Tour of California Stage 4: Livermore - San Jose/Sierra Rd, 131.6 KM

[jobiwan]

First day for the climbers!
Hopefully Schleck will do something but there's plenty of others who might win.

Mt. Hamilton, HC, 6.9 km, 8.4%
Sierra Road, Cat 1, 5.6 km, 9.4%

 

[Parrulo]

Mt. Hamilton, HC, 6.9 km, 8.4%

lmfao thats like a giro third cat and here its called hors cat XD

 

[Anonymous]

are those gradient figures max or average?

HC? Oh god, does that mean Liggett will be comparing it to Hautecam, Ventoux and Alpe d'huez?

 

[jobiwan]

are those gradient figures max or average?

I can only go off what the AToC website says. It appears to be averages.

EDIT: from the ToC preview

After a few miles of flat riding, comes a right turn onto Sierra Rd. What follows is a 3.5 miles ascent with a 10% average grade and 1,700’ feet of climbing. The finish is simply a line across a narrow road

 

[gyrotime]

I don't know if any of the above posters have ridden either climb, but having done them many times they are both very hard. Sierra is short, but very steep. Those are most definitely averages.

 

[benpounder]

I don't know if any of the above posters have ridden either climb, but having done them many times they are both very hard. Sierra is short, but very steep. Those are most definitely averages.

You have to understand that many here allow their disdain for Sherwin and Liggett, and Armstrong and Bruynell, and Leipheimer and whoever... to cloud their judgment. Further, instead of saving their ammo for the above listed targets, they like to use a blunderbuss to attack any and everything associated - even tangentially - with the real subjects of their ire.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I realize some people think hard climbs are indigenous to Europe, but some of you really need to come do some climbing in the States.

Speaking of which, if the ToC wanted an awesome climb, why not do Mt. Figueroa outside of Solvang rather than the TT there?

 

[krismtb]

Yeah Mt Hamilton looks painful:

http://app.strava.com/segments/mt-hamilton-backside-302113

Not a bad final climb either.

http://app.strava.com/segments/sierra-rd-615834

 

[GoGarmin]

This looks like a fun stage with some gnarly climbs. Which of course means a lot of posters here have to make jackhole comments about the ToC.

Color me shocked.

 

[webvan]

Yes, nothing to laugh at, harder than the last 6km of Mt Etna in any case.

Anyway is anyone going to Sierra Road tomorrow? Wonder what a good spot might be. Would it make sense to driver around from Felter Rd to get close to the finish or is that going to be blocked too?

 

[Cal_Joe]

Just to take a break from the ****y posters...

Forecast for tomorrow is - Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the morning... then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs in the mid to upper 60s. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph.

Which would be a tailwind for the first half of the stage. but could be a brisk crosswind after the sharp west turn on San Antonio Valley Road - during the ascent to Mt. Hamilton, where the winds will be stronger then at the valley floor.

Could be interesting, and the first test of GC hopefuls.

Now back to your regularly scheduled ****y posters, who claim they ignore the ToC, but must whine about it.

Speaking of wine and whining, there are many great wineries along the next day's stage.

 

[Publicus]

Yes, nothing to laugh at, harder than the last 6km of Mt Etna in any case.

Anyway is anyone going to Sierra Road tomorrow? Wonder what a good spot might be. Would it make sense to driver around from Felter Rd to get close to the finish or is that going to be blocked too?

I'm wondering the same thing. Would love to steal away from work to catch the final climb up Sierra Road if possible.

 

[webvan]

Guess I'll need my parka on Sierra then, now to find a good place to watch from!

 

[Publicus]

Guess I'll need my parka on Sierra then, now to find a good place to watch from!

Looks like Felter Road is closed as well. Best bet would be to park and walk up (is my guess).

http://bikesiliconvalley.org/area-report/2011/04/san-josé-tour-of-california-street-closure-details

 

[webvan]

Nice find, they had a PDF linked from over there too : http://www.sanjoseca.gov/pdf/Amgen2011Route.pdf

They have the beginning of the climb as a good spot to watch but there probably won't be much to see there, at least not for very long.

 

[Eric8-A]

I've been thinking, is it smarter for Garmin to focus on someone like Vandevelde or Hesjedal for GC instead of Zabriskie? Does Dave actually have the capacity to keep up with the other contenders on the mountainous days? Or does it not matter since he might steal time once they hit Solvang?

 

[GoGarmin]

I've been thinking, is it smarter for Garmin to focus on someone like Vandevelde or Hesjedal for GC instead of Zabriskie? Does Dave actually have the capacity to keep up with the other contenders on the mountainous days? Or does it not matter since he might steal time once they hit Solvang?

I think that question will be answered tomorrow.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

lmfao thats like a giro third cat and here its called hors cat XD

don't be ignorant.

6.9km @ 8.4%.
Cat 1. would have been acceptable. It is steeper then Etna (avg) just not as long. Agree it's not a Hors climb, but there is no need to belittle this climb, which looks pretty good. Certainly worthy of a Cat 1.
A race like Basque rewarded a lesser climb (then this) a Cat. 1.

The sierra rd climb is even better (9.4%). And is only a Cat 1. I suspect Giro would reward it with a Cat 2 also.. the equivalent.

Similar climbs in races receive similar results.
Giro are maybe a bit more hesitant on what they categorize.. I've noticed some steep ramps that last a couple km that get nothing. At the tour they'd be cat4 or something)

---

I totally get the anti-TOC, with the attitude and media attention it gets (not to mention comparisons and ridiculous statements). But no need to bad mouth some climbs which people would be praising if it was on the other side of an ocean.

 

[MacRoadie]

I realize some people think hard climbs are indigenous to Europe, but some of you really need to come do some climbing in the States.

Speaking of which, if the ToC wanted an awesome climb, why not do Mt. Figueroa outside of Solvang rather than the TT there?

If you want to talk elevation, the highest paved road in the Alps is the Ötztal Glacier Road in Austria, at 2,829 meters (9,281 feet). The highest in Italy is the Stelvio at 2,758 meters (9,048 feet).

By comparison, the highest paved road in America is the Mount Evans Scenic Byway in Colorado which tops out nearly a MILE higher at 14,130 feet (4,306 meters):

Oxygen anyone? Hey, kinda looks like...

 

[auscyclefan94]

Sone quite hard climbs will make things quite interesting. I found it odd to read that hesjedal will be working for DZ throughout this race when Ryder is a better climber. I think Horner will win this with guys like Leipheimer, Hesjedal, Van Garderen and possibly Morabito not too far behind. Not sure if Schleck will race properley.

 

[just some guy]

I've been thinking, is it smarter for Garmin to focus on someone like Vandevelde or Hesjedal for GC instead of Zabriskie? Does Dave actually have the capacity to keep up with the other contenders on the mountainous days? Or does it not matter since he might steal time once they hit Solvang?

Dave of DZ NUTS fame will be helping Ryder and Vandevelde and holding on for dear life, the climbs are too hard for him. He may have done well in the past but the race has changed.

PS if we compare this 8 days race to the other week long stages races we have had so far in Europe it stacks up very well, the problem is media keep comparing it to 3 weeks Grand tours and calling it the 4th GT.

It can not be the 4 GT until it´s 3 weeks, until then it´s an enjoyable week long stage race with a good profile and a alternative to get ready for the tour

 

[Astana1]

Zabriskie was stronger than Leipheimer last year in this race. The mountaintop finish might change things, but I think Leipheimer is overrated.

 

[Astana1]

Today will be pretty typical imo. Guys going for KOM points will attack early, Since this is the first opportunity it could be a fairly decent sized break. Yesterday the break was basically brought in with little effort. Same thing today. The Protour teams will keep things together until late.

 

[Lanark]

don't be ignorant.

6.9km @ 8.4%.
Cat 1. would have been acceptable. It is steeper then Etna (avg) just not as long. Agree it's not a Hors climb, but there is no need to belittle this climb, which looks pretty good. Certainly worthy of a Cat 1.
A race like Basque rewarded a lesser climb (then this) a Cat. 1.

The sierra rd climb is even better (9.4%). And is only a Cat 1. I suspect Giro would reward it with a Cat 2 also.. the equivalent.

Similar climbs in races receive similar results.
Giro are maybe a bit more hesitant on what they categorize.. I've noticed some steep ramps that last a couple km that get nothing. At the tour they'd be cat4 or something)

---

I totally get the anti-TOC, with the attitude and media attention it gets (not to mention comparisons and ridiculous statements). But no need to bad mouth some climbs which people would be praising if it was on the other side of an ocean.

True, the Gardeccia climb is 6.15km with an average of 10%, and has category 1 in the Giro, the highest category (so HC in most other races), 5.6km at 9.4% is really close to that, would be at least 2nd category in the Giro, and possibly 1st.

 

[greenedge]

I shall go for Sutherland, Morabito and Efimikin to gain 1 min on the rest of GC. I can also expect Garmin to be aggresive with massive pronged attacks and Levi hangs on admirably.