February 20, 200958 Comments on Yellow Devil / Lance Armstrong push photos
The Yellow Devil harasses Lance Armstrong with a huge fake syringe and “Live Clean” jersey; Lance Armstrong pushes the Devil into the snow.
See the complete sequence of photos at photographer Tom de Waele’s website. Props to Maglia Rosa and to Byron, who writes a little more about the Yellow Devil. The Yellow Devil also left a comment with Chris Jones’ Diary.
2009 Amgen Tour of California.
February 20, 200920 Comments on Transportation planners who walk the walk
Bike riders and public transportation users commonly lament that the people who govern, manage, plan and design their transportation facilities don’t actually use them. Caltrain Board President Don Gage, for example, drives to solo to work in his SUV from Gilroy to San Jose.
I’ve been blessed to know several people who practice what they preach, however. In Longmont, Colorado, city engineer Len Marquez and planner Ben Ortiz regularly bike to their city jobs. They’re intimately familiar with the issues facing cyclists, because they are us.
San Jose parking director Matt Farrell rides a bus and bike everyday to his city job. He also uses his folding bike to get around San Jose for meetings.
San Jose Mercury-News “Roadshow” columnist Gary Richards called Bay Area transportation planners to survey which of them use the alternative transportation they promote. According to Richards, 33 of 42 planners he called use ‘alternative’ transportation at least some of the time.
Among them is San Jose transportation director Jim Helmer, who I regularly sit near on the Highway 17 commuter bus. Matt Farrell, who (ironically) runs San Jose’s city parking operations, also rides the bus and his bike everyday. The two newest members of Caltrain’s Joint Powers Board are cyclists.
What about in your area? Do your transportation planners and engineers ride bikes or transit to work?
February 20, 2009Leave a Comment
Theme: Mardi Gras Bike for Beads. The 12 mile ride starts tonight, 8:30 PM at Dick’s Center, 1350 South Bascom, San Jose. Ride Map Here, more details on the San Jose Bike Party website.
February 20, 20096 Comments on Solvang – Ride it like YOU stole it
Lance Armstrong’s stolen and recovered Trek 1274 time trial bike, with a new decal added by the Trek people.
Armstrong said this morning he’s dubbed the day “LEVIStrong” for his Astana Teammate Levi Leipheimer. The time trial race begins at Noon today Pacific time. Props to Doobybrain.
February 19, 2009Leave a Comment
Chris Jones Diary, where the Yellow Devil makes an appearance and comments about his scuffle with Lance Armstrong.
Bike World News has an Tour of California Photo Contest. Submit your photos, win a prize.
As far as I’m concerned, Ken Conley wins the prize. Below is a sample, but see all of his photos at his website.
 |
| Photo by Ken Conley |
Graham Watson has some pretty good photos, too.
I was supposed to interview Phil Southerland of Team Type 1 today. He called me early this morning before the stage start when my cell phone battery died. Aaagh! We’ve rescheduled for tomorrow morning, and Kristian will take a couple of photos of Phil for me.
Enthusiastic crowds turned out at the start of the race today in Visalia as race leaders Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Astana, Michael Rogers (AUS) of Team Columbia-Highroad, David Zibriskie (USA) of Garmin-Slipstream and Lance Armstrong (USA) of Astana led the peloton into Stage 5 of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Equally impressive crowds lined the streets in Paso Robles to witness the incredible sprint to the finish line that saw Mark Cavendish (GBR) of Team Columbia-Highroad take his second consecutive stage win in the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Leipheimer maintained the overall lead after coming in 15th place in the longest stage of the race. Day six of the 2009 race included no King of the Mountain competitions, but two sprint competitions on a flat, fast day of racing that took the riders from Visalia to Paso Robles.
Moving into second and third overall were Rogers and Zabriskie, respectively.
“This was the day that I was planning on winning this year,” said Cavendish. “It was a hard day; harder than expected. It seems like they’ve replicated the Tour de France with the speed and the par course. It has been incredibly hard.”
Photo by Ken ConleyTeam Columbia-Highroad again delivered Cavendish to the finish line at the front, where he sprang off the lead-out wheels to win with ease. And once again it was Quick Step’s Tom Boonen (BEL) who finished second in the stage, just ahead of Pedro Horrillo (ESP) of Rabobank.
“This stage win is massively important,” added Cavendish. “Any stage in the Amgen Tour of California is big. It’s big for the team, and this one is a bit more personal because it’s close to home. Every other stage is important, but this one is a bit more personal.”
Despite the apparent ease of victory for Cavendish, it was a long, hard stage for him and the rest of the field. A six-man group escaped only seven miles into the 134.3- mile route from Visalia to Paso Robles, with early attacks led by Jelly Belly’s Matthew Crane (USA), who was eventually joined by Jeff Louder (USA) of Team BMC, Robert Gunn (AUS) of Fly V Australia Powered by Successful Living, Glen Chadwick (NZL) of Rock Racing and Cameron Evans (CAN) Ouch Presented by Maxxis.
Cruising through the flat San Joaquin Valley floor under sunny skies, the escapees steadily opened the gap to a maximum of eight minutes mid-way through the race, with Astana leading a steady tempo in the field. At 50 miles to go, Quick Step, Team Columbia-Highroad and Saxo Bank began sharing the load at the front, and the time differential decreased rapidly. The breakaway splintered under the pressure, with Chadwick being the last one reeled in with less than three miles to go, when Team Columbia-Highroad led Cavendish to take over.
With the sun hanging high in a flawless baby blue sky in Paso Robles, all of the top riders finished in the main group, completing a long, flat stage leading into the critical Individual Time Trial in Solvang tomorrow.
Photo by Ken ConleyIt’s going to be a big showdown tomorrow,” said two-time defending champion and overall leader Leipheimer. “You have the three-time World Champion Michael Rogers and Dave Zabriskie, the National Champion, so it will be special. I’m actually really looking forward to it. I feel good; I’ve felt great throughout the whole race. I feel pretty awesome about keeping the lead.”
There were only two changes in the jerseys today, with Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer™ Most Courageous Rider Jersey going to Matthew Crane (USA) of Jelly Belly Pro Cycling and the Herbalife Sprint Jersey going to Cavendish. The other jersey winners remain unchanged with Leipheimer in the Amgen Leader Jersey, Robert Gesink (NED) of Rabobank in the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey and Francisco Mancebo (ESP) of Rock Racing in the California Travel & Tourism Commission King of the Mountain (KOM) Jersey.
“The crowds today in Paso Robles were absolutely amazing,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. “It was great to see such an enthusiastic response from a new host city. We had a great race today, and the best part is, it is still anyone’s race tomorrow. Tomorrow should prove to be a critical day for the world-class cyclists and a remarkable day for the spectators who come out to see the always popular time trial.”
February 19, 2009Leave a Comment
Amgen Tour of California Stage 5
A breakaway of Cameron Evans (Ouch), Pieter Weening (Rabobank), Matthew Crane (Jelly Belly) that was eight minutes in front of the peloton was caught three miles from the finish as the peloton went crazy for a chaotic sprint finish. Cervelo Test Team and Columbia High Road kept it together, with Columbia delivering their man Mark Cavendish to the front of the field for his second win in a row.
Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Pedro Horrillo (Rabobank), Francisco Chichi (Liquigas) and Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team) all followed Cavendish across the finish about a full bike length back. Unlike yesterday, Cavendish waited until after he crossed the finish before lifting his arms from the bars. The spectators in Paso Robles were treated to an exciting finish.
Mark Cavendish will wear the green sprinter’s jersey tomorrow. Levi Leipheimer retains the yellow jersey for the time trial Friday in Solvang.
