Ins and Outs

Podium cafe has an in depth round up of the three non UCI domestic teams in the Tour of California, Ouch, Bissell, and Colavita/Sutter Home. I have made it pretty clear that I am pulling for Floyd in GC and at least on the last stage over Palomar. I have a hard time not rooting for Bissell, it seems like this is one team who will always be at the front or off the front. How can you not admire a team like that. As far as Colavita, I will be watching for baby Haedo to show up his brother. This is a good read over all.

There is an entertaining trailer for what looks to be a great documentary on Team Type 1 and their goal to place a rider with Type 1 diabetes in the Tour de France by 2012. I highly encourage checking out the trailer. One Shot Documentary by Vox Pop Films.

I will end this post with an entertaining short interview with Brad Huff of Jelly Belly Cycling.

Planning on watching the tour of California Part II - Forcast is not good

European Peloton is reporting cold wet conditions throughout at least the first four stages of the race.

Uh oh, here we go again. According to many weather related Web sites, the weather for this year's Amgen Tour of California is looking very similar to the 2008 edition. Rain is in the forecast for much of the first week, and it is looking like the peloton will be drenched at least through the fourth stage.

This is bad news for the riders of course, but it also is not welcome news for the fans planning on attending the event. With rain usually comes wind, and with lows projected in the high 30's, the blustery conditions will have many fans running for shelter instead of hugging the sides of the roads to cheer their heroes.

This should make for an interesting Prologue that's for sure. I hope it dries up by the time the riders make their way to Solvang, but who knows. Last year it rained hardest on the last day, I remember because I was there... and I was cold.

According tho Ouch's Bradley White, Palomar looks quite interesting...

That was from yesterday apparently, I guess I'll need to remember the snow Shoes that day.

Planning on watching Floyd Thrash Palomar?

Get there early, possibly even the night before?

As a preamble to all of this, just remember that this is just friendly advice from a fan who scoped out the course. I don’t know exactly what the authorities have planned in regards to access to the mountain or what other fans are planning. From my experience riding the climbs in the Alps during the Tour de France back in 2000, many camp out on the mountain sides to reserve their spots. Will US fans do the same? The CHP seems to think so.

Read the entire article for information on where to park and what the CHP is saying. This looks to be really helpful, but 4000 people? Really? That would be amazing!

Watching the Tour of California on Palomar & Meeting Floyd

February 6th, 2009 - Musings pre-Tour of California

I am looking for a few things from my Tour of California this year.

1. I would like Ted King to win a stage, even more so after reading this tidbit from his blog on missing saddle.

I played on an intermural hockey team in college that was comprised entirely of ex-high school-hockey-all-stars-but-not-quite-good-enough-for-Middlebury-College-hockey, that bore the name “Team Rick Halvorson.”

2. I would like to see Fabian take a TT, which would have to be Solvang. I was let down last year, and the only way I will accept the now former world champion's defeat is if DZ or Floyd beat him. I don't know if he is going to be fast enough for the prologue. Plus I would like to save that for...

3. I would like to see Thor take the Prologue like he did in le Tour in 2006. I am really excited for the God of Thunder to be racing for a new team, I hope he can throw a wrench in Cav and Boon's self proclaimed two horse race.

4. I would like Rahsaan Bahati to fill the extra roster spot left vacant by Kemps surgery plans in Australia. I do not fully understand the situation rock is in right now, and I do not know if Bahati is on the "club" team or not (which would mean he couldn't race in this UCI race no matter what). Either way he deserves to be on the team representing California and contesting the sprints with the worlds best. I don't think he is ready to win out right yet, but he is still fucking fast and needs more road race experience anyway. This will give him that, and the added confidence of racing at home, not off in London or Australia.

5. I would like CVV and Basso to beat Levi and Lance in the GC, and up Palomar. I would love nothing more for CVV to become a billy goat this year.

6. I would like the Aggressive rider and KOM jerseys to be worn and hopefully kept by Bissel or BMC. A top 10 from either one would be icing, I'm looking in Zirbel's direction.

7. I would like Floyd to take the overall by crushing the top GC riders on his home course, I really expect him to surprise a lot of people. We are going to be lucky this year in that he will be racing in Redlands and Dana Point instead of Nice and Paris.

I suppose this list is a stretch, I mean one look at the starting field will show anyone that, but its a wish list of sorts. Plus this is a warm up race for many of these riders, but for the local domestic pros, this is it.

I don't know if I have made it clear, but I am 100% behind Ouch Pro Cycling this season, not only for Floyd either. I have enjoyed following Tim Johnson during the domestic cross season and was excited to see he would be working for Floyd and the other great domestic stage race threat, Rory Sutherland. I will be paying close attention to see how this small, but potent team handles their modest schedule. there will be constant speculation if Floyd does well that he will be drawn back to Europe, would that make this one and done? Or would Ouch up the anti to Pro Domestic status? One thing is certain, le Tour will not invite any team with Floyd on it back to race for them again.

Lastly, I'm not quite sure how to react to the banner on the Amgen website: