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Tour of California

Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
The Tour starts Sunday and is on Versus TV Schedule of the Tour

Here is when they say it will air (EST)
2/18/2007 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/19/2007 12:00 am - 1:00 am TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/19/2007 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/20/2007 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/21/2007 11:00 pm - 12:00 am TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/22/2007 11:00 pm - 12:00 am TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/23/2007 11:00 pm - 12:00 am TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/24/2007 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/25/2007 12:00 am - 1:00 am TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/25/2007 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

2/26/2007 12:00 am - 1:00 am TOUR OF CALIFORNIA
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
Was I the only one who was pulling for the "nobody" Jason Donald to win the TT yesterday? That would have been sweet!
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
It's coming right through town today. Stage end is approx 2:45 so hopefully I can get off work early.

Pretty cool to have a race finish four blocks from your house!
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
nice, I hope you get out and see it! When the Cascade Cycling Classic is in Bend every year I go watch and support it.
 
golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
Heidi said:
Was I the only one who was pulling for the "nobody" Jason Donald to win the TT yesterday? That would have been sweet!
Click to expand...
He has to be pretty fast to own a largely pro field like that but... someone said he was one of the lucky few riders that had the wind at his back... is this true? i.e. that the wind shifted towards the end of the prologue?

I'm glad Levi won it. I'm gonna be pullin for him all season.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,655
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
I was at the race yesterday, at lots of different spots.

I was on a super steep pitch not far from the finish when Jason Donald went by. He was going so fast UP HILL he needed all of the road to make a left-hand turn. He then completely STOMPED up the 22 percent grade in his big ring. It was ridiculous. I still can't believe anyone beat him. Levi did not look to be going nearly as fast (on that section anyway).

The headwind picked up over the course of the day, so the earlier starters had something of advantage. (Most people who live and ride here know that the wind picks up in the afternoons, there can be brutal headwind coming in through the golden gate.)

Just saw provisional results from today: A big crash near the finish split things up, with the sprint taken by Graham Brown. Levi finished about 35 seconds back, not sure about GC or if he got hurt. It's pretty clear he hit the tarmac.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,655
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
Interesting that the crash happened right behind Bettini. They say the guy hit one of the traffic dots and his hand slipped off his bars. Those traffic dots are pretty sketchy, but still that's kind of surprising. Maybe he got squirrelly following the rainbow jersey.

 
Acadian

Acadian

Born Again Newbie
Sep 5, 2001
714
2
Blah Blah and Blah
If the weather is nice tomorrow, I might play hooky and check out the race. They are coming through Sierra road/Felter/Calaveras which is right by my house. Might ride up Calaveras/Felter and check them go up Sierra...that is one steep road!! curious to see them climb that after riding "I don't know" how many miles just to get there!
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,483
20,286
Sleazattle
OGRipper said:
Interesting that the crash happened right behind Bettini. They say the guy hit one of the traffic dots and his hand slipped off his bars. Those traffic dots are pretty sketchy, but still that's kind of surprising. Maybe he got squirrelly following the rainbow jersey.
Click to expand...
Maybe he just has Tyleresque handling skills.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,655
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
Yep, local favoritism for sure. Levi looked less than thrilled. Still, ultimately it's the official's call and I imagine stuff like that happens all the time at the Euro races.
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
splat said:
I watched the race replay on VRS. I kind of think it was a bit of BS that they gave the overall leaders jersey back to Levi.
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There is always a bit of result fudging when a crash occurs, particularily in the final circuit. I think race organizers do not want the final stretch to become a huge crashfest so they try to keep the same time for everyone except the sprinters.
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,644
7,318
Colorado
I worked on Freddy Rodriguez' bike while he was warming up. His seat bolt stripped out so I gave him a new clamp. It was really funny because we had a video on with him in it playing while he was at the shop. Customers were doing double-takes, and he was like "deja vu...'"
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
OGRipper said:
Yeah but the rule is 3K from the finish. This was 9K out, not even close to 3K.
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This isn't the first time I have heard organizers change times for crashes.

I think final stretches are stupid after a 100 mile stages. Remember when Tyler went down in the TdF and broke his collarbone? There was a 90 degree turn less than 1000 meters from the finish.

But fans want to see a big sprint finish, which is why I believe every mass start stage finishes in a circuit.

If Levi had crashed out on Hwy 1, then changing times seems silly. But within the final circuit where he is not going to contest for the final sprint, I don't have a problem adjusting his time.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,655
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
sanjuro said:
This isn't the first time I have heard organizers change times for crashes.

I think final stretches are stupid after a 100 mile stages. Remember when Tyler went down in the TdF and broke his collarbone? There was a 90 degree turn less than 1000 meters from the finish.

But fans want to see a big sprint finish, which is why I believe every mass start stage finishes in a circuit.

If Levi had crashed out on Hwy 1, then changing times seems silly. But within the final circuit where he is not going to contest for the final sprint, I don't have a problem adjusting his time.
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Every stage other than a time trial is mass start, so I don't really see your point about finishing circuits. They do multiple laps because fans want a chance to see the racers go by more than once, and to increase sponsor coverage on TV.

As for the decision in this case, I think it's a tough call. Either way it will suck for someone. I guess I feel that crashes are part of racing but favoritism doesn't have to be.
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
OGRipper said:
Every stage other than a time trial is mass start, so I don't really see your point about finishing circuits. They do multiple laps because fans want a chance to see the racers go by more than once, and to increase sponsor coverage on TV.

As for the decision in this case, I think it's a tough call. Either way it will suck for someone. I guess I feel that crashes are part of racing but favoritism doesn't have to be.
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I don't disagree about the favoritism call. I am sure that played a lot with the decision to make hometown boy Levi the GC leader. But I also don't have a problem giving the s.t. after a big crash in the final stretch.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,655
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
sanjuro said:
I don't disagree about the favoritism call. I am sure that played a lot with the decision to make hometown boy Levi the GC leader. But I also don't have a problem giving the s.t. after a big crash in the final stretch.
Click to expand...
The crash did NOT occur in the final stretch, they were 9K out. That's why the call is controversial. At some point they decided that 3K was close enough to give the riders the same times. This crash happened three times that distance from the finish. Maybe it's time to change the rule due to more chaotic finishes, but still.
 
Internal14

Internal14

Monkey
Sep 6, 2001
487
0
N. of Vacaville, S. of Winters
Yo acadian....I'll be in teh Toyota support car tomorrow...as I was today....although tomorrow we're going to run two caravan cars and we'll be flipping a coin who rides in car #1 vs. car #2.
Be on the lookout for a big guy stuffed inthe back of a Prius! that'll be me


C-ya on the HILL!!:monkeydance:


Acadian said:
If the weather is nice tomorrow, I might play hooky and check out the race. They are coming through Sierra road/Felter/Calaveras which is right by my house. Might ride up Calaveras/Felter and check them go up Sierra...that is one steep road!! curious to see them climb that after riding "I don't know" how many miles just to get there!
Click to expand...
 
golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
ToC is getting interesting in a little Mtn stage today. Pretty big climb in the distance and a break that has been out for a long time with Disco at the head of the peleton for a long while chasing. Will Levi pop? Hope not.
 
golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
Heidi said:
He's from Bend though...after San Diego. (both places I've lived), so I'd like to see him do well.
Click to expand...
Well Bettini just jumped to the front group. I'm pretty sure the man can out sprint the rest. We'll see. Pretty interesting stage for sure. If nothing else Levi is putting good time into the GC now. Looking good for teh overall win.
 
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