Old Guy Beats Kids at #atoc

Our photographer told us he snapped this photo at the finish line of today's Stage 4 of  the Amgen Tour. Looks like an old guy and young guy to us but we're not sure if their kits are the right colors.

Way to go, Chris!

Radio Shack Stacks the Deck, #atoc

Well, well, well....just when we were about to begin celebrating the changing of the guard at the Amgen Tour of California, the second-oldest rider in the Peloton, Chris Horner, gave the cycling community a reminder that the experience that comes with age cannot be underestimated.

Horner, 39, absolutely blew the Peloton away on the last third of the climb up Sierra Road today, in Stage 4 of the race, to take the win in convincing fashion.

Although Horner confirmed at the press conference following the stage that he was and is working for Levi Leipheimer, three time ToC champion, he commented that the two riders had agreed that whoever had the stronger legs would try to take the win at the top of Sierra. Obviously, that was Horner who ended up with the yellow jersey at the end of the day. No doubt Horner's 16-years of pro-cycling experience made a big difference today as he was tactically perfect.

Andy Schleck, last year's Tour de France runner-up, (see our earlier post "Andy's Dilemma") jetted to a second place stage finish, and Leipheimer finished fourth.  Horner is now the overall GC leader by 1'15", with Leipheimer in second place.

Speaking of dilemma's, despite Horner's insistence that Leipheimer is their GC contender, Team Radio Shack now needs to decide if they might want to change that allegiance for the last half of this race. Or, perhaps Radio Shack will let Friday's time trial in Solveng make the decision for them. Either way, at this point they've got a 1-2 punch going.

#atoc in San Jose

The crowd in San Jose as the TofC Peloton heads up the last climb of Stage 4, up Sierra Road.

Generation Fast, #atoc

Much has been written predicting that this will be the year, at the Amgen TofC, when the cycling "old guard" gives way to the next generation of young riders. And, as if on cue, the winner of Monday's 76.7 mile Stage 2, actually the first stage of this year's race after Sunday's Stage 1 was scrapped due to inclement weather, was none other than a fast young rider with a name that says it all, Ben Swift.

Swift, 23 years young and a U.K. native, riding for Team Sky, turned on the after-burners in the last 7 km of the shortened stage to beat out Peter Sagan of Team LiquiGas at the line. Sagen himself is an experienced racer, at the ripe old age of 21, who took home two stage wins in last year's TofC (5th and 6th stages) as well as the Best Young Riders and Overall Points jerseys.

Swift, with superb help from his Team Sky teammates, looks to be a pure sprinter, prompting one commentator after today's stage to suggest that he may be the "next Mark Cavendish." Well, Cavendish himself is only 26, and a fierce competitor who will not move aside easily for anyone, young or old.

Andy's Dilemma

Andy Schleck, whom among cycling enthusiasts is considered perhaps one of the two best GC stage racers of the 2011 cycling season, has come to California to participate in the Amgen Tour as one of his building blocks for this year's upcoming Tour de France. And, with  little doubt, we anticipate that he will arrive at the starting line this July in the physical condition to win the grand prize of cycling. But, we can't help but remember last year's disappointment at Andy's inability to strike back at a foe whom had blatantly stolen valuable seconds on the climb in which Andy had his now infamous mechanical.

So with that, we wonder, has Schleck included the building block which he obviously did not include in his last year's program? The portion of the equation which a rider such as Merckx, Armstrong, or even more so, Hinault, possessed. The fighting spirit, a warrior mentality. That missing building block may be something that is not created by training, but perhaps something that great competitors and great champions are born with.

It is our hope that a great cyclist, which Schleck is, is able to manifest the spirit which will reward him with the championship he so deserves.  Have a great season Andy; we'll see you on the top of the podium in Paris.

NOAA Weather for Tomorrow

As a quick update to our earlier post about the inclement weather at this year's ToC, here's the most recent wheather update from NOAA, the National  Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. These are the best in the weather business.

Snowed Out!

Old man winter decided to make an appearance at the start of this year's Tour of California bringing snow and ice to the Lake Tahoe area and forcing cancelation of today's scheduled Stage 1 of the annual run down the Golden State. Riders and spectators alike seemed relieved when race officials finally made the decision to forgo the stage, seconds before a already delayed start in South Lake Tahoe. We are still waiting for any news regarding tomorrow's stage which is currently scheduled to start at Squaw Valley and end in the capital city, Sacramento.