With a big winter storm headed to Lake Tahoe....all of us here at the Stage 1 start are watching the weather updates. Will there be a full stage...a half stage...a prologue? All eyes are watching west...

The official statement as of 10:30pm Saturday night:

“The 2011 Amgen Tour of California is scheduled to kick off Sunday, May 15, in South Lake Tahoe at 10:30 a.m. PT.  As everyone is aware, there is a storm front predicted to reach the area.  Therefore race organizers, in conjunction with the commissaires, teams and public safety organizations, have developed a number of contingency plans with the safety of the riders and fans being the number one priority.  The weather is constantly changing in the Sierras, and our team will be assessing weather conditions throughout the morning.  A decision on any changes to the route and timing will be made at 9 a.m. PT tomorrow, and will ultimately be based on what is best and most safe for our riders and spectators.  Details will be distributed on the official race website and via email.” – Andrew Messick, President of AEG Sports, presenter of the Amgen Tour of California"

This was dropped on us this afternoon while we were watching the men's crit at Redlands. It sounded too silly to be true...and yet here is the Velonews story about AEG and their proposed TT.

The story states - "The race is said to be running in conjunction with the stage-six time trial in the men’s UCI 2.HC stage race on May 20. According to one team manager who asked not to be named because of involvement with the event, riders will be rewarded on the basis of how many of their male competitors they best in the 24km test."

Personally...I am quite offended that AEG would propose a gimmick instead of supporting good, competitive racing for women. AEG made a pledge to have a women's Tour of California. We have no stage race for the women. We have instead a TT proposal where women are to win money if they beat the men. Give me coverage of the Women Prestige Cycling Series...not this side show.

I know of one women's DS that loves the idea. A number of us hate the concept. Was curious how the Cafe members feel about this proposed event.

Here's the story link - AEG said to add women’s TT to Solvang with payout based on number of men bested

Brooke Miller made it official....she announced her retirement. She was the 2008 US National Crit AND Road Champion...she won the Sprint competition in the Tour de l’Aude this year...and has simply won too many races to mention here. Her announcement was very graceful and moving. I am going to miss her fierce competitive racing and chatting with her after a race. Win or lose...she was the ultimate professional....she always made time to chat.

She was the face of the American women peloton for years...and will be seriously missed.

I wanted to share her retirement thoughts with the Cafe....

"I had not really realized just how long it has been since I have written in my blog. I pretty much felt that no one bothered to read it anymore so I had left it quietly slumbering since last June. I was so touched to open it and see so many comments! Thank you for those who didn’t forget me. It seems fitting that my last post was in honor of Memorial Day and now we are heading into the close of the summer holidays... post-Labor Day, and it is also the close of my cycling career. I have decided to retire. This is not breaking news- some people have known for a while and the cycling news websites have formally known since last weekend when I raced my last professional race.

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Yes....it has happened.....the men's peloton want in....they want to be part of the Fan of Dan movement! Riders and participants of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California wanted to show their support of our very own crashdan.

We saw Mark Cavendish-HTC Columbia at the world premiere showing of "Chasing Legends" the day before stage 1 in Sacramento. Cavendish was hoping to meet you Dan.

Jens Voight-Saxo Bank, also at the "Chasing" Legend" showing:

Race announcer extraordinaire, Dave Towle:

Lucas Euser-Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy:

Davide Frattini and Thomas Rabou-Team Type 1. Rabou won the KOM jersey in a heroic ride to Big Bear.

Jeremy Vennell-Bissell:

Tom Boonen-Quick Step:

a

...and from the Time Trial stage in Los Angeles....I give you Jimbo + four gorgeous Fans of Dan:

The popularity of the Fan of Dan movement continues to grow.....

On a personal note....thanks to zoerochelle for your help at the "Chasing Legends" event. It was great meeting you and Nicole!!..and to Jimbo....it was absolutely fab hanging out with you in the AToC media workroom this past week. It was reading you, crashdan, Drew, Sui Juis, Jens, and Chris that kept me coming back to the Cafe...and of course, huge thanks to crashdan....for allowing me to have some fun with the Fan of Dan club. (smile)

from the Wall Street Journal, May 20th:

Cyclist Floyd Landis Admits Doping, Alleges Use by Armstrong and Others

Floyd Landis, the American cyclist whose 2006 Tour De France victory was nullified after a positive doping test, has sent a series of emails to cycling officials and sponsors admitting to, and detailing, his systematic use of performance enhancing drugs during his career. The emails also claim that other riders and cycling officials allegedly participated in doping, including seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

 

Ed note: Sui Juris here.  Just wanted to haul this note from Chris out of the comments below:

Hi all

I should chime in as the gatekeeper here (sorta) —

1. Am way out of pocket today so I can’t meaningfully engage 
2. From a very quick skim of this thread I can only say THANK YOU all for keeping it so respectful. This is by far the third rail of cycloblogging and the biggest threat to our most cherished asset, the site’s role as a place for healthy chat. Please proceed with this in mind.
3. If you see Landis/lance/doping chat in other threads, please gently direct that chat here or to other doping threads that occur. Gives people a chance to think about something else. THANKS!

On May 28th Amber Rais (KUOTA Speed Kueens) will be racing the clock over Grossglockner to raise funds that will help her get to US Nationals, in addition to supporting World Bicycle Relief.

Grossglockner is Austria's highest paved mountain pass. Amber's challenge will start at 757m elevation in Bruck. From there, she will climb 1747 vertical meters to the Hochtor at 2504m, followed by a descent of 1203 vertical meters to Heiligenblut, where she will turn around and climb back over the Hochtor, racing the clock to make it back to the town line of Bruck in 4 hours. The road from Bruck to Heiligenblut and back runs 94.6 kilometers, with 3211 vertical meters of climbing and more than 25 kilometers on gradients of over 10%

This year, Amber is racing full time in Europe with the Austrian UCI women's team KUOTA Speed Kueens, and she needs help to cover the travel costs required to get from Europe to Bend, Oregon, for the 2010 U.S. National Championships at the end of June. Part of your donation will help Amber get to the U.S. National Championships this year. 10% of your donation will support the positive work being done by World Bicycle Relief.

Here's hoping you can help Amber!

Grossglockner - Amber Rais Challenge

from the press release:

The 16-team field will be comprised of a collection of the world’s best international professional cycling teams, along with a selection of top North American-based teams.  The teams will be led by prominent UCI ProTour and Pro Continental teams, such as the three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong’s team RadioShack; 2009’s No. 1-ranked Team HTC-Columbia, featuring sprint sensation Mark Cavendish; powerhouse Team Saxo Bank, featuring Tour of Flanders winner Fabian Cancellara and Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck; Liquigas-Doimo, an exceptionally promising young Italian team; Colorado-based Garmin-Transitions; and BMC Racing Team, featuring current U.S. Pro champion George Hincapie.  The more than 800-mile, eight-day stage race, modeled after the Tour de France, will take the world’s top professional cycling teams from Nevada City to Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills from May 16-23.

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California roster includes the following 16 professional cycling teams:
·         Bissell (USA)
·         BMC Racing Team (USA)
·         Cervélo TestTeam (SUI)
·         Fly V Australia (AUS)
·         Garmin-Transitions (USA)
·         Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda (USA)
·         Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)
·         Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)
·         Quick Step (BEL)
·         Rabobank (NED)
·         Spidertech Powered by Planet Energy (CAN)
·         Team HTC-Columbia (USA)
·         Team RadioShack (USA)
·         Team Saxo Bank (DEN)
·         Team Type 1 (USA)
·         UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis (USA)

Another exciting Redlands concludes with a nailbiting end in the men's GC race. Ben Day (FlyVAustralia) beat Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) by a mere .60 for the leader's jersey. Meanwhile HTC-Columbia's Ina-Yoko Teutenberg showed why she is one of the best riders in the world winning the women's GC. Ina is simply amazing!!

As thrilling as the racing was these past four days....nothing could match the excitement of the very first Fan of Dan meeting right before Stage 2 in downtown Redlands, Our very own crashdan actually met some of his fans...and gained some new ones!

Dan with Team TIBCO's Brooke Miller:

 

Dan's newest fan....rising star Alison Starnes (Team TIBCO)

 

Yup...the entire Team Vera Bradley Foundation are Fans of Dan:

 

...but the most important fan....the original Fan of Dan...Emilia Fahlin (HTC-Columbia):

 

It seems that being a member of the Fan of Dan club has some unexpected benefits....Team VBF won the team GC in Redlands:

 

Fan of Dan member Alison Powers (Team VBF) won the mountains jersey:

 

Fan of Dan member Evelyn Stevens (HTC-Columbia) worked her heart out for teammate Teutenberg on the last stage...then rode off to win it:

 

..and the always amazing Brooke Miller was on podium on Saturday:

The word is spreading....being a F.O.D. is a very good thing for the riders. The club is definitely expanding....in fact....I believe their may be new F.O.D. members coming from the men's peloton.....stay tuned.

There was one vital member of the 2010 Fan of Dan club missing in the last thread. This oversight has now been resolved. I bring you the latest.....and I believe crashdan's favorite Fan of Dan member...the amazing Emilia Fahlin (HTC-Columbia).

Stay healthy Dan you have some fans to meet!

Emilia was recently ill but she is feeling much better now, She is looking forward to racing San Dimas and Redlands...and of course meeting our very own crashdan.

Many may remember Emilia Fahlin (HTC-Columbia) sending our very own crashdan a get well message last year at the Redlands Classic. crashdan was sadly quite ill and was unable to meet Emilia.

This year the word is out that crashdan will be at the Redlands Classic. Many members of the women peloton are quite excited about the pending crashdan event and wanted to share their support.....thus begins the 2010 Fan of Dan Campaign.

The amazing Evelyn Stevens (HTC Columbia) and Emilia's team mate:

2009 NRC leader Alison Powers (Team VBF)

Sprinting superstar Kelly Benjamin (Colavita/Baci).

Oceania Games Time Trial Champion Alexis Rhodes. and Sprinter Erica Allar (Team VBF)

2008 National Criterium and Road Champion Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO).

Many thanks to these awesome women for showing their support for our very own crashdan. The 2010 Fan of Dan campaign has begun....

James Raia posted his ideas to better the Tour of California. My personal fav is #9!!....and it made me think of how the ToC could be improved even more. My first thought was to include the women!!

Amgen Tour of California, 2010: Ten ideas for a better race

Now that the route for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California has been announced, it's time get on with more important things.

A late-race mountaintop finish is cool. A downtown Los Angles individual time trial appears to be a great idea, too.

And the route for the fifth annual event will be the race's most difficult to date.

But here are 10 things I'd to see happen to make the Tour of California better. Some really should occur. The others? Just having a a little fun, you know?

10. A ban on the use of the word "grueling" throughout the entire eight days by anyone associated with the race. Bike racing is hard. It doesn't need embellishment.

9. A ban on white cycling shorts.

8. A young, unheralded pro taking a flyer and staying away from the big boys.

7. Levi Leipheimer winning a road stage. He's won two prologues, four individual time trials and three overall titles in four years, but not a road stage.

6. The fifth year as the last year of the race's eight-day format. Jonathan Vaughters said it best at the Rose Bowl press conference two years after the final stage. "The race should expand into a two-week race or longer. Let's go for it and do it right or not bother."

5. Discontinue the announcement of attendance estimates after stages. The totals aren't acccurate, they're guesses at best, tablulated by officials with vivid imaginations at worst. Besides, no one cares.

4. Hey, you other 15 cities. Take a look at Santa Rosa. Best city support every year so far. Store front windows decorated with old bikes, woolen jerseys, etc. Fans on rooftops and crowding the streets, all well-behaved and into the race, rain or shine.

3. Media wish (a): A four-color slick race magazine. Not a canned supplement, but the real deal. Athlete profiles, human-interest pieces, statistics, historical cycling essays. OK, sponsors' stuff included if it has to be.

2. Meda wish (b): Mainstream network of radio stations start to finish.

1. Pick any city. Peloton cruising through a small town. Grade school kids are out of classes for few minutes holding up handmade signs about the race. Word gets out. Peloton stops. 125 riders do "knuckles" with 200 kids for a minute or two. Peloton rolls out of town. Kids never forget.

 

from Team Astana....

After the Giro di Lombardia, the 24th and last race of the UCI World Calendar, which took place in Italy on October 17th, Alberto Contador is the final overall winner of the 2009 UCI individual World Ranking and his success during the season helped Team Asana top the team ranking.  Spanish rival and 2008 number one Alejandro Valverde was second with 483 points. Spain completed their domination of the individual ranking, with Samuel Sanchez of the Euskaltel team third with 357 points.
 
Contador scored the most points (264) by winning the Tour de France victory (and three stages). He confirmed there that he is currently the best stage race rider in cycling. Earlier in the season Contador scored 76 points by finishing fourth and winning two stages in the Paris-Nice race in March. He then scored a further 112 points thanks to winning and taking two stages at the Vuelta al Paìs Vasco in April and also scored 75 points by finishing third overall in the Dauphiné Libéré stage race in June.
 
Contador’s individual success, together with the points scored by Andreas Klöden (in Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour de Suisse and Tour de France), Lance Armstrong (in Giro and Tour), Haimar Zubeldia (in Tour of Catalunya and Vuelta) and Levi Leipheimer (in Giro)  helped his Astana team secure the victory in the UCI World Team Ranking. The Kazakhstan team scored a total of 1100 points during the season; beating nearest rivals Caisse d’Epargne by 52 points. Team Columbia was third.

Final Individual World Ranking

1. Alberto Contador (AST) 527 points
2. Alejandro Valverde     483
3. Samuel Sanchez         357
4. Andy Schleck           334
5. Cadel Evans            333
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen   322
7. Roman Kreuziger        319
8. Mark Cavendish         304
9. Philippe Gilbert       295
10.Robert Gesink          266
 
Final Teams World Ranking
1. Team Astana           1100 points
2. Caisse d’Epargne      1048
3. Team Columbia          957

Received the press release a couple hours ago....interesting read....

Manager Johan Bruyneel
 
I think it’s a very traditional course. There is a little bit less time trialing than normal but other than that there are no surprises. In the beginning the stage with the cobblestones can be tricky but other than that it is very predictable. It’s a pity that there is no team time trial. Now at least they have eliminated the TTT which I think is better than the strange rules  - about the time won or lost after a TTT - that existed in the past. It’s either you have it or you don’t have it, without special rules. Now it is easy; there is no TTT. At least that is fair.
 
 
Alberto Contador
 
I like the course. It will be a better Tour for climbers than for rouleurs. Honestly I would have preferred a 10 K shorter time trial and a second one of 20 or 30 K, but I am really happy about the course. It will be a very difficult race to control in the first week, which is particularly difficult with the Paris-Roubaix cobblestones, but I don’t give it too much importance. The most important thing will be not to crash. I hope it will not rain there.
 
The Alps stages will be less hard. The Pyrenees will be twice as hard as this year, especially with the double climb of the Tourmalet, one of them with a mountaintop finish. I will recognize those stages to know more about them.
 
 
Lance Armstrong
 
I think it’s an interesting course. It starts exciting. The first few days will provide a lot of drama for people between the crosswinds in Holland and  the hills in and around Brussels and Spa and then with of course the cobblestones when we first come into France.  The cobbles themselves are dangerous but what is even more dangerous is the run into the cobblestones. The kilometers before, the nerves, the anticipation before, the positioning, that is the most dangerous part. You need obviously an all rounded team but I think you have to take some big guys who can definitely support you in that first week because with the cobble sections you have to be in the front. I remember we did those sections in 2004 and I had great support from Ekimov and Hincapie. We came in the cobble zones first. It makes a big difference.
 
There will be only 60 K individual time trial but the only thing that is unfortunate for us, is that there will be no team time trial. The race will technically and tactically be much different than this year. You will have more guys who will be factors in the race because of the lack of the team time trial. In 2009 the TTT eliminated half of a dozen guys.
 
I think the organizers like what they had this year with a summit finish so late in the race. It keeps things  close, it keeps everybody guessing. It keeps the riders sharp too. The race will not be decided before the last three or four days. Two times on the Tourmalet is unique too. I like it.
 
I will be close to 39 years old but the goal and ambition will be to try to win. I’m excited for the whole upcoming season. I like to think that I will be better than last year but Alberto has shown that he is the best in his sport right now; he will be tough to beat

Elite Men
Tom Danielson (Durango, Colo./Garmin-Slipstream)– Road Race and Time Trial
Tyler Farrar (Wenatchee, Wash./Garmin-Slipstream) – Road Race
Brent Bookwalter (Lookout Mountain, Ga./BMC Racing Team) – Road Race
Jeff Louder (Salt Lake City, Utah/BMC) – Road Race
Craig Lewis (Greenville, S.C./Columbia-High Road)– Road Race
Andrew Bajadali (Boulder, Colo./Kelly Benefit Strategies)– Road Race
Jason McCartney (Coralville, Iowa/Team Saxo Bank)– Road Race
Tim Duggan (Boulder, Colo./Garmin-Slipstream)– Road Race
Tom Peterson (North Bend, Wash./Garmnin-Slipstream)– Road Race
Tom Zirbel (Boulder, Colo./Bissell) – Time Trial

Elite Women
Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho/Cervelo-Lifeforce) – Time Trial and Road Race
Amber Neben (Irvine, Calif./ Equipe Nürnberger) – Time Trial and Road Race
Kimberly Anderson (Santa Barbara, Calif./Columbia-High Road) – Road Race
Mara Abbott (Boulder, Colo./Columbia HTC) – Road Race
Meredith Miller (Fort Collins, Colo./Team TIBCO) – Road Race
Evelyn Stevens (New York, N.Y.) – Road Race
Jessica Phillips (Aspen, Colo./Team Lip Smackers) – Time Trial

U23 Men
Peter Stetina (Boulder, Colo./Garmin-Felt-Holowesko) – Road Race and Time Trial
Tejay Vangarderen (Superior, Colo./Rabobank Continental Team) – Road Race and Time Trial
Kirk Carlsen (Boulder, Colo./Garmin-Felt-Holowesko) – Road Race
Chris Barton (Ojai, Calif./BMC) – Road Race
Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Garmin-Felt-Holowesko) – Road Race

Continue reading this post »

crashdan.....your new fan, Emilia, would like to send you a special greeting in hopes that this will help you get over your rather nasty cold. She was bummed that you were ill this morning and hopes you can meet her next year at either the Tour of California or the Redlands Classics. She was quite excited that you were able to watch her race the Downtown Crit on Saturday. Emilia is a fantastic sprinter!

Get well Dan! (smile)

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