TOC stage 3: San Francisco - Santa Cruz, 182.9 km

[thehog]

issoisso,

it's not a lie. You said:



And I don't know why you guys start the baiting if you can't take any back. You will accept that you started it?

At least thehog had the grace to log off when he saw Armstrong wasn't dropped.

That's all you were watching to see happen, so why did you bother to stay?

I thought Radioshack were a powerhouse? If they can't control a p1sspoor race like this what hope do they have at the Tour.

btw/ Armstrong looks massive. Like really really big.

 

[Eyjafjallajokull]

...

Why is it trolling if you respond to trolls trolling? You won't deny they started it with the usual fat jokes and lies about him getting dropped? That did happen, right?

I then say RS played a decent hand, and then get called a ***.

I'm just always amazed at how thin skinned LA's critics are. They can dish it out, but they hate it back at them.

LA and RS may well get dropped later in the tour, but it's just funny today that the trolls didn't get what they wanted.

 

[AntonioRossi]

Who designed that finish?

Should be shot.

*thumbs up* that finish is terrible

but nice win for Dave z, i kinda wished for a win by Sagan or even Haussler.

 

[Eyjafjallajokull]

btw/ Armstrong looks massive. Like really really big.

The thing is, he doesn't though. It's fun and eveything, and keep trolling about it by all means, but the reality is he doesn't look any different to when he won his 7 tours. Indeed, he's looking very lean and mean.

Whether that means he will make the top ten at the tour is another matter...

 

[theswordsman]

That was fun. I had hella trouble with the video on the tracker, went to Fromsport and found a Eurosport UK feed with Magnus Backstedt calling the action.
After the three first got away on the climb, I thought Zabriskie and Rogers were going to let Levi pull the whole way himself. I was rooting for Rogers, but happy with the 1-2-3. Having three strong Time Trialists in the lead sets up the rest of the race.
Great scenery today, too.

 

[Kazistuta]

I'll just state the basic fact that there's fanboys in here AND hateboys....neither part does any good sadly,,,,

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Good race. Thought Armstrong's form is quite good, actually. He was up there when a lot of others were not. The Tour is a ways away, which, for him and his fans, is the only race that matters.

Levi is one of the most boring riders I have ever seen. I find it hard to root for the guy. I was hoping Sagan would catch them.

 

[armstrong4ever]

Why is it trolling if you respond to trolls trolling? You won't deny they started it with the usual fat jokes and lies about him getting dropped? That did happen, right?

I then say RS played a decent hand, and then get called a ***.

I'm just always amazed at how thin skinned LA's critics are. They can dish it out, but they hate it back at them.

LA and RS may well get dropped later in the tour, but it's just funny today that the trolls didn't get what they wanted.

I bet the trolls have 0 accomplishments in their life compared to Lance Armstrong.

 

[The Sheep]

who's armstrong?

 

[Goldberger]

I bet the trolls have 0 accomplishments in their life compared to Lance Armstrong.

You can bet on that, but it's pretty to cool to be hating on Armstrong and Radioshack, some guys on this forum actually does it for a living...

 

[Cal_Joe]

Unfortunately, I do not think I will catch the rest of ToC. I am leaving tonight to fly to Versus headquarters in Philadelphia where I will choke the s**t out of the CEO for cutting off the last km to show commercials.

Then I will find the a**hat who has decided that the ratio of cycling to commercials must be 1:1 and chuck him out of a window of the Comcast building.

Then I will find the producer who decided to have Heckle and Jeckle for commentators and remove his ears with a sharp instrument.

Then I will probably be incarcerated for a long time and will unable to watch any cycling.

Let me know if Vino pulls a Vino at the TDF.

 

[BikeCentric]

Levi is one of the most boring riders I have ever seen. I find it hard to root for the guy. I was hoping Sagan would catch them.

Levi is kind of boring but he sure can climb well when he's on form as he was today. He never puts in any big attacks but he still has a very smooth diesel climbing style.

However, the fact that Dave Z and Rogers were able to hang with him very well tells me he's going to have his work cut out for him staving them both off in the TT. Will be a great showdown between 3 very good TT'ers.

 

[CiclismoDeCalifornia]

Levi is one of the most boring riders I have ever seen. I find it hard to root for the guy. I was hoping Sagan would catch them.

Ditto! Levi seems like a pretty dull type of person when racing his bike, He almost seems like his not enjoy it, His riding style isn't at all exciting. Leipheimer is not the explosive Sagan type at all.

 

[djconnel]

spectator report

I rode over Hwy 84, first misty, but then a steady rain at the summit, near Skylonda (but technically Woodside). 84 is normally too heavily trafficked to be popular with local cyclists, except as a descent where good riders can outpace most cars. It's the easiest route up to Skyline in the area: Old La Honda Road, Kings Mountain Road, and Page Mill Road (in order of increasing difficulty) all much-preferred. TOC tried to get Page and OLH, but residential resistance meant they had to go with 84. In any case, I rode 84 today in the spirit of the race.

Fortunately, the skies cleared as I descended to the west, a long gradual downhill into the town of La Honda. after passing through, a left onto Pescadero at the "5 km to KOM" sign took me into the redwoods.

A short rise, a bit of flat, then a right over the bridge marking the climb proper of Haskins Hill. Here it was chilly, the roads a bit damp, but thankfully no rain. This climb is the highlight of the annual Pescadero Road Race each June, so I think about that race every time I climb it. Really, really nice.

At the top I waited for the riders. It was a bit longer than I'd anticipated: the pace was obviously restrained. But eventually, they came amidst the usual motorcade: first the break, then a gap of around three minutes, then the peloton taking up the full width of the road. At least the break seemed determined: the pack was at a conversational pace. Armstrong, in fact, was riding next to the Radioshack car, conversing with someone inside, his teammates mostly at the front of the pack chatting together.

After they passed, I was starting to shiver from the chill, so I headed back down the way I'd come. As I descended a lone Spidertech rider was climbing the hill, well behind the broom. I wonder if he finished.

Going back to my office I climbed Alpine Road, descending Page Mill. Both absolutely spectacular roads with amazing views. It's too bad the race couldn't have passed that way. Still, I'm grateful it was able to even get the route it got: cycling events always face resistance on the roads surrounding Woodside, CA.

 

[offbyone]

Good race. Thought Armstrong's form is quite good, actually. He was up there when a lot of others were not. The Tour is a ways away, which, for him and his fans, is the only race that matters.

Levi is one of the most boring riders I have ever seen. I find it hard to root for the guy. I was hoping Sagan would catch them.

I agree that generally Levi is unfortunately a pretty boring rider. But you got to give him credit for being the instigator on bonny doone. He clearly made that break happen. Mic and DZ were content sitting on his wheel until a stable lead was established and then they started working.

Plus you can't expect complete fireworks when there is a 24 km descent before the finish.

As for everyone else, I think guys like shleck are struggling a bit. It is one thing for him to use the race as training and not attack. But the chase group pace on the climb should have been pedestrian for him, I am surprised he and some other guys weren't there.

 

[Bala Verde]

So who won?

I taped it only to see that Versus broke away 1-2m before the finish, followed by a 5m commercial segment, and a bunch of ****wafflers who started a 20m conversation about the NHL play-offs...

first rain, and now ice taking down the coverage of the greatest tour ever given to mankind.

 

[Galic Ho]

So who won?

I taped it only to see that Versus broke away 1-2m before the finish, followed by a 5m commercial segment, and a bunch of ****wafflers who started a 20m conversation about the NHL play-offs...

first rain, and now ice taking down the coverage of the greatest tour ever given to mankind.

Zabriskie by a whisker over Mick Rogers. Levi mounted the catch when Big Z attacked over 500 from the line but never got past Dave. Mick Rogers left it just a little too late. They came in 17 seconds ahead of the chase with Sagan winning the sprint. His team mate punctured in the last 3 or 4 clics and the last kick of the chase fell apart. Some Radioshack guy tried a move on the final climb, proving what only to be a wasted effort. Horner I think. Zabriskie did about 70% of the pacing in the last 5 kilometres, he deserved the win.

 

[santacruz]

I was sooo surprised to see Zabriskie pop up first around the bend with 500m to go... interesting to me that Levi didn't pull a supernatural climbing breakaway this time on Bonny Doon.. is he just saving it for later? hmm... go Dave!

 

[Bala Verde]

Zabriskie by a whisker over Mick Rogers. Levi mounted the catch when Big Z attacked over 500 from the line but never got past Dave. Mick Rogers left it just a little too late. They came in 17 seconds ahead of the chase with Sagan winning the sprint. His team mate punctured in the last 3 or 4 clics and the last kick of the chase fell apart. Some Radioshack guy tried a move on the final climb, proving what only to be a wasted effort. Horner I think. Zabriskie did about 70% of the pacing in the last 5 kilometres, he deserved the win.

thanks for the recap!

 

[santacruz]

Anyone know of a place to watch this stage now that it's over? I wanted to watch the Bonny Doon climb and the descent..

 

[Galic Ho]

They're calling it 17 seconds back to the Sagan group, so 27" will be the gap to Zabriskie from that big group on GC.

I believe Sagan was at 4" and Zabriskie at 10" to Lancaster at days start. So that makes it 21". I could be wrong.

Correction. Don't worry, read further on and you figured it out.

 

[Galic Ho]

Anyone know of a place to watch this stage now that it's over? I wanted to watch the Bonny Doon climb and the descent..

Check here on this YouTube channel in a couple of hours. They should have a recap up. Won't be all of the footage but should be most of it. Footage isn't up yet but give it some time.

http://www.youtube.com/user/worldcyclingchannel2

 

[santacruz]

Thanks Galic Ho!

I didn't see Fabian ride by, my GF was desperately hoping to see him so she could ask him to father her children, lol. Did Fabian drop out??

 

[kurtinsc]

Was it poor tactics for Levi to work at all once he saw who the two who went with him were?

Looking at the group at 27 seconds in the GC... I can't see a name in there that would have been more of a TT threat then the two guys that went with Zabriskie in the break.

If Levi had wheel sucked from the beginning and they had got caught... then likely neither Rogers or Zabriskie would have gotten any bonus seconds. Instead by establishing the break... he gave the two biggest TT threats not on Radioshack 2 and 4 seconds on him.

Was gaining time on Voigt, Sagan and Danielson all that helpful... worth sacrificing time to Zabriskie and Rogers?

 

[santacruz]

Saw Cavendish up close at the podium, his legs are tiny!! was a bit surprised since most sprinters I see have beefy ham legs.