Tour of California 2012

[Bavarianrider]

But you said that this was the second best race after the Tour.

Are you serious?

I said for Me it is.

Why?

Well Tour is number one.
I am not flashed by Vuelta nor Giro these days. Unbalanced routes with week fields.
Then of course there are races like Dauphine or Tour de Suisse. Great races, no doubt. But because of their date basically they are prep races, you never know who goes full throttle.
Therefore California is second to me. It's a great race in the most beautiful landscape with a tremondous TV coverage.
Of course there's lots to improve and it could be much better.
But i like the whole atmosphere of the race.

 

[roundabout]

California is also a prep race for most big names unless you are a folliclly challenged over 35 American.

 

[El Pistolero]

Oh and there are other races besides stage races.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Oh and there are other races besides stage races.

I was talking about stage races obviously

 

[El Pistolero]

Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice(normally) have better routs and most people race to win there.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice(normally) have better routs and most people race to win there.

True but they are very early in the year.
And they are just two races among many orthers in Europe.
Tour of California is THE Race outside of Europe.

 

[will10]

1. 3 USA19711023 HORNER, Christopher RSH 23:46:41 00:00:00
2. 1 USA19731024 LEIPHEIMER, Levi RSH 23:47:19 00:00:38
3. 12 USA19780313 DANIELSON, Tom GRM 23:49:26 00:02:45
4. 18 USA19760522 VANDEVELDE, Christian GRM 23:49:59 00:03:18
5. 21 USA19880812 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay* THR 23:50:04 00:03:23
6. 87 NED19801113 TEN DAM, Laurens RAB 23:50:07 00:03:26
7. 91 AUS19820208 SUTHERLAND, Rory UHC 23:50:53 00:04:12
8. 51 LUX19850610 SCHLECK, Andy* LEO 23:51:14 00:04:33
9. 46 SUI19830130 MORABITO, Steve BMC 23:51:31 00:04:50
10. 13 CAN19801209 HESJEDAL, Ryder GRM 23:52:57 00:06:16


BR is obviously right, the Tour of California has a far better field than the Giro and Vuelta.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I said for Me it is.

Why?

Well Tour is number one.
I am not flashed by Vuelta nor Giro these days. Unbalanced routes with week fields.
Then of course there are races like Dauphine or Tour de Suisse. Great races, no doubt. But because of their date basically they are prep races, you never know who goes full throttle.
Therefore California is second to me. It's a great race in the most beautiful landscape with a tremondous TV coverage.
Of course there's lots to improve and it could be much better.
But i like the whole atmosphere of the race.

California is even more of a prep race than the Dauphiné or Tour de Suisse, since half the field are on down time.

País Vasco, Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico are all better races than California, and all have as many people peaking for them, and fewer using them as training miles.

You can be critical of the last two years of Paris-Nice routes all you like - I certainly have - but 2011 was the first decent Tour of California route, and it seems like some of the positives of that route have been removed (Sierra Road MTF) and replaced by some of the negatives of the 2010 route (Big Bear "MTF").

The race is still historyless, and only sought after by American riders and sponsors with a vested interest in America. That's fine, but let's not pretend it's more prestigious than any other preparation race, especially not ones with much more history.

Right now, I'd rather win Trentino or Burgos than California. Really.

 

[Bavarianrider]

California is even more of a prep race than the Dauphiné or Tour de Suisse, since half the field are on down time.

País Vasco, Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico are all better races than California, and all have as many people peaking for them, and fewer using them as training miles.

You can be critical of the last two years of Paris-Nice routes all you like - I certainly have - but 2011 was the first decent Tour of California route, and it seems like some of the positives of that route have been removed (Sierra Road MTF) and replaced by some of the negatives of the 2010 route (Big Bear "MTF").

The race is still historyless, and only sought after by American riders and sponsors with a vested interest in America. That's fine, but let's not pretend it's more prestigious than any other preparation race, especially not ones with much more history.

Right now, I'd rather win Trentino or Burgos than California. Really.

Well again, i said that's the way i see it. I didn't say that everybody has to think this way.

Nevertheless, i hope that this race will grow and become bigger and bigger.
Those who don't care don't have to watch it. But for US and northern Europeans it would be great.

 

[BillytheKid]

California is also a prep race for most big names unless you are a folliclly challenged over 35 American.

Better than fallaciously challenged Roundhead.

A Columbian winning Mt. Baldy could send it spinning.

 

[Don Johnson]

I think it will be interesting to see how Nibali, Gesink, Horner, Craddock,Boswell, Southerland, Van Garden, will match up.
For some of the riders this is the big race. It is exciting to see Nibali in California, such a wonderful rider. I imagine Cadel is riding for training however, though great to see him in Cali.

 

[The Hitch]

Nevertheless, i hope that this race will grow and become bigger and bigger.
Those who don't care don't have to watch it

Stupid words from someone who spent the entire vuelta moaning how crap it was, that it shouldnt be a grand tour, that cali should replace it, time and time again..

You, cycling news tm sponsored by amgen and Pat Mcquaid can try all you like, its not a gt and it never will be.

 

[El Pistolero]

Doesn't change the fact that the Vuelta did indeed suck though, except for a couple of stages.

 

[BeachBum]

I imagine Cadel is riding for training however, though great to see him in Cali.

Has something changed? Cadel's own website say he is not racing at all in May.

ToC offical web page doesn't even list starters, and we're less than a week from the start.

 

[Caruut]

Well again, i said that's the way i see it. I didn't say that everybody has to think this way.

Nevertheless, i hope that this race will grow and become bigger and bigger.
Those who don't care don't have to watch it. But for US and northern Europeans it would be great.

What? Why would North Europeans prefer this race? Are you suggesting that North Europeans hate South European racing? Please don't tar me with your jingoistic brush. There isn't space on the calender for a 3rd GT.

 

[Don Johnson]

Has something changed? Cadel's own website say he is not racing at all in May.

ToC offical web page doesn't even list starters, and we're less than a week from the start.

You are right. Cadel is training in the High mountains, just like Andy, and Armstrong did when he raced.
I was going by this press release, released in March:

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cycling/evans-mcewen-teams-in-tour-of-california-20120314-1uz29.html

Here is Cadels' real skinny:

http://www.cadelevans.com.au/

 

[The Hitch]

Doesn't change the fact that the Vuelta did indeed suck though, except for a couple of stages.

Yeah, you are right. Gilbert nor Contador werent there and Boonen did jack ****

 

[roundabout]

Better than fallaciously challenged Roundhead.

A Columbian winning Mt. Baldy could send it spinning.

They are welcome to win the whole damn thing. Still wouldn't make the ToC the 2nd (3rd, 4th....) most important race in the World.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

What? Why would North Europeans prefer this race? Are you suggesting that North Europeans hate South European racing? Please don't tar me with your jingoistic brush. There isn't space on the calender for a 3rd GT.

He does not like south europeans so it's understandable, he will continue to take pot shot like he has always done before but since this is a "fantasy forum" so it's cool. spread the love

 

[El Pistolero]

Well a lot of South European cyclists hate the northern races

Why can't we hate back

For the record, this is not a very serious post.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Well a lot of South European cyclists hate the northern races

Why can't we hate back

For the record, this is not a very serious post.

who hate the northern races? do you see southern european complaining about the classics or other races?

 

[The Hitch]

Well a lot of South European cyclists hate the northern races

Why can't we hate back

For the record, this is not a very serious

Southerners Don't hate northern races. They just don't rate them

 

[Zam_Olyas]

What has this got to do with northern or southern? why bring it up at all?

 

[El Pistolero]

who hate the northern races? do you see southern european complaining about the classics or other races?

Flecha for starters...

 

[karlboss]

I think the parcours isn't too bad if it were going to be raced aggressively and that more MTFs are not necessarily the way to go (yet). Good stages in my mind need to give everyone a chance to win, but when there is little motivation for hard racing they all become a sprint finish. The invites could have a lot to do with it. Maybe invite the top non WT teams from around the world, and offer to double the prize money if someone other than a WT rider wins GC. I'm willing to bet you'd see something new then. Mind you to protect their investment they might have to conduct doping controls.

Biggest race outside of Europe? TdU, San Luis, Qatar, Oman...are at least on a par depending on how you rate biggest race.