TOC Stage 1: Sunday, May 16 2010, Nevada City - Sacramento, 167.8km

[simmspin]

Look at those beautifully straight pearly whites! I'm sure they are well worth all of the time off the bike.

Actual LOL!!

 

[Moondance]

this is whats coming through on twitter from multiple sources. moto rider swerved to avoid a rider next to it, which in turn caused swerving that caused the crash.. wait to see what the organisers say

im rewinding now to see if i can make it out

oh, there was a fair split in the feild by 2k before the crash.

Yeah, I thought so too. When Saxo and Columbia started their train war the peloton was already halved, if not more.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I thought so too. When Saxo and Columbia started their train war the peloton was already halved, if not more.

just timed the gap prior to the crash

lead group of about 30
5 seconds back to the next small group
a further 7 seconds back to the peloton..

there should be time gaps in the gc for all but those in the crash.

as for the crash, cant make it out, the cameras cut to if after it happened.

 

[Moondance]

just timed the gap prior to the crash

lead group of about 30
5 seconds back to the next small group
a further 7 seconds back to the peloton..

there should be time gaps in the gc for all but those in the crash.

as for the crash, cant make it out, the cameras cut to if after it happened.

The Giro had, what I thought, was a great idea a couple years back that they would neutralize the time on flat stages at the 3 km point if it was a sprinter's stage. Everyone who wasnt interested in competing for the stage could just let go and safety ensues. I thought it was a great idea, and it worked too... But strangely it was never implemented after that or anywhere else. I don't know why.

 

[tgsgirl]

Damnit Cali, leave my Belgians alone!

 

[Cobblestones]

Any news on Boonen? How bad is his road rash?

 

[Galic Ho]

He'll have to be in awful shape not to....

Here's hoping Theo Bos throws him into the barriers, and takes Lance down along with him for good measure

I think he might as well have. There were an awful number of crashes. Maybe he mistook Booenen for Cav.

That was nice scenery but I swear it looked like the middle states of America. Flat and rather dull. If Haedo had O'Grady and Cancellara to help him (they crashed) then that would have been a real stretch for Cavendish to win.

Phil is already at it. It is going to be a long July when it finally comes around. I'd like to know how the GC is not allowed to drop time. The roads are massively wide. Crash on that and you are either unlucky (not your fault) or a goofball (it is your fault). Adelaide has similar stuff in the Cancer Classic and there were no crashes there. Shame, made Cav's job easier than it should have been.

 

[MWRoadie]

TOC is going to be Boring with no Drama

The ToC is going to help push American cycling back to nothing.

The races are boring.

The routes are not designed to produce courageous, heroic rides, (like yesterday's Giro, they are designed so the “favs” win. Cav will win sprints, the P.A. announcers will tell everyone that is a big deal, it isn’t.... the result would be the same if everyone lined up fives files from the finish and not screwed around for 80 to 100 miles. Along the way we’ll be treated to every possible Lance story; what he eats, what a good father he is, what celebs are hanging with him at the start. Then there’ll be the stage for the GC guys to separate themselves, and the TT which the promoters hope Levi wins (actually they'd sell their children for Armstrong to do it) cuz they need an American to win, and he's more marketable than Zabriskie

And to top it off Cycling News' coverage was crap.

 

[thehog]

The ToC is going to help push American cycling back to nothing.

The races are boring.

The routes are not designed to produce courageous, heroic rides, (like yesterday's Giro, they are designed so the “favs” win. Cav will win sprints, the P.A. announcers will tell everyone that is a big deal, it isn’t.... the result would be the same if everyone lined up fives files from the finish and not screwed around for 80 to 100 miles. Along the way we’ll be treated to every possible Lance story; what he eats, what a good father he is, what celebs are hanging with him at the start. Then there’ll be the stage for the GC guys to separate themselves, and the TT which the promoters hope Levi wins (actually they'd sell their children for Armstrong to do it) cuz they need an American to win, and he's more marketable than Zabriskie

And to top it off Cycling News' coverage was crap.

Today stage was unsafe. There will be a riders protest tomorrow. Its not on having a stage like todays.

 

[Anonymous]

That race was...oh.....what is the word........uneventful (in terms of actual racing)....boring really.......TERRIBLY BORING........if it weren't for the crash, nothing of note really happened. What a snoozefest.

 

[Anonymous]

Today stage was unsafe. There will be a riders protest tomorrow. Its not on having a stage like todays.

Yea...they went over......GASP......train tracks at one point.....didn't The Uniballer hold a hissy fit-in in last year's Giro for the same thing? And a rider crashed into a bus on the route...um, why the double standard?

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Yea...they went over......GASP......train tracks at one point.....didn't The Uniballer hold a hissy fit-in in last year's Giro for the same thing? And a rider crashed into a bus on the route...um, why the double standard?

TFF can you give it a rest with all the talk about 'train-tracks'.

I am sick and tired of reading about Cav's teeth.....

 

[Anonymous]

"@andy_schleck 1 stage done@ATOC,some crashes in the
final,hope everybody can start tomorrow!only one race can top the amount of spectators!TDF impressive!"

hmm.. so only the tour beats the toc for spectators.. another whos fallen for the idiot marketing.. good god.. from the tv it looked like there were a lot of thin gaps on that closing circuit, and just crowds on the main straight and corners..

guess andy has forgotten the crowds in flanders or roubaix (without mentioning the giro and vuelta)

 

[Potomac]

Is this race on television in the US?

 

[bobs nob]

"@andy_schleck 1 stage done@ATOC,some crashes in the
final,hope everybody can start tomorrow!only one race can top the amount of spectators!TDF impressive!"

hmm.. so only the tour beats the toc for spectators.. another whos fallen for the idiot marketing.. good god.. from the tv it looked like there were a lot of thin gaps on that closing circuit, and just crowds on the main straight and corners..

guess andy has forgotten the crowds in flanders or roubaix (without mentioning the giro and vuelta)

It appeared to me to be a pretty good turnout for an american race, and a lot better than some of what I saw on the vuelta other than at the finish.

Can anyone from Cal give any sort of insight as to how it is received there. It really seems to mean zero in the cycling crazy southeast.

I saw parts of the tour of Missouri a couple years back (on TV). OK, now THAT was sparse spectator support.

 

[bobs nob]

Is this race on television in the US?

Go back a few pages, we roasted the tv coverage on a spit while waiting for something, anything to happen.

The post count for this stage shows a lack of interest by cycling fans, at least on this board. An incredibly dull stage didn't make it any better.

 

[thehog]

Go back a few pages, we roasted the tv coverage on a spit while waiting for something, anything to happen.

The post count for this stage shows a lack of interest by cycling fans, at least on this board. An incredibly dull stage didn't make it any better.

Just as well Radioshack skipped the GIRO for something more exciting. My god that stage was boring.

http://twitpic.com/1ocz59

 

[theswordsman]

Is this race on television in the US?

I think it's on Versus. Phil & Paul seemed to be pulling double duty with commentary. The free video feed on the ATOC site was excellent again. Unfortunately, the scenery today looked pretty much like Southern Illinois.

The guys said this is in the handful of best races in the world. Personally I think the Alpe d'Huez stage of Criterium du Dauphine Libere might be better.

As I was watching the online feed, I wondered what it would have been like if the Tour Down Under had used their appearance money to provide live feeds like that to competition starved cycling fans.

 

[thehog]

As I was watching the online feed, I wondered what it would have been like if the Tour Down Under had used their appearance money to provide live feeds like that to competition starved cycling fans.

or at least use that money to buy a top 10 field rather than just one rider.

On that note. Did anyone get a snip of Lance's gut? How big was it in the midday sun? Can't wear the gilet on a hot day. I would think he's made an agreement with the organisers that there will be no gut photos.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

It appeared to me to be a pretty good turnout for an american race, and a lot better than some of what I saw on the vuelta other than at the finish.

Can anyone from Cal give any sort of insight as to how it is received there. It really seems to mean zero in the cycling crazy southeast.

I saw parts of the tour of Missouri a couple years back (on TV). OK, now THAT was sparse spectator support.

I agree - the crowds in Sacramento were certainly impressive.

I went on youtube to see the finale and checked some different fans video footage - there appeared to be nice crowds along the route and it certainly was generating a lot of enthusiasm.

 

[Cal_Joe]

"@andy_schleck 1 stage done@ATOC,some crashes in the
final,hope everybody can start tomorrow!only one race can top the amount of spectators!TDF impressive!"

hmm.. so only the tour beats the toc for spectators.. another whos fallen for the idiot marketing.. good god.. from the tv it looked like there were a lot of thin gaps on that closing circuit, and just crowds on the main straight and corners..

guess andy has forgotten the crowds in flanders or roubaix (without mentioning the giro and vuelta)

I was in Sacramento for the finishing laps and the crowds were huge.

Andy Schleck was in Sacramento and, as noted, said the crowds were huge.

Dim is on a different continent and said his TV did not appear to show a crowd.

FFS, maybe try to ignore the hype and marketing and do not focus on that - yes, for most folks outside the US (and many of us in the US) that hype is not in the European style and is obnoxious and grating. Yes, this race is not on a par with a GT, despite the hype.

Think of the hype as you would a commercial on TV. Mute it, then turn the volume back up when the racing resumes.


As an aside, my son called when I was in Sac and said the HD picture quality on Versus (obviously with muted volume) was unbelievable, especially compared with the crap picture quality Universal Sports is showing the Giro in.

 

[Cal_Joe]

or at least use that money to buy a top 10 field rather than just one rider.

On that note. Did anyone get a snip of Lance's gut? How big was it in the midday sun? Can't wear the gilet on a hot day. I would think he's made an agreement with the organisers that there will be no gut photos.

theHog - as usual, an excellent analysis. However, you left out your other favorite questions...

1) How is Lance's dysentery and poopshoot doing?

2) Was Lance's mom there?

3) Did Lance impregnate anyone during the stage?

4) How much money did he steal from hospitals today?

C'mon, quit slacking off with your posts. Nobody here would want to think that that you were getting lazy and avoiding the tough cycling topics.

 

[hfer07]

The ToC is going to help push American cycling back to nothing.

The races are boring.

The routes are not designed to produce courageous, heroic rides, (like yesterday's Giro, they are designed so the “favs” win. Cav will win sprints, the P.A. announcers will tell everyone that is a big deal, it isn’t.... the result would be the same if everyone lined up fives files from the finish and not screwed around for 80 to 100 miles. Along the way we’ll be treated to every possible Lance story; what he eats, what a good father he is, what celebs are hanging with him at the start. Then there’ll be the stage for the GC guys to separate themselves, and the TT which the promoters hope Levi wins (actually they'd sell their children for Armstrong to do it) cuz they need an American to win, and he's more marketable than Zabriskie

And to top it off Cycling News' coverage was crap.

+1
I watched the last 30k and everyone in the peloton was chatting along and as soon as they caught the breakaway, the remaining kms were simply a "HTC-Columbia showoff" to deliver Cavendish to the finish line-nothing more, apart from the crash, it was a joke of a stage.

 

[Anonymous]

I was in Sacramento for the finishing laps and the crowds were huge.

Andy Schleck was in Sacramento and, as noted, said the crowds were huge.

Dim is on a different continent and said his TV did not appear to show a crowd..

ok ok ok.. but second to the tour..?

Ive watched the closing laps again, 2/3 of the course was full, but i still say not second to the tour. I think maybe the "2nd best race in the world" "amazing race" "amazing crowds" "great spectacle" thing is getting to us..

 

[Ferminal]

I watched the whole stage in 5 minutes... Lucky me?

Close one, Cav.