Colombian Camp
Why am I developing an emotional attachment to the Colombian teams in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge? At least part of the answer arrived in the shape of an American cyclist I met at the prologue start of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Her husband used to race with members of the Gobernacion de Antioquia –Indeportes Antioquia and EPM-UNE teams.
Colombian Camp at UPCC Prologue Team Parking (Mary Topping)
“They’re just happy to be here,” she said, with emphasis on the word “be.” She continued, “It’s hard for them to get a VISA at the U.S. Embassy in Bogata. Even with the VISA when they arrive in the U.S. they can be denied entry.” Just getting to the race is a struggle.
I love a fighter, an underdog. But doesn’t all the world embrace fighters and underdogs, and that being the case, why weren’t the media in the team parking area checking out these two teams instead of interviewing Americans and chasing down Frank Schleck? OK, I didn’t camp with the Colombians, so it’s possible the media might have been speaking with them when I wasn’t looking. It’s very logical: American readers crave updates on the American riders and the international superstars. I’d like to believe true cycling fans understand the real story from the Tour of Utah, the story that’s about to unfold again in Colorado.
The Colombian teams warmed up for the prologue together in a partially shaded compound, an exterior nook of the Garden of the Gods Visitor’s Center. Bouncing off the walls of that nook: many bursts of laughter, lots of chatting. Happy to be here.
Prologue Favorites
Favorite image of the day. Burgundy lips on Patrick Gretsch’s right cheek as he stood on the podium.
Patrick Gretsch's Best Reward for UPCC Prologue Win (Len Basobas)
Favorite quote of the day. Christian Vande Velde at the press conference, after hearing Patrick Gretsch took the corner from Ridge Road at 30 mph: “I took it easy; my goal was not to end my season early.”
Prediction Score
The ProVéloPassion Podium Prediction for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge UPCC prologue:
- Fabian Cancellara
- Cadel Evans
- Thor Hushovd
The actual placings:
- Patrick Gretsch
- Christian Vande Velde
- Brent Bookwalter
Cadel Evans placed #9, eight seconds behind Gretsch. Cancellara and Hushovd did not start the UPCC. It’s an OK result; as many of the riders say, tomorrow’s another day.
Sunday, August 21st, the day before the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge first day of racing. Some ingredients in the mix as we look ahead to the prologue and a week of racing.
- The kick-off press conference line-up didn’t include a single Colombian when it was announced last week, post Tour of Utah. Some are, at long last, getting wise to the Colombian factor: at the press conference in USA Cycling Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Sergio Luis Henao (GOB) was the first to arrive and sit behind his name placard on the speaker stage.
Sergio Henao at 2011 UPCC kick-off press conference (Mary Topping)
- Tom Danielson’s got it. When asked at the press conference about what to expect from the Colombian teams he said, “I expect chaos. If they have the leader’s jersey, they will attack; if they don’t have the leader’s jersey, they will attack. Plan on them attacking. The entire team will be in the first group over Cottonwood Pass.” I think he means both teams.
Vande Velde, Danielson, and Evans at UPCC kick-off press conference (Mary Topping)
- What may be the best spectator / fan opportunity of the race emerged: hanging out at the first corner into the park or the left-hand turn at the bottom of Ridge Road the day (today) before the prologue in the Garden of the Gods. The reward? Most teams reconned the course today, including: all of EPM-UNE and Gobernacion riding together, the entire Leopard Trek pride, some of BMC (including Cadel and George), Bissell, SpiderTech, and Rabobank ,and all of UnitedHealthcare, Exergy, Liquigas-Cannondale. Frank Schleck appeared to have seen Ivan Basso for the first time, coasting over to him to say, “Ciao.”
Ivan Basso and the Schlecks create traffic jam in Garden of the Gods (Mary Topping)
- Robert Gesink could be a factor. When asked at the kick-off press conference why he was “over-dressed” in a sweatshirt, Gesink replied very assuredly, “It’s hot here, then you go inside and it’s like a refrigerator. I’m motivated to do a good Tour of Colorado and I don’t want to get sick.” Something about his demeanor exuded a belief that he will perform well, better than in this year’s Tour de France.
- There is a little bit too much hoping going on. Cadel Evans said, “The altitude will be the biggest test for us; I’m hoping I’ll adjust in time.” Ivan Basso: “I hope I feel OK,” implying the racers will ride into the sky.
Prologue start list for 8/22/2011. Get there early. I think it’s going to be packed. At the press conference they said they expect 50,000 to 75,000 spectators.
As of 8/20/2011. Interesting Richie Porte is not on the list. If there are changes I will post.
Team Captains:
BMC, Evans, #1
RadioShack, Leipheimer, #11
Leopard Trek, Andy Schleck, #21
Garmin-Cervélo, Danielson, #31
HTC-Highroad, Van Garderen, #41
Liquigas-Cannondale, Basso, #51
Saxo Bank Sungard, Steensen, #61
RaboBank, Gesink, #71
UnitedHealthcare, Sutherland, 81
Team Type 1, Alexander Efimkin, #91
Skil-Shimano, Van Hummel, #101
Spidertech, Euser, #111
Bissell, Baldwin, #121
Exergy, Diaz, #131
Jelly Belly, Hernandez, #141
Gobernacion de Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia, Henao, #151
EPM-UNE, Baez, #161
Colombian flag
“Lucho,” a Colombian who moved to the Midwest when he was twelve, explains this well during an interview by The Bicycle Story. He writes in his Cycling Inquisition blog about all things Colombian cycling with the insight of someone who grew up in Colombia loving bikes and who experienced a country torn by violence.
“You can walk up to almost anyone in Bogotá and strike up a detailed conversation about cycling. Taxi drivers and security guards are amazing sources of information and you can get into heated debates with them about any edition of the Giro or the Vuelta. In general, there’s a love for bikes there that I don’t often see here in the States. I realize this gets into some iffy territory, because it can be very judgmental and dogmatic, but I just see a lot of reverence and attention being paid to the pageantry of cycling here. There’s an attraction to the objects that surround it. The stuff, not the act.
“And that’s the difference between Colombia and the United States to me. Don’t get me wrong, I like the stuff that surrounds cycling, and surely some in Colombia have a different take on things, but by and large the attraction in Colombia (both by those who ride and those who are fans) runs a bit deeper due to the history of cycling there. The poverty in parts of the country may have something to do with that also. I don’t know. But I do think that people in Colombia are more invested in the emotion that surrounds riding a bike or watching people ride bikes. This is not to say that some American cyclists are wrong or bad. It’s just different.”
Later in the interview Lucho shares an example of the challenges one Colombian mountain bike champion faced, “who works as a coal miner under the most horrible conditions and is forced to share a bike with his 10 year old son who also competes. The differences under which Colombian cyclists exist compared to those in Europe and the United States are simply staggering. I try to inject humor, but the level of poverty that pretty much all cyclists in Colombia come from is unheard of here. ”
Luis Herrera (from The Bicycle Story "Lucho" interview)
In another of his posts, Lucho writes based on an article in Winning Magazine, ” In order for Luis Herrera to have a bike, his entire family (parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles) had to save up to buy one.” (“Lucho” is not Luis Herrera.) Herrera is a national hero for winning a mountain stage of the 1985 Tour de France, riding with his face covered in blood after a crash.
Just three days ago NPR described what it takes for 16-year old Johan Cardenas — and his family — to follow his dream of a procycling career. Johan and his family live in a sparsely populated Colombian state called Boyaca, which NPR describes as “a cycling mecca.”
Johan Cardenas, 16 Years-Old, Dreams Big (NPR)
“In the rural mountains of central Colombia, life is a struggle, and career choices for young men include potato farming and herding goats. And so teenage boys dream of a different future: cycling to glory in the French Alps and the Pyrenees. That’s because the rawboned cyclists from a string of hardscrabble Colombian towns have excelled as climbers in the world’s great bicycle races.”
Johan has “something else they say all great cyclists must have: the ability to suffer — a lot.
“‘If you can’t suffer,’ Johan says, ‘what good are you?'”
“In Boyaca, though, it’s not just the racers who sacrifice. Johan’s mother, Marifely Leguisamon, makes ends meet with a restaurant run out of the family kitchen. His father, Yefferson Cardenas, works construction jobs, when he can get them. To buy a new $6,000 racing bike for Johan, the family even sold its home. ‘This is expensive, and sometimes there’s no money,’ Leguisamon says. ‘And he needs food. He needs rest. He needs a lot of things.'”
And for these two Colombians who tasted their dreams in the 2011 Tour of Utah, what are their stories?
Acevedo Wins stage 4 of 2011 Tour of Utah (Doug Kujanson)
Henao 2011 Tour of Utah Stage 3 (Doug Kujanson)
(For more on Colombian procycling, Kings of the Mountains: How Colombia’s Cycling Heroes Changed Their Nation’s History, by Matt Rendell, sounds like a good read.)
This podium predictions piece will curate points of view from riders, the media, and other experts on how this stage might shake out.
Embedded here is a profile of the course: 2011 UPCC stage 4 Profile
Cyclingnews, Bruce Hildenbrand: “Stage 4 from Avon to Steamboat Springs offers 83 miles of rolling terrain with no significant climbs and looks to be a day for stage hunters or the sprinters.” This story includes commentary from Peter Stetina, Chris Horner, and veteran Andy Hampsten.
Bicycling, Joe Lindsey: “There are still five KOMs on today’s stage, but it’s billed as one of the few sprint finishes in the race. Expect an early break of KOM contenders who are far enough down in the overall standings after the TT that the pack will let them go. With the last summit at 38.8 miles in and a long, downhill coast to Steamboat via the flatter back way that avoids Rabbit Ears Pass, this one’s all coming back together.” [note: this was written earlier in the summer. The spectator timetable shows no KOMs on this stage, despite 5,000 feet of climbing.]
usaprocyclingchallenge.com: “the rolling terrain of Stage 4, with a net elevation change of 5000 feet from start to finish [note: this means feet climbed], will provide spectators with one of the more interesting and dramatic days of racing. Without significant climbs or high-speed descents, cyclists have numerous opportunities for breakaways, fighting for every mile of pavement and risking everything for King of the Mountain and sprint line points.” Hmm, this sounds a bit over-dramatic to me, but OK.
The Velo boys: “Stage 4 may be the best opportunity for a bunch sprint. After undulating roads to Steamboat Springs, the run into town is all downhill.” (from 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge Official Guide)
None of these folks suggested names of riders who could win; of course, who would be so nutty as to make a prediction in bike races when so many things could happen. There could be crosswinds on the way down to the finish from the highest point of the day, 8,500 feet, which could make it a combined GC / sprinter’s finish. There could be a thunderstorm at the finish that would disrupt the sprinters’ teams.
UPCC Steamboat Springs Finish Map (mapmyride)
Using the spectator timetable and street detail from mapmy ride, it looks to be a 2.1 mile straight run into the finish, a more pure sprinter’s finish. If there are any break-away guys, assuming no crosswinds break-up the field, the straight finish favors catching them with a sprinter’s win.
From the preliminary roster so far we have these sprinters who are or close to pure sprinters:
- Fast Freddie Rodriguez (Exergy)
- Daniel Oss (Liquigas-Cannondale)
- Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare)
- Kenny van Hummel (Skil-Shimano)
In addition, Carlos Alzate (Exergy) just won the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, and Elia Viviani (Liquigas) sprinted well in stage 2 of the Tour of Utah. Other sprinters slated to race include Javier Megias Leal (Team Type 1) who won a hard second place on stage 4 of the Tour of Utah, Frank Pipp (Bissell), and Ken Hanson (Jelly Belly).
The Liquigas men have been strong recently, as have the Exergy boys. Carlos is having a good season. Here is the ProVéloPassion stage 4 podium prediction:
Carlos Edurardo Alzate Escobar (Exergy website)
1. Carlos Alzate (Exergy)
2. Elia Viviani (Liquigas)
3. Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare)
Relief map of Colombia, 2008
In the late 1970’s my husband hooked up with a Columbian racing club in the Bronx. “They were the only ones that knew anything about bike racing,” he says. “They talked about strategy and teamwork, and that’s how we rode. Americans just got on their bikes and rode fast; they didn’t understand teamwork, but the Columbians always did it.”
These comments at the dinner table tonight led me to reflect on what I saw of the Colombian Gobernacion de Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia (GOB) Continental team that dominated the 2011 Tour of Utah with Team RadioShack, and what a force the Colombians will be in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC) with two Colombian teams competing in that race. The Utah peloton may still be reeling from the Colombian team’s aggression; in stage 5 at one point the entire — or close to it — GOB team rode in the yellow jersey group. The team sent one black-clad rider after another up the road in attack after attack in all of the road stages. And while the race roster is still preliminary, at least one American team is bringing Colombian riders to the UPCC; Team Exergy may start Salas, Diaz, and Alzate in addition to Fast Freddie Rodriguez.
Then there are the questions about Colombian culture that have been knocking on my brain. Why are their names so long and which names do you use? What is a typical Colombian food? I’ll write about these in a later post.
Gobernacion de Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia Team
During the start of the Tour of Utah stage 2 I enjoyed speaking with Luis Barbosa, a journalist for Nuestrociclismo.com who traveled with the team. I mentioned I had heard and written about Janier Acevedo Calle, that he had been dubbed the team’s “secret weapon” for the UPCC. With teammates Sergio Henao Montoya and Oscar Sevilla Ribera placed first and second in the race, I asked if they were conserving Acevedo’s energy in Utah. Luis said, “Janier (pronouced like “junior”) has great talent. These guys are all good climbers. They live at altitude. Living and training at altitude they can make a great performance in Colorado because they are a strong team. They can go for GC, mountains, and stages.”
This team beams youth. Henao was born in 1987; Acevedo, in 1985. Montoya may be the youngest at 22 years-old. Sevilla, who is Spanish and the senior member of the team at age 34, said he has been living in Colombia for three years; his wife is Colombian.
Luis also photographed the team during the Tour of Utah; find his photos on Nuestrociclismo.com.
Luis mentioned the second Colombian Continental team competing in the UPCC, EPM-UNE. He described this team as similar to GOB: young climbers. Two riders to pay attention to he said are Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez who won this year’s Volta do Rio de Janeiro, a five-day stage race, and Giovanni Baez Alvarez, a climber time-trialist who won the Tour of Columbia in 2008. Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez placed 6th in this year’s Vuelta a Castilla y Leon.
I can’t wait to see these guys climb with the Schlecks in the UPCC.
Acevedo, Henao, and Sevilla at the 2011 Tour of Utah (Mary Topping)
I also met Santiago Botero, director of Gobernacion de Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia. He feels the team’s early results in the Tour of Utah are very motivating for the upcoming UPCC.
As they sat in the team cars and lounged on the grass before the start of stage 2 drinking Coke, the guys came across as a combination of playful, sleepy, and eager. When I asked for a photo of Sevilla, Henao, and Acevedo and the three of them posed, two others jumped onto the line — you can see one of them entering this photo. They wanted to be photographed as a team.
The USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC) stage 3 TT in Vail is a two-part course. The first 5.4 mile section is relatively flat and straight, with an average grade of 1%. The second 4.7 mile section has an average grade of 3% with some sweeping curves. The average grade over the entire 10.1 mile course is 2%. Riders will begin in the start house at an elevation of 8,203 ft.
Wildflowers along Old Vail Pass Rd
Andy Hampsten held the course record of 26:33.43 set during the 1987 Coors Classic until Ben Day broke it at the 2008 Teva Mountain Games with a ride of 25:48, which is also when Chris Baldwin rode the course in 26:29.
Given the grades I’m thinking this is a course for a strong time trialist who has a good uphill finish; it’s not steep enough for the strong “pure” climbers to dominate. Contenders will need to be well acclimatized, by either completing the Tour of Utah, living at altitude, or arriving early enough before the race.
This podium piece includes fan predictions as well as predictions from those affiliated with pro-cycling teams.
Greta Bloomfield, a volunteer with the Golden stage 6 local organizing committee: I’m going with Cadel since he rocked it in the Stage 20 TDF Time Trial; he’s raced in Colorado as a MTBer so he knows the altitude and he’s an animal! I always root for the former MTBers!!!
@Biff_Bruise, David Napoli: Danielson again… but he does not beat Andy Hampsten’s course record.
Dave Anderson, UnitedHealthcare’s CEO of Southern CA division. I met Dave in Utah while Rory Sutherland of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team was warming up for Utah’s TT and asked him about Rory’s chances to win stage 3. He said he’ll be a contender because he can do a good uphill TT, but likely not win because he’s a bigger guy than the other climber-time trialists (6’2”, 169 lbs). “Rory’s tweeted about reconning the TT route,” I said. Dave chuckled. “I have a house in Vail,” where he implied Rory has passed a good bit of time lately.
@TheDPate, Danny Pate of Team HTC-Highroad, at Tour of Utah: It’s going to be a lot of the same guys who were good here: Leipheimer, TJ, and probably Danielson – because it’s uphill and a time trial. The Schlecks, Cadel — I don’t know as much about those guys because their main goal was the Tour. I don’t know what they’ve been doing since; they’d be a big question mark. Schleck, Schleck and Cadel are all going to go pretty well because they are just that good, but one of them will be a prime contender. The Tour de France is the Tour de France for a reason and they peak for that, and then I don’t what else they’re looking at after that, but this race is the main goal for Leipheimer, TJ, and Danielson, and that helps a lot when you are focusing more on one event like they are. [Top five finishers in the Tour of Utah: Leipheimer, Henao, Brajkovic, Sevilla, Danielson, with Vande Velde sixth.]
Analysis
The recent time trials at the Tour of Utah, while somewhat different from the Vail course, provide some guidance to predict who could win in Vail.
- The prologue was uphill (at 7% average grade), but short at 2 k, with a starting elevation of 6,950 ft. Top five finishers were Henao, Mancebo, Sevilla, Van Garderen, and Danielson.
- The TT was about the same length as Vail, 9.7 miles, but pretty flat with a .4% average grade and an elevation gain of 230 ft. Lots of turns, so more technical than the Vail course. It’s starting elevation was about 4,400 ft. Top five finishers were Van Garderen, Leipheimer, Gretsch, Wetterhall, and Vande Velde.
| Tour of Utah Prologue Results | |||
| 1. HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis | GOB | .04’05″820 | |
| 2. MANCEBO PEREZ Francisco | RCC | .04’07″780 | 2″ |
| 3. SEVILLA RIBERA Oscar | GOB | .04’10″160 | 5″ |
| 4. VAN GARDEREN * Tejay | THR | .04’10″390 | … |
| 5. DANIELSON Thomas | GRM | .04’12″400 | 7″ |
| 6. LEIPHEIMER Levi | RSH | .04’12″620 | … |
| 7. VANDEVELDE Christian | GRM | .04’14″730 | 9″ |
| 8. BAUER Jack | EDR | .04’15″390 | 10″ |
| 9. WREN # Tyler | JSH | .04’16″230 | 11″ |
| 10 GRAJALES Cesar Augusto | RCC | .04’17″310 | 12″ |
| 11 MC CARTY Pat | CSM | .04’17″340 | … |
| 12 STETINA Peter | GRM | .04’17″660 | … |
| 13 OSPINA HERNANDES Carlos Alberto | GOB | .04’18″180 | 13″ |
| 14. WYSS Marcel | GEO | .04’20″380 | 15″ |
| 15. SUTHERLAND Rory | UHC | .04’20″630 | … |
| Tour of Utah Stage 3 Time Trial Results | |||
| 1. VAN GARDEREN * Tejay | THR | .17’33″640 | |
| 2. LEIPHEIMER Levi | RSH | .17’39″580 | 6″ |
| 3. GRETSCH Patrick | THR | .17’43″750 | 10″ |
| 4. WETTERHALL Alexander | EDR | .17’51″230 | 18″ |
| 5. VANDE VELDE Christian | GRM | .17’52″240 | 19″ |
| 6. BRAJKOVIC Janez | RSH | .17’58″220 | 25″ |
| 7. PATE Danny | THR | .18’00″920 | 27″ |
| 8. DANIELSON Thomas | GRM | .18’03″160 | 30″ |
| 9. ZIRBEL Tom | JSH | .18’03″230 | … |
| 10. HINCAPIE George | BMC | .18’03″990 | … |
| 11. ZABRISKIE David | GRM | .18’07″080 | 34″ |
| 12. BAUER Jack | EDR | .18’11″930 | 38″ |
| 13. BOOKWALTER Brent | BMC | .18’12″830 | 39″ |
| 14. VENNELL Jeremy | BPC | .18’12″910 | … |
| 15. SEVILLA RIBERA Oscar | GOB | .18’14″990 | 41″ |
The 2011 Tour de Suisse Stage 9 Time Trial in June covered 19.9 miles total at an elevation of approximately 1,320 ft. Up to the second time split at about 14 miles the course was generally uphill with the average grade to that point of 1.5%. We could say that riders that did well in this Tour de Suisse TT may be contenders in Vail.
| 2011 Tour de Suisse Stage 9 Time Trial Results |
||
| 1. Fabian Cancellara | Leopard-Trek | 41:01:00 |
| 2. Andreas Klöden | Team RadioShack | at 0:09 |
| 3. Levi Leipheimer | Team RadioShack | at 0:13 |
| 4. Nelson Oliveira | Team RadioShack | at 0:25 |
| 5. Thomas Danielson | Garmin-Cervelo | at 0:38 |
| 6. Gustav Larsson | Saxobank-Sungard | at 0:41 |
| 7. Jakob Fuglsang | Leopard-Trek | at 0:44 |
| 8. Thomas De Gendt | Vacansoleil | at 0:48 |
| 9. Christopher Froome | Team Sky | at 1:02 |
| 10. Christian Vande Velde | Garmin-Cervelo | at 1:04 |
I’m starting to think Leipheimer, Danielson, Van Garderen, Vande Velde. I’ll add Baldwin to this list because he’s raced the course with a very good result in 2008. Questions I would like to know the answer to: Will Levi have enough gas left after a hard TDF and his efforts in Utah? Danielson flied somewhat under the radar screen in France; how will he perform under the focus he’s received as a contender for the UPCC? And did Tom and Rory both hold something back in Utah to save something for Colorado?
And for the dark horses, how about Andres Diaz of Team Exergy, a climber-time trialist? Richie Porte of Saxo Bank pulled out some good time trial results in 2010. The preliminary start list for Saxo also includes Larsson. I’m not sure how hard Saxo will be racing; based on a tweet on August 17th Larsson seems to be traveling. If Porte is on the same schedule, that’s less than a week to acclimate.
OK, time to put a seat post into the ground. ProVéloPassion podium predictions for the stage 3 UPCC time trial in Vail:
Tejay Van Garderen receiving best young rider's jersey at 2011 Tour of Utah
- Tejay Van Garderen (Team HTC-Highroad)
- Tom Danielson (Team Garmin-Cervélo)
- Levi Leipheimer (Team RadioShack) or Cadel Evans (BMC) or Chris Baldwin (Bissell)
TJ’s time trials in Utah, including the energy from his win-at-last in the TT that has to have pumped him up, swung the pendulum for me. Yes, it’s wimpy to have a three way tie for third. But I almost added a fourth. Come see the Vail TT; it’s probably the most decisive stage of the race.
First, five serious lessons for what kind of racing to expect; then five lessons for fan fun.
Racing
- Expect lots of action from the two Columbian teams racing in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC). On stage 4 in the Tour of Utah (ToU) the Gobernacion de Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia riders placed three guys in the early break-away and never let the others in the break or peloton rest. Davide Frattini, who rides with Team UnitedHealthcare, tweeted after the stage: “I have a feeling that the Columbians were the only riders happy with how hard today’s stage was.” Before the start of stage 5 this team wore the leader’s jersey four out of five days; they won the prologue and stage 4. Oscar Sevilla did a very good TT. The USA Pro Cycling Challenge has invited two Columbian teams to double the aggression — Gobernacion and EPM-UNE. Start getting used to names like Henao and Acevedo and Baez.
Janier Acevedo 300 meters from 2011 Tour of Utah Stage 4 win (Mary Topping)
- Expect high GC placement for these well-known Americans: Levi Leipheimer, Tejay Van Garderen, Tom Danielson, Christian Van de Velde.
- Look for these younger or less well-known Americans who rode in the ToU, are very fit and should find the breaks, win stages, or also do well in GC; they will contribute super strong rides: Timmy Duggan, Lucas Euser, Danny Pate, Chris Baldwin, Pat McCarty, Chad Beyer, Chris Jones, and Peter Stetina.
- Don’t miss the time trail in Vail. Levi took the lead in the ToU in the TT, and many expect the TT to be a decisive factor in Colorado.
- Surprises will happen. The altitude and aggression will make it hard for the race leader’s team to control the race.
Fan Fun
- Spectate on the side of the road in a place with few fans. Jump up and down and call out the names of guys in the break or the chasing peloton, following their names with phrases like, “way to go,” “hang in there,” and “feel the love.” Expect several water bottles to drop at your feet (it may help to be female).
- Attend at least one start and arrive early enough to wander back and forth between the team buses, keeping your eyes peeled for your favorite riders. When they exit their cars (the Columbians) or buses (the Leopards or Shackmen or Garmin guys), say hi and ask for a photo. Some will hold you in a firm grip.
- Hang around after the podium presentations at a finish and ask the podium girls for a photograph with you in-between them. You can raise your arms in a victory salute if you like.
- Watch Danny Summerhill of Team Garmin-Cervelo on the last climb of the stages; maybe he will treat us to a wheelie like he did on the last lap of the ToU stage 4.
- Locate the feedzones for each stage other than the prologue and the Vail time trail and stand about 1K or so after them in the direction the riders will travel. Collect the musettes riders toss away after they’ve selected what they want from them. You will acquire new fan-sy shoulderbags with team logos and may even find an uneaten pastry that will tempt you to taste it. Go ahead.
So far, after the fourth of six days in this race, it seems to be a battle between RadioShack and the Columbian team, Gobernacion Indeportes Antioquia. @BenKing89 emphasized this during the TT on Friday when he tweeted, “Levi and Jani. In the background sevilla and henao. Warming up for a gc battle,” with this photo.http://twitpic.com/654hee
I found Ben sitting at the end of a row of chairs near the opening to the garage-like setting the teams warmed up in for the TT at the Miller Motorsports Park. He wore his TT helmet already, even though he wasn’t starting for 30 minutes or so. I asked him who he thought would win today. “Levi,” he said. Then he went on to say, “It will make my job easier if he wins by a lot, to defend.”
Unfortunately Ben didn’t get his wish. After stage 3 Levi holds yellow by 27 seconds over his teammate, Jani Brajkovic, 29 seconds over third place rider Oscar Sevilla, and 56 seconds over fourth place Sergio Henao. This foursome pushed the pace on stage 1 to build their lead. It doesn’t seem far-fetched, depending on how they are feeling, for two or four of them to get away on the last climb up past the capitol on Thursday. Can we expect to see Henao work for Sevilla, or Jani for Levi, on Saturday or on Sunday up to Snowbird? Sevilla can’t be counted out for a first place overall finish, not until after the finish at Snowbird — which is sounding awfully nice given how hot it’s been and how intense the sun is here.
The crowds at the stages here in Utah seem pretty light. This concerns me because this race ought to continue and not solely because it’s a high caliber race in the U.S. that helps to strengthen the sport.
The Americans who ride in Europe love racing at home. They seem to be more at ease in familiar territory. And then there are the little bonuses: after the TT George Hincapie tweeted there was nothing like racing in the U.S.; he had ordered a burrito by room service in his hotel.
Everything is so accessible here. The Tour of Utah stages are centered within 35 – 40 miles of Salt Lake City; it’s easy to base yourself there and take in all of the stages without hours of driving. The TT venue in particular creates a fabulous fan experience. The teams set-up and warm-up in a strip of garages that open on two sides so you can cruise around either side to catch a look at your favorite riders. The start and finish line runs adjacent to these garages; spectators can move back and forth between the start area and the garages within a space of about 25 feet. I’d love to see this race continue and spectator attendence up next year. Now that it’s a higher ranked UCI race, which is an advancement over last year, and with Medalist organizing it, it’s a great race that ought to draw more attendance and thrive.
Smaller crowds mean the riders are more accessible too. It’s been pretty easy to visit with them. Spectators arriving at the start time of middle of the pack got close enough to the TT start ramp to watch the riders’ chests expanding and contracting as they took in several deep breaths before speeding down the ramp, as well as observe them clenching their teeth as they worked to gather speed. The guys are so focused while they are warming up; in general they seemed more nervous before the TT than at yesterday’s stage. I found Lucas Euser of Spidertech spinning on the trainer and asked him how he was feeling and liking Utah. He was working so hard on the trainer there was a constant drip of sweat from his face and I had to ask him to repeat his response because it blew out in the rush of a deep breath. “It’s treating me pretty well so far,” he said.
Tom Danielson and Peter Stetina sat in a couple of chairs in their warm-up space about an hour from the start time. Peter wore bandages on his forearm and calve. I was pretty horrified when I saw him roll in after stage 2, his right shoulder bloody and his jersey torn from one of the late crashes just before the finish. “I lost some time,” he said before the TT, “and I’ve got some road rash, but there’s nothing broken.” Hopefully the road rash should be well-healed before he starts down his next ramp in Colorado Springs on August 22nd.
I also spied more tattoos on riders warming up. Viviani, the sprinter on Liquigas-Cannondale who placed second in the stage 2 sprint, sports a heart concealed on his inner left bicep. One of the RadioShack guys carries a word tattooed across his chest, but I wasn’t able to identify him.
TJ’s win of the TT on his birthday was a highlight of the day. He beemed on the podium. He beemed on his way from the presentation to the doping tent, autographing everything fans held before him and posing for photographs. As I stood on a concrete barrier watching him on the top step smile before a couple hundred spectators an idea pooped into my heart: how cool would it be to have 200 people sing happy birthday. So I started the song. While not everyone sang (how could they not have?), a good dozen or so around me chimed in. Our small band of voices may have carried just far and loud enough for him to hear; I thought I detected a new smile on his face.
[many thanks to the angel at McDonald’s who told me they have wifi]
ProVéloPassion 