Tour of California 2012

[CobbleStoner]

Is it true that they are trying to make the last stage a 'processional' stage around LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica? what a big mistake, it is a week long stage race, not 3 weeks, no need (or warranting) for a processional stage. the final stage in Thousand Oaks was on a great course, great turnout, minimal logistical problems, and was tough enough to make it tactically exciting, not to mention in the home town of the main sponsor. I don't get it.

 

[craig1985]

I saw this is a job for somebody who knows the area better in the Race Design Thread!

 

[Quixote]

I think last year's bust in Tahoe with snow and freezing weather shaped the thinking of the tour planners. A little precaution to prevent another weather disaster resulted in overkill...in the form almost wiping out the entire Northern California region. This is too bad, really. Anyone who knows this part of the state could have told them that May weather in Lake Tahoe is always iffy. A stage in the Mt. Shasta area would be the same. However, the Sierra Nevada foothills or the coastal range is almost always nice in May. With plenty of beautiful country roads and good climbs, it's only lacking the easy access of a multitude of fans.

 

[BillytheKid]

No Sierra Road so no Horner dropping Leipheimer again. Lets fix Stage 2 and loop back around a finish atop the steeper side of Empire Road.

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/docroot/media/2012/2012AToCStage2Map.pdf

 

[Libertine Seguros]

How come Bert Grabsch was dropped badly. That is 25 minutes from the start. I saw poor Bert resplendent in his German colors 7 minutes off the main field. on the second itty bitty climb leaving from Seaside last year. How com Thor dropped out??

Why was he in his German colours? Christian Knees was the champion at that point.

 

[The Plediadian]

Why was he in his German colours? Christian Knees was the champion at that point.

I don't know, Knees wasn't in the TOC. German colors and high road jersey caught my eye on Grabsch though.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I think last year's bust in Tahoe with snow and freezing weather shaped the thinking of the tour planners. A little precaution to prevent another weather disaster resulted in overkill...

Correct. They could have had a back-up plan by changing the stage to a short prologue in the finishing city. But they had no back-up plan, so they had no stage. And now, they overreacted.

While the SE Sierra climbs can get storms in May, it is not likely they'd get a bad one. Hence Whitney Portal, Horseshoe Mountain and Onion Valley roads (all brutal HC climbs) would be very possible. Heading north to Sonora, Ebbets, Pacific Grade, Tioga, etc. is less likely, as would be Shasta. But as I said, they are not going to Shasta, no matter what. Way too far north.

I do have hopes though. These courses are built to bring in money and create financial and fan stability. Maybe in future years we'll see some of those Sierra epics.

 

[offbyone]

Correct. They could have had a back-up plan by changing the stage to a short prologue in the finishing city. But they had no back-up plan, so they had no stage. And now, they overreacted.

While the SE Sierra climbs can get storms in May, it is not likely they'd get a bad one. Hence Whitney Portal, Horseshoe Mountain and Onion Valley roads (all brutal HC climbs) would be very possible. Heading north to Sonora, Ebbets, Pacific Grade, Tioga, etc. is less likely, as would be Shasta. But as I said, they are not going to Shasta, no matter what. Way too far north.

I do have hopes though. These courses are built to bring in money and create financial and fan stability. Maybe in future years we'll see some of those Sierra epics.

I hope you are right. Maybe in a couple more years they will transition to a tougher format. And in fact, I don't even want them to bother coming to tahoe or any of these places until they are ready to toughen up the course. The fact that they were going to come to tahoe and not even have a proper mountain stage in the mountains was a shame anyways. Yes, the footage would have been beautiful, but it would have been more beautiful if the riders were going to war. I will try to wait patiently for things to change.

 

[kukiniloa]

not so hard...but

I don't think it was necessarily the parcours that defined the race in past years, but the lack of aggressive riding. There was previously a discrepancy in talent between the domestic teams and the continental teams, who were using it as a training race - the Giro being too draining.

I see a lot of small groups contending the flat finishes after the big climbs. Should make for exciting racing, but perhaps not the GC battles that American fans expect, the Tour de France being the only race they follow.

Then, of course, the TT will be decisive. Anyway, I will be watching. I expect some great racing, with some domestic teams going all in.

 

[karlboss]

Does anyone know which teams are going?

EDIT http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Peloton/teams.html I'm an idiot.
They should invite some of the Latin American teams, at least they'd animate things.

 

[Afrank]

teams
http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Peloton/teams.html

Edit: I look forward to seeing how Bontrager livestrong does, they did great at tour of the gila and I think they could pull off a big win here.

 

[BillytheKid]

Indeed its a bit disappointing but you must remember that the ATOC has never really been that mountaineous and decisive only last year they upped the game and asides from sierra navada its the same as last year with diablo to replace it (albeit not as a finish). Admittedly more could be done and the route isn't great yet you shouldn't really expect anything more from the ATOC as it isn't really an all that decisive race and though inroads are being made it seems like the organizers are a little hesitant to ramp up the difficulty that high.
At least they kept Baldy in, it should separate the men from the boys and give us a deseving winner at the very least.

This evolves from where it's place it on the calendar. I do think they are afraid of scaring away those sitting out the Giro at the end of the Classics season. The finish atop the Sierra Road climb was a nice touch last year. Stage 2 this year could be made more interesting looping back around to finish up the Bear Creak Road on a second take.

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/docroot/media/2012/2012AToCStage2Profile.pdf

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/docroot/media/2012/2012AToCStage2Map.pdf

The race has more promish of seeing the sun, but that can still go wrong.

They should have placed it this week. It would actually have out-performed the the opening of the Giro so far.

 

[BillytheKid]

Does anyone know which teams are going?

EDIT http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Peloton/teams.html I'm an idiot.
They should invite some of the Latin American teams, at least they'd animate things.

Coldeportes (COL, Columbia), I imagine they are not so excited about the lack of a uphill mountain finishes, but might make Mt. Baldy interesting.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Can't wait for this one.
Easily the second best stage race after the Tour, for me

 

[Eric8-A]

It's coming

I'll be in attendance in the Bakersfield TT and the final stage in LA.

 

[whittashau]

Can't wait for this one.
Easily the second best stage race after the Tour, for me

I feel sorry for you then

 

[Bavarianrider]

It's coming

I'll be in attendance in the Bakersfield TT and the final stage in LA.

Great! Have fun!

I really hope this will turn into a two week race one day. Would be great for the sport to have GT outside of Europe.

 

[Christian]

It's coming

I'll be in attendance in the Bakersfield TT and the final stage in LA.

Will you be the guy in the sumo costume??

 

[theyoungest]

Can't wait for this one.
Easily the second best stage race after the Tour, for me

Are you the guy who complained about the weak field in the Giro?

 

[Eric8-A]

Will you be the guy in the sumo costume??

If I wasn't short on cash, I would consider some sweet outfit for races. But no. I'll just be a normal spectator.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Can't wait for this one.
Easily the second best stage race after the Tour, for me
I really hope this will turn into a two week race one day. Would be great for the sport to have GT outside of Europe.

Clearly, for you here, GT means Great Trolling.
Very entertaining. Monday mornings needs some humour.
More of the same, please.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Great! Have fun!

I really hope this will turn into a two week race one day. Would be great for the sport to have GT outside of Europe.

UCI regs at the moment limit stage races in length. Only the Tour/Giro/Vuelta are allowed to be over 14 days in length unless the race is at 2.2 or 2.NE status (like the South American long stage races). This was also part of the reason the Volta a Portugal dropped from 15 stages to 11.

I'm sure if they really want California to be a two week race they'll make some changes, but I'd suggest if they're going to increase it in size to increase it to the size of A Volta first - remember that at the moment as a .HC race they still have half the field made up by ProConti teams and national Continental teams, which may not be able to be competitive in a two-week race, and the increased difficulty may ward off a lot of riders using it as a preparation race, given that if they're going to have to race 2 weeks for their points, they may as well do the Giro, and a lot of the riders who use it as post-Classics comedown may not bother if the race is going to be that much harder.

I think it needs a few more years at its present size (maybe increase to 9 stages à la Tour de Suisse) before we can think about going the GT route.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Does anyone know which teams are going?

EDIT http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Peloton/teams.html I'm an idiot.
They should invite some of the Latin American teams, at least they'd animate things.

no. california are hard pressed to put themselves into the grave like georgia did. utah and colorado invite colombians teams, who were the only nice thing last year and really set the race on fire too. utah last year was one of the best race sin years. california rather invite teams like argos and domestic teams that get dropped everywhere

 

[Bavarianrider]

UCI regs at the moment limit stage races in length. Only the Tour/Giro/Vuelta are allowed to be over 14 days in length unless the race is at 2.2 or 2.NE status (like the South American long stage races). This was also part of the reason the Volta a Portugal dropped from 15 stages to 11.

I'm sure if they really want California to be a two week race they'll make some changes, but I'd suggest if they're going to increase it in size to increase it to the size of A Volta first - remember that at the moment as a .HC race they still have half the field made up by ProConti teams and national Continental teams, which may not be able to be competitive in a two-week race, and the increased difficulty may ward off a lot of riders using it as a preparation race, given that if they're going to have to race 2 weeks for their points, they may as well do the Giro, and a lot of the riders who use it as post-Classics comedown may not bother if the race is going to be that much harder.

I think it needs a few more years at its present size (maybe increase to 9 stages à la Tour de Suisse) before we can think about going the GT route.

Yeah, i meant Rome wasn't built in a day, too.
But i hope in the long term this race will gradually grow and become more and more popular.
I still think so that May is not the ideal date.
I think September would be much better.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Clearly, for you here, GT means Great Trolling.
Very entertaining. Monday mornings needs some humour.
More of the same, please.

You don't think it would be great for cycling if this race would develop and grow?