Amgen Tour of California Wrap up (and cool new tool!)

Here is a summary of the ATOC based on my Strava data.  I used Velo Viewer to produce it.  Velo Viewer is a real cool tool for Strava data geeks.  It grabs one's Strava data and provides additional analytics and visualization.

Amgen Tour of California Stage 8

We rode in the Chairman's ride, one lap of the course for the final stage.  Dave and Melissa Buches join team CTS for the ride.  Here are some photos

And my Strava data:

Amgen Tour of California -- great post by Chris Carmichael

Here is a link to a great blog post by Chris Carmichael who is leading our CTS Tour of California:

Pros vs Joes on the Amgen Tour of California

Today's stage had the last of the real climbing (tomorrow is the final stage) and it was another hot one.  Here is my Strava data:

ATOC Stage 6 Strava Data

Here is my Strava data from today's stage:

Amgen Tour of California: Stage 6 Santa Clarita to Mountain High

Today we rode from the first KOM (in order to stay ahead of the race).  It was a beautiful ride through the desert and into the mountains.  Lots of climbing and some really fast descents.

Here was my view as I approached the finish:

And here is Bradley Wiggins finishing and adding to his lead of the GC.

Amgen Tour of California Stage 5: Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara

It was a really hot day!  My Garmin recorded temperatures of over 105 degrees.  We rode from near Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara.   The final climb was tough but part way up I heard my name being called:  it was former Veritas colleague Andrew McCarthy who was spectating with friends.

After the final peak it was a fast descent to Santa Barbara.  But not as fast as Taylor Phinney who won today's stage after a break away on the descent.

At this point I'm pretty tired and pretty sore but the end is in sight.  Just three more stages!  Tomorrow will be a tough one with lots of climbing but it looks like the temperature will be more reasonable.

I saw a none to happy Mark Cavendish right after the finish.

And here is my Strava data:

A couple of pictures from today.

Didn't have too much time to take pictures today but here is a photo op with Team CTS at the Bixby Bridge:

A picture of the whole Team CTS:

And here is a picture from the finish in Cambria:

Amgen Tour of California Stage 4

Stage Four started in Monterey and followed Route 1 along the coast to Cambria.  It was hot today (but not as hot as yesterday!) but we had a great ride.  Here is the Strava data:

Amgen Tour fo California Stage 3

We rode from the start to the feed zone and then hopped in the Van to transfer to the Sprint in Livermore.  This was so that we could stay far enough ahead of the peloton to be sure that we could finish before they arrived.  Given how hot it was I wasn't too sad about missing the miles in the San Antonio Valley.

Here is the Strava data for the first leg:



And here is the Strava data for the second leg:

Wiggins leading with 1.2km to go

Only to lose in the last 300 meters!

The last 300 meters is really steep (18%).


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Today's route on Strava

Team CTS rode together to the start and then we each rode the TT course.  Here is the Strava data:

After the Time Trial. Bikes in the back.

Inside the CTS Trailer.

Riding to the start of Stage 2: The Time Trial

Team CTS rode from our hotel in Sacramento to the start of Stage 2.  It was an nice easy ride on the bike path.

Riding through the finish of the Time Trial

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Preparations for Stage Two: the TT

The view from my hotel window.



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Finished Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California

It was a long day.  We started riding from the hotel to the start of the ATOC and then rode the entire course.  We only did one lap of the circuit around the State House rather then the three laps the pros did because the CHP Officers wanted us off the course before the peloton arrived.

Here is the Strava record:

Live from Sacramento!

Pros enter the finish. Three laps and then they're done!


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Stage One ATOC

Ready to get going.


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Briefing for ATOC

Chris Carmichael briefing the 17th team.


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Location:Point West Way,Sacramento,United States

Stage 1 of the ATOC

Here is the route for the first stage which kicks off tomorrow in Sacramento.

Getting excited....

Tomorrow is the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California.  Stage one is in Sacramento.  It is a 120 mile loop with about 4,000 ft of climbing.  I'm ready but still a bit nervous about the third stage: San Jose to Mt. Hamilton to Livermore with a finish on top of Mt. Diablo.  108 miles with more than 10,000 ft of climbing.  And it may be very hot on Tuesday!

Check back here each day for pictures and results.

The 2014 Amgen Tour of California

Starting on Sunday, May 11th I will be riding with Carmichael Training Systems in the Tour of California.  We are the '17th' team.  We will start each stage a few hours ahead of the pros and, hopefully, finish before they do.  If they catch up to us we will have to get off the road!

I will try to post here each day during the event.