Tour of California

[sallen21t]

Has anyone been watching the Tour of California or following it? It has been pretty interesting. Lance Armstrong has been struggling unfortunately. Anyway, curious to hear what people think.

[sallen21t]

In case you aren't following and want to check it out here is a good site I've been using to follow the action. Bruce Hildenbrand has a great blog featured on the site also.

Tour of California

[ItchyBits]

Struggling? - finishing in the pack - the ToC is not his A race - his A race is the TdeFrance.

[Kalidurga]

Yo, Betty! Very cool to see you here.

I keep wondering if people think that Lance is struggling because they don't understand that he's working in a domestique capacity for this race. He's publicly said that he's working for Levi to win. It's interesting to watch him in this new role. Just a few stages in, he seems to be handling it well.

[Becky]

I keep wondering if people think that Lance is struggling because they don't understand that he's working in a domestique capacity for this race. He's publicly said that he's working for Levi to win. It's interesting to watch him in this new role. Just a few stages in, he seems to be handling it well.

Very good point. The whole "crashing into a motorbike" thing is also a factor, I think: http://cyclingnews.com/road/2009/feb...b09/feb17news3

[Aggie_Ama]

He has said he is not quite in form which would not be expected. He is trying to peak for the Giro and ultimately the Tour de France. I was surprised to see he did something bone headed like hit his own motorbike, he had some mad bike handling skills which I witnessed when personally when he was mountain biking.

The race is Levi's to lose, he is a great form and is hungry. Unless he keeps falling over like yesterday he will be tough to beat. I am still hoping for the DZ upset, I just love the Argyle!

Overall the biggest loser in the ATOC is VS. The coverage sucks! And they keep cutting off for hockey, bull riding, basket weaving.

[kacie tri-ing]

I agree about the coverage! I was really looking forward to the end last night, and then they did not even show it! AH!!!!

[Kalidurga]

If you're following the race at the Amgen site, they keep explaining that their coverage issues are due to the weather. I assume that Vs. has the same situation, since it seems that Vs's TdF coverage is always borked when it rains.

[kacie tri-ing]

I know about the rain, but yesterday was tough because they started late, so they didn't get to show the end :-(

[Jo-n-NY]

I didn't think to go on the Amgen site. I see it is on now with sunny skies.

~ JoAnn

[Aggie_Ama]

No I understand the weather, it is the cutting out to start a hockey game that stinks.

[li10up]

Lance struggling? How do you figure? I haven't looked at today's stage but he finished yesterday in 4th overall and only 30 seconds behind the leader (Go Levi!). How is that struggling? I'd hate to think what the guys in 100+ positions think about that.

[gingerale]

Please excuse...I've just gotten into riding less than a yr ago. Watched "some" of The Tour last summer but not enough. I have a question about the crowds at California. In some places, onlookers just seem to be in the way. Seems like some fans are being too risky by getting out in the road too much (saw a guy taking pics the other day right at a curve on a mountain and nearly hit Lance, I think, in the face with his camera). I can see how they could cause a racer to crash at times. Is this just the norm for these races?? Just curious.

[ny biker]

Yup, that's the way it is.

[Kalidurga]

And that ain't nothin' compared to the rowdy crowds on the mountain stages of the TdF.