Tour of California, Feb 2006



It's supposed to have funding so I would assume that we aren't hearing
anything because it's being developed.

I just noted that Dave McCook came in a close second in the Crit
Nationals. The first time I saw Dave was in the PREVIOUS Tour of
California which much have been in like 1990 on the Oakland, Lake
Merritt Stage. He had a sprint at the end of a pretty long stage that
knocked my socks off as he accelerated for the line.
 
My guess is that it won't go. They need a MAJOR title sponsor and
soon. Also, racing in North Cali in February???

Reminds me of the Vail Pro Races, Tour of the Mississippi, Empire Tour,
etc... Big talk, no walk.
 
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In article <[email protected]>,
CoBikeRacer <[email protected]> wrote:
>My guess is that it won't go. They need a MAJOR title sponsor and
>soon. Also, racing in North Cali in February???
>


_ The central valley is actually pretty nice riding in February.
I've seen people riding Donner Pass at 6am in February. While
you couldn't reliably schedule any of the High Sierra passes, pretty
much everything under 4K feet would be fair game. It seems
to me a much better time to race than in the summer when your
chances of getting anybody to stand out in 110 degree heat
to watch a bike race go by are slim and none.

_ Booker C. Bense


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In article <[email protected]>,
CoBikeRacer <[email protected]> wrote:

> My guess is that it won't go. They need a MAJOR title sponsor and
> soon. Also, racing in North Cali in February???



We have had a full schedule of weekend races in Northern Calif. for
years. In fact the Nor Cal road racing season starts on Jan 1st with a
short hill climb and continues everyweened in Jan with early season
training races.
>
> Reminds me of the Vail Pro Races, Tour of the Mississippi, Empire Tour,
> etc... Big talk, no walk.
>
 
"Casey Kerrigan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:220820051431184233%[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> CoBikeRacer <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> My guess is that it won't go. They need a MAJOR title sponsor and
>> soon. Also, racing in North Cali in February???

>
>
> We have had a full schedule of weekend races in Northern Calif. for
> years. In fact the Nor Cal road racing season starts on Jan 1st with a
> short hill climb and continues everyweened in Jan with early season
> training races.
>>
>> Reminds me of the Vail Pro Races, Tour of the Mississippi, Empire Tour,
>> etc... Big talk, no walk.



For whatever it's worth:

http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2005/4/22/608166.html

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/local/12121865.htm
 
>> My guess is that it won't go. They need a MAJOR title sponsor and
>> soon. Also, racing in North Cali in February???

>
>
> We have had a full schedule of weekend races in Northern Calif. for
> years. In fact the Nor Cal road racing season starts on Jan 1st with a
> short hill climb and continues everyweened in Jan with early season
> training races.


True enough. But getting spectators & media excited about something in
February... for a sport that's normally associated with nicer weather...

No question that the cyclists are up to racing year 'round, but I just don't
see it as a major spectator draw. The typical Californian is a total
weather-wimp. Below 68 and we're whining that it's too cold. Above 80 and
it's too hot. I just don't see people lining the streets for a bike race in
February.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
Booker C. Bense wrote:
> _ The central valley is actually pretty nice riding in February.
> I've seen people riding Donner Pass at 6am in February. While
> you couldn't reliably schedule any of the High Sierra passes, pretty
> much everything under 4K feet would be fair game. It seems
> to me a much better time to race than in the summer when your
> chances of getting anybody to stand out in 110 degree heat
> to watch a bike race go by are slim and none.
>


The central valley is "pretty nice" in February, but torrential rains
and thick fog are also pretty common. If you stay below 4,000 ft maybe
the likelyhood of snow is below average... but just. They *were*
talking about riding into the Sierras... a bad idea IMO. Of course
anybody can race in adverse conditions, but it isn't likely to be
popular with teams or fans.

Summer isn't good either, but April and Oct are fine. Maybe after
Redlands and before Georgia?
 
In article <[email protected]>, Ron
Ruff <[email protected]> wrote:

> Booker C. Bense wrote:
> > _ The central valley is actually pretty nice riding in February.
> > I've seen people riding Donner Pass at 6am in February. While
> > you couldn't reliably schedule any of the High Sierra passes, pretty
> > much everything under 4K feet would be fair game. It seems
> > to me a much better time to race than in the summer when your
> > chances of getting anybody to stand out in 110 degree heat
> > to watch a bike race go by are slim and none.
> >

>
> The central valley is "pretty nice" in February, but torrential rains
> and thick fog are also pretty common. If you stay below 4,000 ft maybe
> the likelyhood of snow is below average... but just. They *were*
> talking about riding into the Sierras... a bad idea IMO. Of course
> anybody can race in adverse conditions, but it isn't likely to be
> popular with teams or fans.
>
> Summer isn't good either, but April and Oct are fine. Maybe after
> Redlands and before Georgia?


Te problem is the Tour of California is scheduled to be a UCI event.
This means it has to fit into the UCI calendar and work around already
established races. The sad thing is that Feb is about the only time
available that is relatively conflict free in terms of other UCI
scheduled events. I'm sure if given the choice the promoers would
prefer to be in the middle of the spring but during that time they
stand no chance of attractng the teams they hope will ride the event.
>
 
I can just see a stage of the Tour of California without Mike there
screaming like a banshee.
 
Casey Kerrigan wrote:
> Te problem is the Tour of California is scheduled to be a UCI event.
> This means it has to fit into the UCI calendar and work around already
> established races. The sad thing is that Feb is about the only time
> available that is relatively conflict free in terms of other UCI
> scheduled events. I'm sure if given the choice the promoers would
> prefer to be in the middle of the spring but during that time they
> stand no chance of attractng the teams they hope will ride the event.
> >


You mean they want to make it a ProTour event, or just one that has UCI
points like Georgia? Being a UCI event is no big deal; there are
conflicts all over the place. About making it a ProTour race, I'd have
to say that is dreaming big at this point, but it still seems like Feb
is a bad choice. Sure there isn't any conflict, because the season
hasn't started yet. If the keepers of the ProTour had wanted it to
start earlier, I think it already would have.

Early-mid April looks good to me; it conflicts with the spring classics
but the stage racers don't tend to do those anyway. Put at least a week
between it and Georgia, then the riders can get a double dose of stage
race training. That is the time of year when people in the US are more
likely to be interested as well.
 

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