I feel like I need to preface this post with the statement that I’m not looking to embarrass or disparage any sponsors. Corporate sponsorship is absolutely critical to the sport of professional (and amateur) cycling. It clearly takes a lot to run a pro cycling team – a delicate balancing act between athletes, sponsors, crew and media.
But these names are making it really really hard for me to cheer for you as you go flying by me.
Sacramento was treated to some fantastic pro racing as the modified stage 2 course of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California offered 3 circuits around the state capitol building. A breakaway of 4 riders struggled to stay ahead of the peloton, but were caught before rolling onto the streets of California’s capitol city, where huge crowds waited despite the threat of poor weather.
In response to anticipated weather conditions, officials have moved the start of stage 2 of the 2011 mgen Tour of California to Nevada City, CA. The start time has also been delayed to 12:15 Pacific Time. This essentially moves the start along the original route to the location and time it was expected to pass the new start location, thus allowing the rest of the 61 miles to follow the originally planned route.
The route was expected to leave Squaw Valley and pass over Donner Pass. However, the threat of more winter-like conditions again raised concerns for the safety of riders, spectators and crew, prompting this change.
Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California was unfortunately canceled due to the risks presented to riders, spectators and staff by winter-like weather conditions. Many riders expressed their agreement that the cancellation of stage 1 was the right thing to do. This was further underscored by reports that as many as 6 race marshals may have been involved in an incident or incidents resulting in their motorcycles crashing in the slippery conditions. There are no reported injuries as a result of these crashes.
However, while stage 1 is behind us, there is still risk of potential impact on tomorrow’s stage 2.
Update: Stage 1 was canceled. And Delores Pickford (@dpk4d) gives us a really good example of why.
The official release from officials says that Stage 1 of the Tour of California is slated for a 1:15pm Pacific time start – using a much shortened course allowing for the scheduled end time of 3:15-4pm pacific to remain as scheduled.
However, given the weather that just rolled through Sacramento, there still remains the possibility of a complete neutralization of the inaugural stage of the 2011 race.
Riders in this years Tour of California will be wearing wrist bands to honor fellow cyclist Wouter Weylandt. Weylandt was a rider for Pro team Leopard Trek. His life tragically ended after a crash in stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia.
Stage 4 of the Giro was neutralized in memorial, with riders completing the stage as a group, Leopard Trek leading across the finish.
Also joining Leopard Trek at the front of the peloton was Tyler Farrar, friend of training partner of Weylandt. Farrar opted not to complete the Giro after Stage 4 in an understandable move to mourn the loss of his friend.
If you are planning on attending the finish of Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento can be tricky it park in and negotiate on a good weekend day. Throw in all of the traffic for a major cycling event and you’re likely to find yourself walking miles even if you do drive downtown. However, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA) are helping to solve this problem for you.
We’re getting close to another Tour of California. The team lists show a competitive field that should make for some great racing. I’ll be covering a few of the stages for VeloReviews, as well as looking out for Team Type 1 for here at JustAnotherCyclist.com. Also, there are plans brewing to get some like minded folks together during some of the stages. If you are going to be at any of them, let me know so that we can meet up in person.
The First Annual Folsom Prison Race Behind Bars is scheduled to take place next month – May 15 – in Folsom CA. The event is run by the same folks that put on the self-proclaimed ‘Greatest race series in the west’ – the Prairie City Race Series. That lineage would suggest that this will be a successful event – both on this first running, and in the future. That is, assuming that racing on prison grounds property doesn’t scare folks away!
The goal is a velodrome – a smooth surfaced track with banked corners used for bicycle racing. Unlike outdoor road or stage bicycle races – more commonly known in mainstream America – track races are much friendlier to spectators. In road or stage races, the setting is outdoors and you can’t see the riders until they pass by your vantage point. In some race formats – like the Tour de France – that happens exactly once.
In contrast, track racing takes place in a stadium-like environment, where spectators can watch all of the action as it unfolds.
I stopped by Rex Cycles in Sacramento to speak with Steve Rex and Dean “Dino” Alleger, two guys who just happen to know a thing or two about getting a velodrome facility in the Sacramento area.