Official: Tour of California route announcement

[Greg Johnson]

Hey all,

With the official Tour of California route announcement for 2010 only hours away, here's where you can discuss the event details.

Cheers
Greg Johnson

 

[craig1985]

Let's see, prolouge, a lot of hills, but nothing much, a long TT for Levi to win his 4th ToC for Retirement Shack. No?

 

[issoisso]

The announcement of the route we all already know?

Let's all act surprised when they announce their first ever mountaintop finish

 

[ak-zaaf]

This thread is sticky!?
Season in review has almost 5000 views....

 

[TheNJDevil]

i still believe the date move to be stupid. not going to have top talent.

 

[krebs303]

schwarzenegger,
Great news for American cycling fans and CA. The 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be better than ever. @lancearmstrong will you join us?

lancearmstrong
1. Absolutely! @schwarzenegger, I've decided to ride the #Amgen Tour of California in 2010. Can't wait. What about you @levileipheimer??

LeviLeipheimer
1. I'll definitely be racing the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. Defending my title. @ghincapie

ghincapie
1. There are 8 great reasons to love the Amgen Tour of California. Guys?? @lancearmstrong, @LeviLeipheimer, @dzabriskie1 minute ago from web
2. I will be riding the 2010 Amgen Tour of California as national road champ, wearing the stars and stripes…. How about you @dzabriskie?

dzabriskie
1. 2010 Amgen Tour of California - I will be there as national time trial champ.

 

[Oldman]

Agree that competing with the Giro will probably make it an American affair, if it wasn't already.
Surprised that they miss some of Levi's Grand Fondo terrain near Guerneville. It's some of the most extreme terrain for a variety of reasons and would make for great drama. There are plenty of other hills, though.

 

[Moondance]

Thhe stage to Big Bear, the article said something like 25kms long, up to 2050m. Sounds interesting. Anyone know what that climb is like?

Also a 30 mile (nearly 50 kms right?) time trial in downtown LA? That must have taken some doing to try and get that organized. I'm personally holding my breath about that. Would hate to see a team bus get stuck on the 405 trying to head into downtown and miss the start.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

They'll get people. Riders who don't ride the Giro. But I think in 2011 when this is a PT race, we'll see bigger names.

I anticipate a long ITT, maybe two big climbs, one over a pass like Palomar, and another a mountain top finish to a climb such as Mt. Wilson, Mt. Baldy, Table Mountain, Crystal Lake, or any of the other climbs in the San Gabriels or areas within shouting distance of Los Angeles.

All of the big, spectacular HC climbs are in the eastern side of the Sierras, many, many miles from major population areas. Though I do think the TOC will hit some of the Sierra foothills, and the TOC will tout them as being Sierra climbs, anyone who really knows the state and it's roads, will know that until they somehow get to the climbs between Horseshoe Meadows and the Mt. Rose highway, they'll miss out on the where the true HC, and truly spectacular climbs in the US are.

 

[ridley]

Is it just me or is it kind of missing the point to announce a route but you don't know what the distances are ?

Let me see , aaahhh, we will start in Nevada City and continue for some distance, ummmmm, and I think we will stop, mmmmmm, around, mmmm, here

Come on, plan a bit better and come up with a ROUTE AND DISTANCES when you announce a ROUTE

 

[ridley]

They'll get people. Riders who don't ride the Giro. But I think in 2011 when this is a PT race, we'll see bigger names.

Congrats Alpe - when did you get promoted to Moderator ?? Now we will see some structure

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Looks like they announced just as I was posting.

Big Bear Lake has one fairly tough climb leading to it on Hwy 18 from the north. 18 from the SW is tough too, but only near Arrowhead lake, it flattens out near the BigBear for many kms. Route 38 from the SE isn't that difficult, long rolling terrain up to the lake.

There are a lot of fairly tough Cat 2 like, or maybe even Cat 1 climbs in this area. I'll need to see a map to analyze more.

 

[krebs303]

Thhe stage to Big Bear, the article said something like 25kms long, up to 2050m. Sounds interesting. Anyone know what that climb is like?

The Mount Baldy climb is one of the most difficult in the LA Area with 4600 feet of climbing in 13 miles. The last five miles are extremely steep with an average of over 8% and some 15% sections. The first section is eight miles to the intersection with Glendora Mountain Road with a 6% average. The harder part starts here with 4.6 miles of climbing at an average of 8.6%. The road surface on the top part is very poor with very tight switchbacks.
Alpe d'Huez Comparison: If you start at mile 3.83 (near the intersection with Mountain Ave at the top of the reservoir), the climb is 8.8 miles with an average grade of 7.6%. Alpe d'huez is 8.8 miles with a 7.9% average.

This is about the closest thing in Southern California that you can compare in length and steepness to Alpe d'Huez. However, if you start at mile 5 near the first tunnel, the climb is 7.6 miles with an 8.2% average. The last few miles of this climb are more difficult than most of Alpe d'huez.

 

[Moondance]

BTW, I understand cyclingnews.com is anglo-american, and that it in a sense has the responsability to hype up US racing. But "Hasta la vista Giro?" seems a bit premature. Most probably consider the Giro to be the 2nd most prestigious stage race after the TdF, and I personally think they'll survive the loss of RadioShack's geriatric squad as participants. I also doubt that a lot of top Euro riders who aren't interested in riding the Giro will got to California. It's 8 time zones away, tough course where you'll have to be at your best to contend, as well as a time trial in LA (which i doubt is easy on the lungs). It's less than three weeks after the Ardennes classics torture period. I imagine the Schlecks, the Gesinks, the Cadels of the world who will want to be competitive in the classics but also ride the Tour can't afford to invest the energy in California.

 

[Azdak6]

Damn--there goes my live Giro coverage. I was 90% sure Armstrong would opt for the ToC, but I was holding out some hope.....

Say what you will about LA--he brings the cameras with him.

 

[Moondance]

The Mount Baldy climb is one of the most difficult in the LA Area with 4600 feet of climbing in 13 miles. The last five miles are extremely steep with an average of over 8% and some 15% sections. The first section is eight miles to the intersection with Glendora Mountain Road with a 6% average. The harder part starts here with 4.6 miles of climbing at an average of 8.6%. The road surface on the top part is very poor with very tight switchbacks.
Alpe d'Huez Comparison: If you start at mile 3.83 (near the intersection with Mountain Ave at the top of the reservoir), the climb is 8.8 miles with an average grade of 7.6%. Alpe d'huez is 8.8 miles with a 7.9% average.

This is about the closest thing in Southern California that you can compare in length and steepness to Alpe d'Huez. However, if you start at mile 5 near the first tunnel, the climb is 7.6 miles with an 8.2% average. The last few miles of this climb are more difficult than most of Alpe d'huez.

Ooooohhhhh, beautiful climb. Last 3-4 miles are sick on the back of such a long run in. A couple of climbs to butter the riders up first and it could be a beauty. Probably good that it's before the TT, people will be looking to drop Levi and Lance.

If the article is right and I'll be able to see it here in Netherlands I will be watching for sure.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Congrats Alpe - when did you get promoted to Moderator ?? Now we will see some structure

I've been begging them for months, telling them that I am the only one who can clean this place up, and my Iron Fist is the one and only way to do it.

Actually, I wasn't even interested and tried to get out of it, but Big Boat and the Arbiter both nominated and lobbied for me.

Okay, in all seriousness, they were looking for help, and asked a few of us, and I agreed. Expect a very light touch. I have a hand's-off approach to such things, and expect to only delete spam, try to nudge some conversations, and perhaps lock threads that duplicate other threads. I'll leave all the heavy lifting to Greg, Susan and the other admins.

 

[Anonymous]

I've been begging them for months, telling them that I am the only one who can clean this place up, and my Iron Fist is the one and only way to do it.

Actually, I wasn't even interested and tried to get out of it, but Big Boat and the Arbiter both nominated and lobbied for me.

Okay, in all seriousness, they were looking for help, and asked a few of us, and I agreed. Expect a very light touch. I have a hand's-off approach to such things, and expect to only delete spam, try to nudge some conversations, and perhaps lock threads that duplicate other threads. I'll leave all the heavy lifting to Greg, Susan and the other admins.

which is the way it should be...

as for LA and all doing the TOC, bad news for the americans.. how much coverage can you expect of the giro with all the networks wanting to follow lance and his old folks home.. :/

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Are you guys sure they are riding up Mt. Baldy? I haven't seen route details, but I don't see it named anywhere. Plus, it's some 60 miles away to the west from Big Bear Lake. My speculation is that the climb to Big Bear doesn't go near it, but I could be wrong. I'm also pretty sure that Baldy is not a pass, so it would have to be a MT finish. I'd love it if it's in the TOC, but I don't see it anywhere on the map.

Tough roads near Big Bear -

• Route 18 to and past Lake Arrowhead to Running Springs.

• Road 330 past Running Springs to 18. Never been on it, but it's a surprisingly tough climb from what I hear. Still, from there it goes up and over 18, but not that brutal of a climb.

• Rough 18 South from Lucerene Valley. This would be the best way to get there, and the toughest at the finish.

• Route 38 past Angeles Oaks. Problem is, the climb leading to here is the tough part, past there to the lake is more undulating up.

There's another climb in the area called Valley of the Falls Road to and past Forest Falls. I know little about this, other than it's supposed to be a tough climb.

Link to view the area.

 

[Publicus]

which is the way it should be...

as for LA and all doing the TOC, bad news for the americans.. how much coverage can you expect of the giro with all the networks wanting to follow lance and his old folks home.. :/

And that's a travesty in my book. The 2010 Giro sounds like it will be THE GT next year and it's not going to be covered to watch Lance and Levi traipse around California. Maybe Universal will step up and by the broadcast rights to the Giro.

 

[Moondance]

And that's a travesty in my book. The 2010 Giro sounds like it will be THE GT next year and it's not going to be covered to watch Lance and Levi traipse around California. Maybe Universal will step up and by the broadcast rights to the Giro.

Why are they mutually exclusive? I mean the Giro will be in the usual time, usually finishing between 5-6pm CET and I imgine the ToC will finish maybe a bit sooner in the afternoon PST. I don't see how both couldn't be watched.

 

[Angliru]

In reading the responses to the ToC route announcement, Columbia's Stapleton proclaims that the ToC has to now be considered a "grand tour" along with the Tour and the Giro.????? I'm certain this is just his way of hyping the event but it to me is disrespectful to the Vuelta and pretty much hurdles such established weeklong races that to me have much more prestige, history and challenging routes like the Dauphine, Paris-Nice, Tour de Swiss, and Tour of the Basque Country. It's no wonder some of the Euro's keep bashing anything American.

On a happier note, congrats Alpe on your new role as moderator. If I get out of line feel free to pm me and let me know...instead of banning me!

 

[bianchigirl]

Thank god for living in Europe then, where the importance of the race outstrips the importance of any one rider. Full Giro coverage on ES/RAI etc and maybe even some ToC so we can all have a good laugh at Old Father Time and the mobility scooter squad.

As for Stapleton - what a twerp. The ToC will never replace the great European races for the simple fact that the terrain will never be representative of what riders need to be competitive in the GTs. It's yet another example of trying to grow the sport to an audience that the UCI assumes will stay with the sport post Armstrong when, quite clearly, those who constitute the credible, hard core US audience would rather be watching the Giro. Still, McBent is all about chasing the dollars at the expense of credibility.

 

[Beech Mtn]

In reading the responses to the ToC route announcement, Columbia's Stapleton proclaims that the ToC has to now be considered a "grand tour" along with the Tour and the Giro.????? I'm certain this is just his way of hyping the event but it to me is disrespectful to the Vuelta and pretty much hurdles such established weeklong races that to me have much more prestige, history and challenging routes like the Dauphine, Paris-Nice, Tour de Swiss, and Tour of the Basque Country. It's no wonder some of the Euro's keep bashing anything American.

On a happier note, congrats Alpe on your new role as moderator. If I get out of line feel free to pm me and let me know...instead of banning me!

Stapleton specializes in hype. "The Greatest Cycling Team in the World" and all that.

 

[issoisso]

Stapleton is an american, born in california, speaking in behalf of an american team with an american sponsor. He'll say whatever he has to say to please his sponsor, no matter how ridiculous. As they all do.