Amgen Tour of California *Spoilers*

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  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Cyclingnews ticker and Twitter.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    All ended in a reduced bunch sprint with the win going to Marianne Vos. No change in the yelow jersey as Megan Garnier was in the mix at the end of the stage. I'll try to sort out some pics later.

    In the men's race there is a break of 14 riders, but they only have 45" over the main field. Here are the riders in the break: Peter Sagan (TNK), Michael Gogl (TNK), Daniel Teklehaimanot (DDD), Jhonatan Restrepo Valencia (KAT), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Toms Skujins (CPT), Peter Stetina (TFS), Jasper Stuyven (TFS), Caleb Fairly (TGA), Mike Teunissen (TLJ), Krists Neilands (AHB), Rob Squire (HSD), Evan Huffman (RLY) and Danny Pate (RLY). There are around 120km to go.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Good effort Ron, chapeau.
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    70kms done and still no break sorted.
    Frenetic stuff continuing over the lumpy mid-section of the route.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Just before the coverage starts, 6 riders in a new break have 1'25" on the peloton. Peter Sagan (TNK), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), George Bennett (TLJ), Krists Neilands (AHB), Rob Squire (HSD) and Javier Megias Leal (TNN).

    Around 75km to go, GVA being up there could be significant later on for their plans to wrestle the gold jersey from Alaphilippe. It will be interesting to see how things develop.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Got to be kidding! Sagan just rides off the front of the break for a nice ride by the seaside. Only 60km to go.
  • Maurice Thepity
    Maurice Thepity Posts: 75
    How come the vehicles in the race convoy don't have registration plates?
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    37km to go. Sagan is still off the front with Rob Squire (HSD), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Krists Neilands (AHB) at 1 minute 30 seconds. Peloton just 30" behind them.

    Decision time for GVA and BMC. What are they going to try now? Too many other teams willing to do some work in the peloton, so Alapilippe isn't really exposed atm.

    24km to go and the peloton has joined that gang of 5. Too many sprinters around now in the mix for the stage win so it's unlikely that Sagan will get a solo win. Gap now 1'15".
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    edited May 2016
    All together now for a circuit race around Santa Rosa. Don't discount Sagan as he's still got a chance, others include Kristoff and Coquard. Pace is already picking up with just over 13km to go.

    In other news, by gaining some points earlier today, Huffman has secured the KOM jersey.

    Tough sprint finish sees Kristoff take the win, but Sagan was a very close second, Van Poppel third. Katusha should be relieved about that. They did most of the work on the front there.
  • topper_harley
    topper_harley Posts: 597
    Was that really Moscon up there fighting for the stage win?
  • topper_harley
    topper_harley Posts: 597
    seems it wasn't...didn't think it was him
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    edited May 2016
    Flat stage tomorrow, so it does look as though Alaphilippe has the GC. Still well worth following the route, with a start and finish in Sacremento for the women's & the men's race.
  • IanLD
    IanLD Posts: 423
    So close at the line.

    Great ride from Sagan. Solo effort then fighting the sprint.

    Nice end to a fantastic day's racing, but don't think anything will come near the dolomites for a while!
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    IanLD wrote:
    So close at the line.

    Great ride from Sagan. Solo effort then fighting the sprint.

    Nice end to a fantastic day's racing, but don't think anything will come near the dolomites for a while!

    Fair enough, but Yosemite isn't very far away from Sacremento :wink:

    Yosemite-E.jpeg
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    I read a while back that National Parks have a ban on all commercial events, so that's why the tour misses out on the most spectacular backdrops. Yosemite is indeed stunning.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    Fairly similar to the Dolomites in most important respects too... :wink:
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    ddraver wrote:
    Fairly similar to the Dolomites in most important respects too... :wink:

    Full of Italians?
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    ddraver wrote:
    Fairly similar to the Dolomites in most important respects too... :wink:

    <Geology Alert> ? :D

    Meanwhile <Eurosport Alert> I think the live coverage today will start at 2100 BST. An hour earlier than before.

    Men's race heads down South from Sacremento before popping back up for 3 laps around the centre of town. Women's race is a thoroughbred crit. Just 20 laps around town.

    Ciqn4A1WEAAobp_.jpg

    Good day for Team Rabo Liv yesterday, with Shara Gillow putting in a great effort to help Marianne Vos get the win. There is a link to the highlights here

    CjChQOQVAAAp3Sj.jpg

    59077_vos_(californie_3_video).jpg

    CjClcVxWkAAIjpu.jpg

    Here's a quick recap of the Overall ...

    1 GUARNIER Megan Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 6h25'24''
    2 ARMSTRONG Kristin Twenty16-Sho-Air + 15''
    3 STEVENS Evelyn Boels Dolmans Cycling Team + 25''
    4 VOS Marianne Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team + 43''
    5 RIVERA Coryn UnitedHealthcare + 44''
    6 THOMAS Leah Twenty16-Sho-Air + 47''
    7 HALL Katie + 52''
    8 DYGERT Chloé Juniors + 56''
    9 JOHANSSON Emma Wiggle High5 + 1'01''
    10 GILLOW Shara Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team + 1'06''
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Everyone's away on today's final stage for the women and the men.

    CjFNMTMXIAA5pel.jpg

    Just a quick reminder that the live feed will start an hour early today (2100hrs BST).
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Looks like a break has already been formed in the men's race ...

    Jake Kelly (Team WIGGINS)
    Alan Marangoni (Cannondale Pro Cycling)
    Chris Jones (UnitedHealthcare)
    Krists Neilands (Axeon Hagens Berman)
    Taylor Sheldon (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis)
    Robin Carpenter (Holowesko-Citadel Racing)
    Emerson Oronte (Rally Cycling)

    In the women's race Boels-Dolmans look likely to try to keep everything together for their main rider and the overall leader Megan Guarnier, who has 15" and 25" over Kirsten Armstrong and teammate Evelyn Stevens respectively.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Just before the cameras roll. The 7 man break has 1'30" on the peloton with around 75km to go.

    Info about the women's race is, as usual, hard to come by. Around 25km to go and there have been some bad crashes around the circuit. No reports of a breakaway group so I expect there will be a bunch sprint.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Kirsten Wild won the final stage in the women's race. Sprint finish as expected and Megan Guarnier rolls through in the bunch to take the overall victory.

    Such a shame that there is such scant coverage. Surely the point in using the same parcours is to make following/ supporting these races easier?

    1 Kirsten Wild
    2 Lisa Brennauer
    3 Marianne Vos
    4 Coryn Rivera
    5 Amy Pieters
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Bookwalter with a super slick rear wheel change there, quickly followed by a super sneaky magic spanner tow back to the peloton. 24km to go and the break has a lead of 55".
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    This road surface makes UK roads look top quality!
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Just like pacman! Cars and motos need to shift soon.

    Edit - Bad news for Zubeldia, crashed before the 3km mark so his GC place could be under threat.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Cav gets the stage win! Alapilippe the GC.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Cav takes it despite Dimension Data having to burn all their riders for a late catch of the break. Looked a bit like the old Cav and really used his head.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Best part of 3 lengths clear of Sagan with Kristoff another length back.
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Looks like he left that incredibly late, yet still managed to pull out a big gap on that sprint.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Nice to see Degenkolb pick up 5th place in quite a frenetic finish.

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