2009 Tour of California

Yea ok, it's early....but....we're a start city for Stage 5 (Merced-Clovis)! They announced all the host cities this week and there's eight new locales, including us -- here's the link: http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com . Our press conference was Wednesday.

So, being a Merced City employee and an obvious bike fanatic, I get to be on the organizing committee to plan our activities for the day, including working with AEG/Amgen on the street closure permits, booth locations, etc. - all the jurisdictional stuff. No one else knows as much about pro cycling events at the City, so I guess my knowledge and previous ventures to past years' Amgen stages will come in handy, since I'm already familiar with their needs and the general layout of booths, announcer's stand, team buses, etc. It will be a cool experience, to say the least. We host a major criterium - the Merco Cycling Classic - every year that draws alot of the domestic teams, including Rock Racing, Toyota United, HealthNet, etc., but obviously, this a much, much bigger thing. Can't wait.

Also cool is the fact that the route will likely take the peloton through many of the Sierra Mountain roads that our local group rides on regularly before heading down to Clovis, so we can lend some input to the Amgen organizers on that end, as well. This is also Gold Country, where many of the old mining towns are, so there is history everywhere you look, which they will play up, I'm sure. And steep hills, icy that time of year -- look for Stage 5 to be one of the pivotal "blow apart the peloton" stages.

Needless to say, I and others on the organizing committee will be seeking seats in team cars. :p

~BikeMomma

P.S. Now accepting early reservations for my living room floor (air mattress available)....:cool::D

How absolutely wonderful for you, Kim!

I'm sure you're going to be a very valuable member of the LOC.

Here's hoping you get that ride in the team car. :cool:

Any team in particular you're hoping for? :D

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Originally Posted by jobob

Any team in particular you're hoping for? :D

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Easy answer, there -- Garmin-Chipotle.....I'd love a chat with Jonathan Vaughters. 'Course, Astana would be cool too..... ;)

~K

I grew up in Modesto (a stage finish location next year) and saw a start there last year. I also went to the end of a stage in Sacramento. Without doubt, a start was more fan friendly. There were no barricades keeping us away from bikes or riders. DD got lots of great autographs. It was a very open feeling. However, some riders do not emerge from their buses until sign-in, so if you are looking for one of those guys, you may be out of luck.

My family still lives in Modesto so I am on visiting and seeing a few stages.

Wow, Kim - very very cool!!! I think it's great they're heading into the foothills next year.

I wish they'd ultimately change the date of the event and do some REAL mountains. That would be SO cool!!! Can you imagine them doing Sonora or Tioga Passes?? They haven't got anything in France/etc. that's 10,000 feet. :cool:

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Originally Posted by maillotpois

Can you imagine them doing Sonora or Tioga Passes?? They haven't got anything in France/etc. that's 10,000 feet. :cool:

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Been on Sonora Pass, but not Tioga. The dropoffs were S C A R Y! How about a very short time trial up the Old Priest Grade Road by Moccasin?

I am going to spectate at this event in a couple of weeks (Garmin-Chipotle and Rock Racing are two of the seventeen participating teams):

"The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is an internationally recognized rival to some of the most revered professional cycling races in the world. Positioned along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Front mountain range, the 5-day, 5-stage, 336 mile race with 30,000 feet of climbing will all take place within a 100-mile radius, encompassing Salt Lake City, Nephi and Ogden. The Tour’s various downtown venues and high altitude mountain climbs to will create a race that is exhilarating for spectators and extremely challenging for the professional cyclists.

Set for August 13th – August 17th, 2008, the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah will be part of the prestigious 2008 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. The National Racing Calendar acts as a showcase for the highest level of domestic events in the United States and provides season-long points series to determine the top riders and teams in the nation. National cycling teams will compete for a $75,000 purse, including a new car."

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Originally Posted by Lifesgreat

Been on Sonora Pass, but not Tioga. The dropoffs were S C A R Y! How about a very short time trial up the Old Priest Grade Road by Moccasin?

I am going to spectate at this event in a couple of weeks (Garmin-Chipotle and Rock Racing are two of the seventeen participating teams):

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The Tour of Utah sounds cool. Post a link if you can.

Old Priest - ha! A legendary hill in these parts. It's on, or rather next to, one of the roads we ride on very often: New Priest Grade. For those who have never been in the area, Old Priest is one steep mo-fo...I believe 12% for a short eternity. It's so steep, water is stored by locals at nearly every possible turn-out in case their cars overheat going up, and the stench of burning brakes permeates the air -- oh yeah, it's a monster. On a ride a couple Sundays ago, one of the "old-timers" of our group (45 yrs young) bet one of the "new-timers" (26 yrs even younger) twenty dollars that he could beat the new-timer up New Priest faster than he (the new-timer) could go up the feared Old Priest. We all chipped in $10 each to the bet and the purse grew to $60. Ha! - the new-timer beat the old-timer by about a minute, even with WALKING the last 100ft when he could no longer breathe (!). But, now he's one of the coveted few who have made it to the top (one guy did it in his 23!...but he had to take a whole week off to recover! :p). They're already talking about a rematch, but this time the rule is NO walking allowed. lol

I love New Priest -- it's about 5 miles long at about 6-6.5%. Nice & steady. I'm reeeally hoping they include it in the Amgen. It's quite possible they will -- I'm not so sure Old Priest will be on the menu, but THAT would totally blow the race apart. Wow....

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Originally Posted by Maillotpois

I wish they'd ultimately change the date of the event and do some REAL mountains. That would be SO cool!!! Can you imagine them doing Sonora or Tioga Passes?? They haven't got anything in France/etc. that's 10,000 feet.

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Oh yeah....that would be sooo awesome! But alas, Tioga rarely opens before May/June. Dang! I really hope they can get permits to do a Yosemite Nat'l Park stage some year. Imagine the pictures from that! The peloton with El Capitan and Half Dome in the background. ;) But again, snow/ice might prevent that too.

~Kim

Tour of Utah link I volunteered at the last race and got to ride in a car out on the time trial. It was lots of fun. I hope you are able to schmooze a ride in a car.


Just went up and down the Old Priest Road last Monday (in a car) on the way to and back from Yosemite (I saw a bear near Crane Flat-very cool). I loved the water jugs in the turn-outs (H20 For You :) ) written on them. I thought this would just kill me on a bike. I would have to crawl the whole way.