hopefully California will become a good race and not just a training jaunt for the Euro pros. The route this year seems more promising so hopefully it leads to a good, exciting race. The Tour of California has a lot going for it but just needs to calm down on the overhyping and understand its place in the Pro calendar. It doesnt take anything away from the Giro as someone pointed out, those not at the Giro just didnt want to do the Giro anyway and would be racing somewhere else if not at Cali. Period.

+1 Rome wasn't built in a day. The TOC can't expect to immediately become the next GT. The hype just sets it up for disappointment and gives people a reason to hate the race.

Using that criteria, apart from A.Schleck, the Cali field is **** poor and judging by his performances last year, Baby Schleck wont do too much anyways so what does that leave.

I'm actually surprised at how weak the field is apart from A.Schleck and Garmin sending many of its better riders (Zabriskie, Hesjedal, Hushovd, Vande Velde, and everyone's favorite Tommy D!). I would have thought that Cannondale would insist on Basso riding and Rabo (who is a big sponsor) insisting on Gesink.

 

[Polish]

Wiggins is doing Bayern Rhundfart.

I guess he thinks riding a competative race in europe in preperation for dauphine/suisse/tour with Boasson Hagen, Thomas (who would expect to also be in the dauphine/suiise and tour squads) is better than travelling across the atlantic and back to do a training session.

We will see who does better in the Tdf...

Bradley Rhundfart
or
Andy California

 

[benpounder]

it sucks that this race is in the morning in my time so cant watch it at all

Well, all the Euro races happen live in my morning - and watching them is less intrusive on my work schedule that those happening on the North American continent. Though I will be happy to disrupt that schedule come August.

 

[benpounder]

I've never ever followed or watched the ToC. I must say I've enjoyed the controversy the ToC has on this board and it sounded justified to bash it really.

This year though it looks like a proper 1 week stage race...

Did you bash, or enjoy the bashing of the Tour of Turkey, or Tour of Qatar as well?

 

[jaylew]

Wiggins is doing Bayern Rhundfart.

I guess he thinks riding a competative race in europe in preperation for dauphine/suisse/tour with Boasson Hagen, Thomas (who would expect to also be in the dauphine/suiise and tour squads) is better than travelling across the atlantic and back to do a training session.

I can get why someone may not want to bother with the travel, but why would BR be a competitive race and ToC a training session?

 

[Ferminal]

I thought the Baldy MTF was supposed to be tougher than that. Better than Big Bear in any case... The other MTF looks better. Then there are 1 or 2 which could go either way (first and last stage).

 

[danjo007]

The race should have stayed in February. Nobody gives a f**k for ToC during the Giro.

typical statement made by an ignorant.

 

[liftman]

I'll ride up to emerald bay on Sunday and watch the first lap go by then ride up toward Truckee and back until they come by for the second lap then go back home. Should be interesting with the snow forecasted!

 

[just some guy]

We will see who does better in the Tdf...

Bradley Rhundfart
or
Andy California

Cause that will be the one thing that seperates them in the end.?????

You should not compair these two even if they were doing the same lead up.

AS trying for the win

BW hoping for a top 20

 

[craig1985]

Libertine, are you able to offer a translation to Polish's posts?

 

[Astana1]

In a thread that is talking about overhype, I think it is totally appropriate that we discuss Bradley Wiggins and Sky.

ToC isn't going to wither away without Lance. It grew up without Lance in the first place. The race is run by AEG and everything they touch turns to gold.

 

[131313]

A lot of nonsense in this thread, for sure. First off, if you can't find a start list, you probably didn't look too hard... http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/amgen-tour-of-california-start-list-1

The ToC got a boost from Lance's participation, just like the TDU, but it was started when LA was retired, and it'll get on just fine without him. AEG isn't some bush league outfit, and they have ties to the Tour. Their plan is to build the race as a premier tour-prep race and showcase for the top American teams. That's a solid plan.

It's funny, much of hate seems to be directed at the race as if it's an extension of LA, and therefore it must be hated, too. Honestly, the only 'hate' I hear of the race is from some posters on this forums, and a couple locals stuck in traffic. It's a good event, and it'll continue to grow. Tales of its demise seem a tad bit premature.

As far as 'over-hyped', well...excuse them for promoting the race! I mean, what should they say? "It's not the Tour or the Giro, but it's OUR RACE!". Gimme a break. They're trying to build interest in a relatively new race without much history. So far the organizers have done a great job. Some folks are going to hate it for what they think it represents, regardless of the quality of racing, which is actually damn good. Their loss.

 

[Astana1]

I was thinking the same thing about the Lance connection. Most of the criticism here sounds like childish sniveling and is riddled with fallacies.

And if you can't find a start list then you are incompetent.

Highly doubt this race will die any time soon. This race is on much more solid ground than Missouri or Georgia. Which were both good races in my opinion.

Also if teams favor the ToC to the Giro then whose fault is that? Says something about the Giro in my opinion.

A lot of nonsense in this thread, for sure. First off, if you can't find a start list, you probably didn't look too hard... http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/amgen-tour-of-california-start-list-1

The ToC got a boost from Lance's participation, just like the TDU, but it was started when LA was retired, and it'll get on just fine without him. AEG isn't some bush league outfit, and they have ties to the Tour. Their plan is to build the race as a premier tour-prep race and showcase for the top American teams. That's a solid plan.

It's funny, much of hate seems to be directed at the race as if it's an extension of LA, and therefore it must be hated, too. Honestly, the only 'hate' I hear of the race is from some posters on this forums, and a couple locals stuck in traffic. It's a good event, and it'll continue to grow. Tales of its demise seem a tad bit premature.

As far as 'over-hyped', well...excuse them for promoting the race! I mean, what should they say? "It's not the Tour or the Giro, but it's OUR RACE!". Gimme a break. They're trying to build interest in a relatively new race without much history. So far the organizers have done a great job. Some folks are going to hate it for what they think it represents, regardless of the quality of racing, which is actually damn good. Their loss.

 

[greenedge]

I think this race will be good this yr. Everyone is in good form for it, it has some good PC dudes too. Leipheimer and Zabriskie are clearly the standout riders here. They are both good in ITT too ( which means we cannot criticise race going down to ITT ) and usually beat most people up a climb if the going gets tough.

 

[lucybears]

A lot of nonsense in this thread, for sure. First off, if you can't find a start list, you probably didn't look too hard... http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/amgen-tour-of-california-start-list-1

neither did CN.

http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_idd=MjE2NDg=

 

[auscyclefan94]

Honestly I dont care for it. Giro takes precedent, and to be honest, the fact that Sky are there meaning I will need to put coverage online is more trouble than its worth.

Would be perfectly happy if it was cancelled.

Haters gonna hate. I think you wouldn't hate this race so much if they didn't fornicate over Lance so much like they have.

Anyway, can we talk about the race and kepp the topic on it proper path? Lets talk about the RACE itself.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Looks like the race may have further route problems. This time it's down to Mother Nature:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/snow-predicted-to-fall-on-amgen-tour-of-california-start-in-tahoe

June anyone?