TOC Stage 3

Took today off to go watch stage 3 of the Tour of California and what an experience. Though it was relatively short lived given the speed at which these guys ride, it was drawn out because the riders were so spread out (or "splintered badly" as the CHP put it on his loudspeaker as he drove by ahead of the front two riders). Well worth the pain for myself in climbing Sierra Rd to watch it all transpire.

I got to the staging point with my coworkers on Landess at 680 at the Target there around 12:10 PM. I was the impression we had said 12 to 12:15 leaving time (depending on when everyone was there) and so although I left later than planned because I was watching the tour online I didn't think I was "late". Apparently they were waiting for me and had expected to leave no later than noon so not sure what happened; I will check the email when I get back to the office tomorrow to see what time we actually said. I was ready to go in less than 5 minutes and although they all left ahead of me by about a minute, I still caught up to them at Sierra Rd traffic light...let the fun (pain) begin.

It's about 5 km to the top (around 3.6 miles or so on my odometer) thought as usual for the first climb, I kept wishing and hoping that the top was right around each and every next turn :(. About halfway up my lungs were dying and my throat wasn't much better, but I knew I had the strength to make it. I was being passed by riders constantly (keep in mind these are not the pros that are passing me ;)), but I rarely let that get to me seeing as it happens all the time. I passed my share of people at the bottom, but not sure I can count those.


As I neared the top one of my coworkers had turned around and said you're almost there (the plan was to reach the top, turn around, and stop about 200 meters or so below the top to catch the riders as they went by, without having hundreds of people around)! He was right as it was only about 100 meters or so to go (I'm using meters because a sign not far behind me at the time had said 200 meters to KOM). There were so many people the top that I was having to go really slow to weed my way through them to officially (for myself) make it to the top (part of the race is the KOM or King of the Mountain, but for me I felt like the POM or Pawn on the Mountain).

Turned around to go down a bit and find my group. We stuck around and watch each and every rider go by (often times one at a time ;)). There were a couple of small groups of 5 to 10 and the peloton went by as well, but clearly riders had been separated from it as it was much smaller than in the first two stages. Got to see Leipheimer and Gesink go by neck and neck(that would be them in the picture).

We made it back down to the bottom just in time to see Paolo go by and the pack not too far behind.

What a day...

Is he smiling? Cool!

Here comes the pack!

I think that's Hincapie on the right (I'm new to the sport so still coming up to speed on who's who)...look at his knee, did he have a bit of an accident? Ouch!

The remainder of the pictures I took can be found in my public Picasa album.