After six stages and the prologue, the first week of the 2012 Tour de France has coasted into history with plenty of memorable results and of course no shortage of coverage.
Here’s to a week of truly triumphant finishes on relatively flat stretches of road!
Next come the mountains following this predominantly flat week, bringing with them a certain reshuffling of stage winners. In other words, we may not be seeing a fourth victory photo of young Peter Sagan right away. Stay tuned!
My favorite sporting event of the year is well underway. Here on the first day of the second half of the year, Stage 1 of the 2012 Tour de France is rolling through not France incidentally, but eastern Belgium. The city of Liege marks this year’s starting point, following yesterday’s individual time trial prologue.
As usual this time of year, I know how a good chunk of my free time will be spent– watching NBC Sports that is– likely around 5:30am to catch some live moments of this exciting professional cycling action.
From there comes the continued accumulation of my own road cycling mileage, which I’m happy to report more than doubled in the first half of 2012 compared to the same period of 2011, putting me at a modest yet respectable 2,106 miles so far this year. If this number sounds like a lot, keep in mind the fact it happens to be 55 miles less than the total distance of the current Tour de France itself!
After sacrificing pedaling for motorcycling in ’10 and ’11, I’ve since happily reignited my cycling discipline and kicked back up my overall mileage. Still, my personal record is not about to be broken, as I’d have to triple my latest figure in order to exceed my 2008 total of just over 6,200 miles. At this point, two-thirds of this record by the end of 2012 will be more than satisfactory.
Meanwhile of course, for the next three weeks once again, vive le tour!
From one of my most recently discovered vantage points, often on the horizon gazing south-southwest appears a certain famous landmark. On a day like this one however, with weather conditions so drastically different from one mile to the next, you really wouldn’t know anything was out there. And trust me, having pedaled through that thick, damp, blinding cover not long before this photo was taken, indeed the cycling day was far more satisfying in the vicinity of this present location.
What a fantastic outdoor day, when it’s unusually hot in the Bay. From one picturesque viewpoint to another, this is a time to savor what feels like Southern California weather, never knowing of course how long it will stick around. When it falls on a Sunday, all the better! Summer is indeed upon us, and not just by calendar alone.
Finally! Relieved cyclists are at long last returning to the west sidewalk of the Golden Gate Bridge, thanks to its much-anticipated and very necessary reopening this week. This of course comes just in time for the iconic landmark’s big 75th anniversary celebration this weekend, while not a moment too soon– as I’ve said before— for us cyclists simply tired of having to navigate the narrow and overcrowded east walkway. For months the bridge’s east side has been nothing more than a maddening pedestrian obstacle course. Now, happily enough, the madness is all over, at least for now if not– fingers crossed– for good.
Finally a reality once again, thankfully so!
This lengthy and unfortunate cycling inconvenience came about, as you may very well know, thanks to south-end construction of the new Golden Gate Bridge entry plaza and Bridge Pavilion, which has now finished up right on schedule with this weekend’s anniversary festivities. Not only did the work wipe away existing pathway access to the west sidewalk, but bridge officials apparently decided not to let cyclists pass through the service area or alongside the toll booths, which would have been perfectly fine with me. Instead we waited– and suffered– until now, as finally the time has come for cyclists to “go west” once again.
Happy 75th, Golden Gate. I’m looking forward to my first west-side crossing in far too long. Plus, seeing as the new pathway from the plaza to the west sidewalk is much improved over the previous, wider and smoother that is, in the end it looks like we cyclists have been rewarded!
The 2012 Tour of California Finishes in Downtown L.A.
A professional cycling race making its way along Sunset Boulevard through West Hollywood was truly an impressive and memorable sight to behold today. Indeed this was the first time the Amgen Tour of California featured such a route, along a stretch of roadway my own bicycle knows all too well– at somewhat slower speeds among a few more cars of course. Still, to see the peloton hammer through such familiar territory was nothing less than an honor and an inspiration.
As plans evolve for 2013, I hope the Tour of California decides to bring road racing back to even more of L.A., to some exciting and challenging streets yet to be conquered. Mulholland Drive, anyone? In any case, let’s see some more of this in our own backyard. May today’s first not be the last!
In addition to the Tour of California, another major professional cycling event currently taking place is of course the 2012 Giro d’Italia. One of my favorite racing powerhouses, “fastest man on two wheels” Mark Cavendish, continues to prove he’s beyond awesome in taking today’s Stage 13 in the northwestern town of Cervere, as we see above. No matter how it all ends on May 27, Cavendish and his numerous awesome competitors are already fueling my anticipation of this year’s Tour de France, come June 30!
Blink and you probably missed them! The 2012 Tour of California is well underway, with Stage 2 kicking off this morning in San Francisco’s picturesque Marina District. The peloton didn’t exactly stick around for coffee; within minutes riders were hammering south en route to today’s finish line in Aptos. Hitting a mere 40 MPH on my own ride today, no doubt I would have been dropped.
If you did blink, look for the gang again tomorrow at the start of Stage 3 in San Jose. Quite a cycling week it is!
A 120-mile motorcycle excursion proved most enjoyable yesterday, especially considering the rarity of such an event for me these days. Suffice to say, in this first third of 2012 the miles have added up far more quickly on my bicycle than my motorcycle– 1250 versus 700 respectively– and not by accident.
No miles of any kind accumulate all that quickly within San Francisco itself, inviting the satisfaction of any beyond-the-city journey. Still, while the motorcycle has become my almost-daily city commuting tool, the bicycle continues to enable my longstanding pleasures 
of strength, endurance and distance. Gone is my time, so it appears, of an 11,000-mile motorcycling year. At the same time, still to return is a year of bicycling 6,000 miles. While anticipating this accomplishment, at least I’m reminded of the pleasures of a motor once in a while.
Motorcycling has its place no doubt, and fortunately I’ve not had to choose one over the other. However, as I’ve said more than once over my past 2.5 years of owning a motorcycle: I’m a bicyclist first, and I always will be. Of course my preference also burns more calories, which is always a plus!
It’s time to bring Idaho to California. While certainly not the first to say it, I’m joining the chorus.
The issue at hand: Bicycles and stop signs. In California, the law dictates that cyclists must always come to a complete stop. (Yeah, right.) The debate has been around for a long time, and it always seems to get pushed once again to the forefront when someone gets hurt or killed.
It’s important for cyclists to yield to cars and pedestrians, to stop when necessary, and to not kill ourselves or anyone else. Stopping at every uncrowded intersection, however, is simply not conducive to the physics of cycling, especially the kind of high-speed road sprinting that my fellow racers and I enjoy. Recreational and commuter bicyclists might stop more easily, but they too shouldn’t have to always do so just because it’s “the law.” And as I look carefully for cars and pedestrians in my path that would cue my need to stop, I’m tired of having to also look around for cops before rolling through an otherwise-deserted intersection.
This brings us to Idaho. The law there permits bicyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield and roll through it under certain circumstances, meaning… when it’s harmless to do so! This is hardly a novel concept; in fact it’s exactly what I and so many other cyclists already do everyday, in all those instances when simple practicality trumps the letter of the law.
It would just be nice if we didn’t have to risk being stopped and ticketed for safe judgment, common sense, and keeping the momentum going!
It closed, it opened, and then it closed again. The word is the Golden Gate Bridge bicycle lane will reopen– hopefully for good this time– by “the beginning of April.”
More Saturdays than not so far this year, I’m one of many cyclists “forced” to brave the bridge’s narrow, crowded, east-side walkway to Marin, then later a second time when even more congested and unruly– back across to San Francisco. In a rare moment of not dodging slow-moving, seemingly oblivious, camera-snapping packs of pedestrians, I glance across lanes of traffic to an empty, lifeless west-side bikeway– not a worker in sight– spotting no visual reason as to why on a Saturday, an obvious day off from the bridge’s current repairs, this very necessary stretch should remain closed. And then it’s back to the “obstacles” ahead.
Suffice to say, the beginning of April cannot come one ride soon enough!
Just when I think I’ve found them all, another one pops up to surprise me. Now well into my second year of road cycling all over the topographically adventurous city of San Francisco, “new” routes are continuing to present themselves. As such, I’m happy to report– yet again– that options abound within the city limits for a decent 20-to-30-mile spin.
Who says you have to leave San Francisco to log the mileage? Granted I’ll admit– today I did, hammering out the always satisfying 40-mile Sausalito-Tiberon loop, in reverse for my first time.
Still, despite the obvious obstacles and annoyances of city cycling, I continue to be thrown another decent road to conquer, some with fresh new pavement even! So, don’t think you have to drive out of town with bike in tow to get those legs seriously moving. It’s all right here within San Francisco, if you look. And yes, after this long, I’m still looking!
Thankfully I can say my mileage moved into three digits in this first week of 2012.
The new cycling year is off and pedaling! After a flat finish to 2011– literally, two rarely seen flat tires brought a quick end to my final ride– today kicked off my first spin of 2012. I tell you, there’s nothing like a good 30 miles of hammering to get the year rolling.
As I mentioned on December 31, I did manage in 2011 to surpass by a hair my cycling mileage of 2010, not that either number is at all impressive. In fact, both are just a little more than one-third my annual record, not to mention about a thousand miles less than my yearly average throughout the last decade.
Now after one ride, my mileage is up compared to this time last year. Perhaps I’ll be “on a roll” in 2012, not that good road cycling is solely about distance. Of course it’s distance– plus speed!
So here’s to my first 30 miles of the year. Now where are those first-of-the-season races?
Of all the ways to describe my 2011… the year of discovery, the year of lessons, and thanks to the record-low mileage on my car’s odometer, the year of literally going nowhere… among all else at least I can say this about my first entire calendar year as a resident of San Francisco: My 2011 cycling mileage did indeed surpass that of 2010. Granted this came– and just barely so– with conscious December effort upon literally getting my butt in gear after some previous months of– how shall we say– focus on other activities.
And now, here I type once again on this, another December 31. As always on this day, I think back over the uniqueness and memories of my past 12 months, while reminding myself that no matter what they turn out to be, the next 12 months ahead will certainly be different than the last. After all, nothing and no one remain the same. As such, I lift a glass to toast both the end of one year-long “season” and the beginning of the next. Literally and figuratively, miles and miles ahead remain to be pedaled!
May your “miles ahead” be welcoming, challenging and rewarding, be them my gas pedal, throttle, leg muscles, or anything more cerebral. Happy New Year 2012!
The pavement is smooth and the climbing unobstructed. With significant and impressive completions to the Marin Headlands road construction project, cycling through this beautiful area is now all the more satisfying.
As I wrote here almost a year ago, cyclists like myself often choose the Marin Headlands for a decent workout close to the city. And for all the “freshly paved roads” I then mentioned, now there are so many more. Most notably comes the immediate climb from the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, which we see in the above artist’s illustration. With the new bicycle lane clearly marked and not a flaw in all that fresh asphalt, you’ll be at the top in no time! From there just keep going, even onto some of the further-inland pavement yet to be redone.
If it’s been a while since you’ve visited the Headlands by bicycle, it’s certainly time for a “revisit,” even while dodging a few camera-snapping tourists here and there.
The Sawyer Camp Trail
More than one year now after moving to San Francisco, and after a couple of decades of regularly visiting the area, I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the terrific bicycling routes upon which I stumble. Along with its distinct topographical characteristics triggering a mental journey to another region of the country altogether– Maryland, Illinois and Wisconsin come to mind– the Sawyer Camp Trail in San Mateo County presents a beautiful slice of nature conveniently close to the City. Plus, it’s reportedly one of the most popular stretches in the vicinity. Who knew? Answer: Everyone but me apparently, until now that is!
Starting at the north end, the trail’s 12-mile stretch round trip, combined with a loop through Crystal Springs and Hillsborough, yields a respectable and hilly 25-mile route altogether. This is of course just one of numerous options, another being to add in my nearby favorite Canada Road to Woodside. Suffice to say, the cycling space continues– in my own ongoing discovery anyway– to expand throughout the peninsula. I’m just surprised I didn’t discover Sawyer sooner, having been so close. Now to more that awaits!
For the curving ascents and descents amid terrific views and less-than-terrific pavement, I’m immediately reminded of Mulholland Drive. After various recent moments of watching cyclists pass by my friends’ home, plus one occasion of exploring the route by motorcycle, finally this weekend I pedaled my way along a significant stretch of Grizzly Peak Boulevard through the hills of Berkeley.
It really is the Bay Area’s Mulholland equivalent, as far as I’m concerned. As such, like Mulholland for its winding and challenging terrain, I see why Grizzly Peak is so popular among cyclists. A simple Google search for “Grizzly Peak Cycling” instantly reveals how well established this thoroughfare is on two wheels.
While my first relatively short-distance ride was certainly a good workout, my next will be an even better one, thanks to additional miles in store. Like other terrific Bay Area cycling roads, I highly recommend this one!
More bicycle lanes in San Francisco are a good thing, but as a car owner I certainly do not want to see parking spaces eliminated. As such, it looks like I’ll just continue to ride through traffic as usual, at least for now. As this article indicates, change is forthcoming. We’ll just have to wait and see what ultimately happens!
No, that's not me.
After three weeks of getting used to a routine, come tomorrow morning my “usual” reason for turning on my television will no longer exist. The 2011 Tour de France is now an illustrious chapter in history.
The Final Podium in The 2011 Tour de France
Wikipedia works at lightening speeds, summing up the basic details of “the most epic race ever” quite succinctly: Australian Cadel Evans won the race, having gained the lead in a time-trial on the penultimate day. He became the first Australian to win the race, and at 34, the oldest post-war winner. Andy Schleck of Luxembourg was second for the third successive year, and his brother Frank Schleck third. Mark Cavendish was the first British winner of the points classification, and Samuel Sánchez of Spain won the mountains category. (Wikipedia)
The overall final standings are right here on letour.fr.
I’m happy to be able to say that from July 2 to 24, I “spun my legs” for the same number of days as the Tour riders, a symbolic move on my part in the spirit of the great sport of cycling. While I did not cycle this weekend, they had two rest days on which I remained in the saddle. As such our total days match, even if my own mileage comes up about 1750 miles short.
I raise a virtual glass of champagne to toast an amazing and most memorable Tour. With this, it’s back to morning news tomorrow morning, or better yet, no TV at all. I think I’ll go with the latter and get out on the bike!
Congrats to the 2011 TDF winner, Australian Cadel Evans!
As printed on letour.fr, this succinct and accurate analysis by race director Jean-Francois Pescheux labels Stage 19 as the one everyone is afraid of.
“Today’s route runs in the opposite direction to yesterday’s. The riders tackle the successive climbs of the Col du Télégraphe and the Galibier, and then finish with the climb to Alpe d’Huez, which returns after an absence of three years. It is a short stage. Nevertheless, all of the riders will be afraid of it. Those who aren’t going so well will be concerned about the cut-off time for elimination and the favourites will know that they will pay a heavy cost for any sign of weakness. The shortness of the stage allows the climbers to attack from very early on, which is not something they will be used to. This stage will be thrilling and, bearing in mind that it comes on the back of two other tough days, there is a chance that a lot of damage will be done today.”
The Road to Alpe d’Huez
The infamous, feared and celebrated climb of Alpe d’Huez has been completed for the year, with now a new man in yellow! And it’s not last year’s Tour winner. But who am I to spoil your own viewing?
The highest point of elevation in this year’s Tour happens to be followed by the highest-ever location for a stage finish. So distinguishes today’s memorable Stage 18, aptly described as the “Battle of the Alps” and a day in the Tour history books.
From the Col Agnel to the Col du Galibier, 168 truly battle-tested riders hammered up mile after mile of steep climbs, then of course flew down some equally lengthy descents, carrying the pack ever closer to Paris! It will be here before you know it, unless you already know Paris comes this Sunday.
The question remains: Who will take yellow to the big finish? Today’s stage winner proved yet again that anything could happen. Go Andy!
Andy Schleck wins Stage 18
Fourteen stages completed in France. For me, fifteen rides around the Bay Area accomplished. I must say, Le Tour has been quite a terrific source of motivation to get me cycling on a daily basis once again. Today marks my 15th consecutive day out on the road, sometimes in a group but largely on my own.
After 335.6 miles over the past 15 days, for a modest daily average of 22.37 miles, my latest “mini tour” hasn’t been so much about the actual distance covered in one day, but more about my average speed and overall workout. Most of all, I’ve readily welcomed the renewed self-discipline of being back in the saddle everyday.
Unfortunately I’m approaching the imminent need for a new crank set. Alas, it’s doubtful my current streak will reach the 50 consecutive days I hammered out in 2008. Oh well… there’s always my next “tour.”
Last year's Tour rides into Paris
Spaniard Samuel Sanchez wins on Bastille Day
I imagine the French might be a bit “agace” that on this Bastille Day, a Spaniard won stage 12 of the Tour de France. Fortunately for the French, their man Thomas Voeckler holds onto the yellow jersey, which should no doubt help keep today’s celebrations going.
It’s been said Le Tour really begins today, considering the first mountain stage of this year’s journey. Now we see the climbers really go to work. After all, there’s certainly a big difference between sprinting and climbing, while each rider has his own strong suit.
Today’s stage winner Samuel Sanchez weighs 140 pounds, as does defending TDF champion Alberto Contador, definitely a climbing advantage over other riders who weigh 165, 170 or more.
Meanwhile, congrats yet again to Mark Cavendish on his third stage win of the year yesterday. The leading sprinter lagged a bit behind today on those climbs, even though he’s down to 150 pounds apparently.
Let’s just say the climbs carry a lot of weight in the Tour, so to speak. At my weight I guess I’d have to drive up the mountain!
The aftermath of an unexpected type of crash.
Crashes are commonplace and largely expected in competitive cycling, but not crashes like this one! The car and its driver have been removed from the remainder of the Tour, and rightfully so!
Stage Nine was definitely another day of carnage, the worst of the year yet in fact, wiping out eight riders in one day! The Tour’s total number of riders has now dropped from 198 to 180.
All 180 of them certainly deserve today’s day of rest, after nine days of hard and crash-filled racing and before tomorrow’s 98-mile stage 10. Unfortunately for Norwegian Thor Hushovd, he lost the yellow jersey yesterday to French favorite Thomas Voeckler.
Thor Hushovd loses the yellow jersey after stage nine.
In the spirit of Le Tour, I’m heading out now for my 10th consecutive ride day. No day of rest pour moi!
Sometimes you just need to let the pictures do the talking!
Sorry to see you go Chris…
A true photo finish in stage four.
Following yesterday’s dramatic photo finish in stage four of the Tour de France, came “crash day” in today’s stage five, an aptly reported day of carnage, ten times over to be exact. Two more riders are now out altogether, while defending champion Alberto Contador picked himself up, literally threw aside his damaged bike for an immediate replacement, and continued on his way, slightly bloodied and kit-ripped. Too bad for him he couldn’t catch today’s winner, Mark Cavendish, who emerged victorious in another suspenseful stage finish.
All things considered, for better and for worse, as it’s been said and will be said again: “C’est le tour.”
Grab new bike, wipe blood (or not), and get going!
How perfectly fitting for an American cyclist to win not just any stage of the Tour de France, but stage three, which happened to fall on the fourth of July. Way to go Tyler Farrar. Keep it going!
American Farrar’s July 4 Stage Three Win
Energy. Endurance. Truly Amazing Speeds. My favorite sporting event of the year is well underway and going strong, with the first three stages now complete.
Every July, transfixed in front of my television, I see more French countryside than most vacationers probably ever do, that is when my eyes happen to drift from the peloton.
The 2011 Tour de France is here! Suffice to say, my free time is taken for the next three weeks. Je l’aime!
Now into my eighth month of living in the City by the Bay, I continue to be impressed not only by interesting “new” cycling climbs still being discovered – as was the case around Bernal Heights Park this morning – but also by how very, VERY quickly the weather here changes.
Quite a shift it was today, no doubt. As I pedaled out of Bernal Heights and headed north past AT&T Park toward the Bay Bridge, my jersey, shorts and gloves were very wet from the drizzle that had turned into rainfall. The sky remained gray overhead well after the drops ceased. Then, merely minutes later when I reached the Golden Gate, clear blue sky dominated the view. By this time my bicycle, clothing – and body – were dry.
From one bridge to another, today’s weather shifted faster than some of my gears! I’d add this to the list of great reasons to live in San Francisco, if it weren’t on there already.
There’s always something very rewarding about a full day in the saddle, leaving me with positive feelings of sustained exertion and expected though by no means day-ending fatigue. It’s even more satisfying when such a lengthy cycling trek has not happened in a while, which was indeed the case for me yesterday.
Most simply, despite my few extra pounds and frequent selection of the less-taxing throttle, I’m happy to say I still have it in me. My body’s overall physical performance has by no means failed me, as I remain, as I often like to say, “permanently trained?” I’ll include the question mark, mindful it may not last a lifetime, at least not without continued effort.
My cycling career has made a distinct shift in the past few years. That is, I clearly transitioned from the sustained long distances of centuries, to the much shorter and faster world of races. In 2007 century events, meaning cycling 100 miles in a day, were my most frequent choice of cycling recreation. Come 2009, I was most often pedaling as fast as I could to try to beat my competition in road races that spanned anywhere from 15 to 40 miles. Suffice to say, these are two very different types of cycle exertion.
No change for the worse after two years, thankfully enough.
My own rides have most recently remained shorter and faster for the most part, with the very occasional 50 or 60-miler thrown in. Then came yesterday, yielding me 85 miles in the saddle altogether. Looking back in my very complete ride records, the last time I rode this distance or more was on the Solvang Century in March 2009. The precise type of fatigue I felt last night, I have not felt since that last century. This feeling is by no means a bad one; in fact it’s quite thrilling and adrenaline inducing. The fact my legs felt heavy and stairs were exhausting is merely an observation and not a complaint. I ended up dressed for the evening and out late, on my motorcycle no less, with merely an extra yawn here and there. Many thanks to muscle memory, no doubt!
My body knows how to perform when called upon, even infrequently. While there’s always space for performance improvement, I’m in a self-satisfying and “permanently trained” physical place. It’s, um, like riding a bike. What more could I ask?
Well, here’s one thing: Another fast descent down Panoramic Highway into Stinson Beach. It’s truly the best I’ve found in the area thus far! Check it out for yourself, and I’ll be there to race you to the finish! 😉
Ryan R. Sanderson 