2010 Amgen Tour of California: Stage 6: Palmdale to Big Bear Lake

[steve]

2010 Amgen Tour of California: Stage 6: Palmdale to Big Bear Lake

Facing the riders is the imposing San Gabriel mountain range, and within a few miles the first of seven KOMs will be crested. After a blistering descent from Mill Creek Summit, the route turns to Upper Big Tujunga and then onto Angeles Crest Highway. From there, the riders continue on a 135-mile odyssey with more than 12,000 feet of climbing. The race will climb to a high point of nearly 8,000 feet as it rolls along the Angeles Crest Highway.

Then, there is a brief respite as they descend to Wrightwood and over to Highway 138. The route again ascends as it passes through Crestline and Lake Arrowhead, as the cyclists take to the "Rim of the World" highway. Entering the Big Bear area, the riders will take the northern route around Big Bear Lake and then tackle the last rise to the finish at a more than 7,000-foot elevation at the Snow Summit ski area for the Amgen Tour of California’s first-ever alpine finish.

Stage Map
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Stage Profile
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[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxbBgrG7Fog]YouTube - Amgen Tour of California 2010 Stage 6: Palmdale to Big Bear Lake route[/ame]

General Classification before Stage 6

1 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 22:56:59
2 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions
3 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:00:10
4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 0:00:15
5 Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:00:28
6 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions 0:00:31
7 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
8 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
9 Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
10 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions

 

[slovakguy]

and as pretty as those california mountains are, they still aren't the dolomites.

anybody else more impressed with the videography from rai than they are with aso's coverage of toc and tdf? strikes me that the rai have a nice eye for capturing the competition and the environment in which it plays out.

 

[Andrija]

and as pretty as those california mountains are, they still aren't the dolomites.

anybody else more impressed with the videography from rai than they are with aso's coverage of toc and tdf? strikes me that the rai have a nice eye for capturing the competition and the environment in which it plays out.

California is new terrain for aso's men. I'd rate Ciro and Tour coverage equal. They both do great job... Know their country and taking the best of it. California is magnificent too.
What do you say about Sagan, Slovak? What are his limits? This edition of California suggests that he has some GT potential.
He has talent, he showed it this spring. I wonder how his development will go. He looks like a diamond to be honed

 

[slovakguy]

what can i say about sagan that hasn't been said already? i just sit there drop-jawed at how much he's accomplishing at his age. i can honestly say that my eyes haven't bugged out like this since a. schleck pushed his way to the podium in his debut giro. liqui did a wonderful ride for him yesterday, positioning him near the head at the right time, then his waiting for d.z. to crack and just strolling away to the line. i could do without that bit of thigh pointing as he crossed the line, but that's just the uptight nitwit in me speaking.

i trust liquigas have a plan for his development into a gc threat. in this respect, i'm glad that they've placed him here in the toc to put a seasoning into the legs instead of rushing him into the giro. i must figure he should be put in the tdf with an eye to pulling him out before its completion, but if he were to stay in to the finish, i wouldn't be surprised.

combined with the steady progress made by the velits boys, i'm very happy with the standing slovakia's making in the peloton. (side note, i'm also pleased with the presence of the czechs in the peloton, just not nearly as much.)

 

[Andrija]

Me wondering about his development is all about strong professional start. I hope he won't burn out.
Nice remark about Czech cycling... I'm glad that a Croat Kiserlovski is highly placed in Giro. That can only push forward cycling in the region.

 

[slovakguy]

living where i do, i am envious of the terrain you and those of that region of europe have to play on. i can only dream of riding mountains like the tatri or those various ranges in your country.

 

[Andrija]

living where i do, i am envious of the terrain you and those of that region of europe have to play on. i can only dream of riding mountains like the tatri or those various ranges in your country.

I understand what are you talking about.
We have a vast plain, we have lots of combined terrain, we have high mountains too... But there's not cycling tradition, culture... It was broken after the WWII. Cycling was considered as a aristocratic (read capitalistic) sport. Even founder of Olympic committee was cyclist and loyal to king, the reason more to reject cycling.
Even today, when our cycling is trying to create impression of work and dedication, on challenging roads near Belgrade, you can see enthusiastic recreates mostly. Clubs are pure makeup.

 

[Eldrack]

12000ft of climbing but not hard enough for anyone to really attack, people just dropped off the back one by one and it was a sprint finish from a small group. Nice win by Peter Sagan.

This stage could easily have been designed better, now the race is going to come down to the TT tomorrow which might be where we see the impact of all of Stage 6's elevation gain. Still, so far this ToC has been less exciting than the last one, the Sierra Grade climb right at the end of the stage is always a spectacle.

 

[Andrija]

I think the design of the route was good. From cycling point of view it simulates this year's Tour Pyrenees a bit... Mountain top finishes distant from stage finishes.
From spectators point of view it was nice. Very nice, colorful, nature.
And the Tour of California is still about presenting to audience and fighting it's place in the racing calendar.
The result is secondary. It still doesn't carry any prestige.