Tour of California - Diablo (prolly a spoiler)

[MattTuck]

Did anyone else catch Luis Lemus (Mexican National Champion) crossing the line today? He seemed to be holding a federal reserve note, and looking confused about what to do with it. I want to hear the story behind that.

I'm DVRing the later broadcast in case they show it again.

[ultraman6970]

Wiggo did great today and with no team.

[Uncle Jam's Army]

I'm still watching the stage on dvr, so I don't know what Lemus was doing. But I just gotta say, Christian VandeVelde needs to be pulled out of the commentary box.

I know he's new at this, but he's trying way too hard, goes too fast, winds up stuttering, mixing up his metaphors, and not making much sense ("I cannot under emphasize it enough"?). He obviously knows a lot, and once in a while a really good point makes its way through his convoluted delivery. It's clear that commentating on the air does not come natural for him, however.

And don't get me started about Phil calling the wrong winner again in the opening stage sprint.

[gianni]

Wiggo did great today and with no team.

Wiggo controlled the whole climb da solo --awesome display, impressive.

[alioup]

He took a $100 handup near the finish.

[gianni]

I can't handle Phil. He has no grasp on tactics, let alone being the play by play guy. Please, I can't take it anymore! Switch out Phil for S slanger.

[pdmtong]

Way too hot to sit on Diablo all day so here they are 20min into the race and a mile into the Hamilton climb

Note wiggo rocking the empires

Cav in the points jersey. Jens far right black

Sagan far right green

God of thunder



http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/14/navy5atu.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/14/venutyvy.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/14/gaqaremy.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/14/a3u8u9u4.jpg

[rustychisel]

Wiggins picks on the little kids again.

Why isn't he duking it out with the big boys in Italy, where the weather is fine [not], the peloton is flying [except when they chicken out and call 'piano'] and the mountains beckon?

[victoryfactory]

Wiggo did great today and with no team.

No team?
Yikes they protected him the whole way and controlled the race
and kept the tempo high enough to deliver him to the base of the climb.
They kept the break close too. For his "second string" unit I think they
did a great ride.
On a super hot day I don't think wiggins needed to do any
more this early in the race.

VF

[laupsi]

should be happy we have the opportunity to see racing in this country however compared to the coverage/blow by blow and video of the Giro on BEIN Sports, this is awful. awful in every sense from the commentating to the frame by frame images coming in over the air waves. c'mon folks if you're going to do coverage do it right!

[morrisericd]

I agree - that was teamwork at it's finest. They dragged him all the way to the hill and then up the first third where he then took over. As Phil said (maybe Paul) he was sitting in his recliner all the way to Diablo. Great race - great opportunity for us to show that we can put on our own dance.

Mixed feelings about Christian - I really enjoy the Phil and Paul show and Christian keeps stepping on Paul. I did almost hear "dancing on the pedals" last night though (he swapped dancing for something else - can't remember)

[downtube]

I have a question about the coverage. Not sure if it is my DVR or if everybody had a million freeze ups on the picture. Would like to hear from a couple people so I know if I need to get a new DVR or if NBC sports needs some better tech>
It was a great finish, that last 1/4 mile is a wall. Amazing power after 100 miles in that heat.

[laupsi]

I have a question about the coverage. Not sure if it is my DVR or if everybody had a million freeze ups on the picture. Would like to hear from a couple people so I know if I need to get a new DVR or if NBC sports needs some better tech>
It was a great finish, that last 1/4 mile is a wall. Amazing power after 100 miles in that heat.

exactly what I was referencing in my description of video streaming "frame by frame". for professional coverage it was very lackluster to say the least. what year is it again???

[FlashUNC]

I can't handle Phil. He has no grasp on tactics, let alone being the play by play guy. Please, I can't take it anymore! Switch out Phil for S slanger.

He called Taylor Phinney "Davis" repeatedly during the TT, and Peter Stetina "Dale" the entire time up Diablo yesterday. He's stuck in 1985.

Between him, Paul with the same tired old comments and Christian Vande Velde providing such insightful commentary as "they're going really fast now", I pine for the pirated feeds with Eurosport commentators.

[bobswire]

No team?
Yikes they protected him the whole way and controlled the race
and kept the tempo high enough to deliver him to the base of the climb.
They kept the break close too. For his "second string" unit I think they
did a great ride.
On a super hot day I don't think wiggins needed to do any
more this early in the race.

VF

True that. I was out riding earlier and got home before the telecast started and can testify I was hot out there and no fun climbing in this kind of weather. Sky did a great job of controlling the race lead in protecting Wiggo then watching Wiggo set the pace on the climb was very impressive. Basically towing everyone along until last few meters.

[soulspinner]

I'm still watching the stage on dvr, so I don't know what Lemus was doing. But I just gotta say, Christian VandeVelde needs to be pulled out of the commentary box.

I know he's new at this, but he's trying way too hard, goes too fast, winds up stuttering, mixing up his metaphors, and not making much sense ("I cannot under emphasize it enough"?). He obviously knows a lot, and once in a while a really good point makes its way through his convoluted delivery. It's clear that commentating on the air does not come natural for him, however.

And don't get me started about Phil calling the wrong winner again in the opening stage sprint.

+1 I was cringing........

[soulspinner]

Velonews said Wiggo was exposed...He was killing it and dropped people left and right and cause he didnt have a kick at the end he was exposed? Even the stage winner said he knew Wiggo wouldnt have much left after staying on the front that long.

[Matt-H]

I'm still watching the stage on dvr, so I don't know what Lemus was doing. But I just gotta say, Christian VandeVelde needs to be pulled out of the commentary box.

Fer shur.

[ultraman6970]

We saw the same race but you got me wrong... probably I should have said... wiggo did solo the last 30 minutes. The other dude got me right away tho :P

No team?
Yikes they protected him the whole way and controlled the race
and kept the tempo high enough to deliver him to the base of the climb.
They kept the break close too. For his "second string" unit I think they
did a great ride.
On a super hot day I don't think wiggins needed to do any
more this early in the race.

VF

[ultraman6970]

Well... wiggo is not a pure climber and after what he did sure he was running in empty. As for exposed, well... depends of the point of view.

Velonews said Wiggo was exposed...He was killing it and dropped people left and right and cause he didnt have a kick at the end he was exposed? Even the stage winner said he knew Wiggo wouldnt have much left after staying on the front that long.

[ultraman6970]

By the way what happened with the cannondale rider? suddenly the guy was not there.

I think nbc should stop using the football banners to put info in the screen, crap is that hard to make something like the europeans do?? Same with the names, darn.. names are never in the screen, poor phill and paul have to guess what is going on because the screen always have the wrong info... sucks.

He called Taylor Phinney "Davis" repeatedly during the TT, and Peter Stetina "Dale" the entire time up Diablo yesterday. He's stuck in 1985.

Between him, Paul with the same tired old comments and Christian Vande Velde providing such insightful commentary as "they're going really fast now", I pine for the pirated feeds with Eurosport commentators.

[victoryfactory]

He called Taylor Phinney "Davis" repeatedly during the TT, and Peter Stetina "Dale" the entire time up Diablo yesterday. He's stuck in 1985.

Between him, Paul with the same tired old comments and Christian Vande Velde providing such insightful commentary as "they're going really fast now", I pine for the pirated feeds with Eurosport commentators.

I like Phil and Paul, Phil's mistakes don't bother me. But listening to the first stages it sounds disjointed, almost like Paul is at another location and phoning it in long distance.
3 guys is too many if the third guy talks too much. In recent years P&P have started out like this on stage races and picked it up after 2 or 3 days. (Old age?)

VF

[MattTuck]

I like Phil and Paul, Phil's mistakes don't bother me. But listening to the first stages it sounds disjointed, almost like Paul is at another location and phoning it in long distance.
3 guys is too many if the third guy talks too much. In recent years P&P have started out like this on stage races and picked it up after 2 or 3 days. (Old age?)

VF

My bigger issue is that we have perfectly fine commentary from Eurosport, without all the commercials and crazy graphics and segments. It is simple, they get the feed from the race and do the voice over. MAYBE they have someone at the finish line trying to score an interview.

OLN, then versus, and now NBC Sports bring an entirely American approach to broadcasting cycling and it doesn't work, in my opinion. That formula may work well for sports with time outs, natural lulls in the action that can be filled. Cycling isn't as predictable in some respects, and in other respects is much more boring in others. twitter is the saving grace of cycling commentators -- instead of just talking about random crap to pass the time, you can actually have conversations about what people want to hear.

I'd rather have NBC just license the Eurosport feed. It is superior in virtually everyway, and I have to imagine it would be cheaper to license it than produce the flaming bag of crap that they currently make.

[54ny77]

I recall reading somewhere, or maybe it was an actual video (with Todd Gogulski in it?), but certain races are reported on by guys in a cramped trailer somewhere in CT. As in, reporting on the Giro from a trailer in Connecticut.

Maybe it was things carried by NBC Universal? Dunno, my memory gone bad.....

[rePhil]

I used to be a Phil & Paul fan. These days it seems like they only recognize a few favorite riders. It used to be Lance & Co. but now it's Sir Bradley Wiggins and Sky. I got so tired of hearing his name climbing Diablo I muted the sound. Add in the mistakes and I am losing interest. Perhaps it's time for a changing of the guard.

Compare that to the Giro with Kirby and LLoyd. No favorites and Lloyd adds a lot of inside info.

[alessandro]

Did anyone else catch Luis Lemus (Mexican National Champion) crossing the line today? He seemed to be holding a federal reserve note, and looking confused about what to do with it. I want to hear the story behind that.

I'm DVRing the later broadcast in case they show it again.

Here's the pic: http://instagram.com/p/n9F1PDwU8E/#

[MattTuck]

Here's the pic: http://instagram.com/p/n9F1PDwU8E/#

Wow. I've never seen that type of thing before, atleast not that I can remember. Pretty cool! Is it common?

[laupsi]

My bigger issue is that we have perfectly fine commentary from Eurosport, without all the commercials and crazy graphics and segments. It is simple, they get the feed from the race and do the voice over. MAYBE they have someone at the finish line trying to score an interview.

OLN, then versus, and now NBC Sports bring an entirely American approach to broadcasting cycling and it doesn't work, in my opinion. That formula may work well for sports with time outs, natural lulls in the action that can be filled. Cycling isn't as predictable in some respects, and in other respects is much more boring in others. twitter is the saving grace of cycling commentators -- instead of just talking about random crap to pass the time, you can actually have conversations about what people want to hear.

I'd rather have NBC just license the Eurosport feed. It is superior in virtually everyway, and I have to imagine it would be cheaper to license it than produce the flaming bag of crap that they currently make.

this people, this... thanks Matt!!!

[FlashUNC]

I like Phil and Paul, Phil's mistakes don't bother me. But listening to the first stages it sounds disjointed, almost like Paul is at another location and phoning it in long distance.
3 guys is too many if the third guy talks too much. In recent years P&P have started out like this on stage races and picked it up after 2 or 3 days. (Old age?)

VF

It's a cumulative thing. Phil cannot get anything right about a race. I've listened to him call Movistar as Team Kelme. He confuses riders with their former pro parents from nearly three decades ago. Never mind being latched onto the Pharmstrong teat for entirely too long, he's incompetent as an announcer if he can't give basic information about what's happening in a race. He's bumbling around like Harry Caray in his final years at the mic.

The Eurosport feeds -- while not perfect -- are infinitely better.

[bobswire]

They have a stock pile of Phil and Paul audio tape from years years of recordings they recycle, saves them a lot of money. They just dub over the names of the riders here and there.

[bikingshearer]

True that. I was out riding earlier and got home before the telecast started and can testify I was hot out there and no fun climbing in this kind of weather. Sky did a great job of controlling the race lead in protecting Wiggo then watching Wiggo set the pace on the climb was very impressive. Basically towing everyone along until last few meters.

No doubt it was hot, but not as hot on Diablo as you might think. I rode up to just above Rock City and found a lovely place in the shade to eat my sammich and watch the race. There was just a hint of a breeze, which helped. On the way down, somewhere between 1000 and 1500 feet elevation, the temperature instantly rose by what felt like 10 degrees F. The lower exposed slopes were hotter than a bit higher up where there is more shade, but I expect the exposed part between Juniper and the Devil's Elbow was also not much fun.

Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not saying is wasn't hot, just that it wasn't as bad as it could of been - or was last year above Palm Springs or in 1967 on Mt. Ventoux . . . .

[pdmtong]

No doubt it was hot, but not as hot on Diablo as you might think. I rode up to just above Rock City and found a lovely place in the shade to eat my sammich and watch the race. There was just a hint of a breeze, which helped. On the way down, somewhere between 1000 and 1500 feet elevation, the temperature instantly rose by what felt like 10 degrees F. The lower exposed slopes were hotter than a bit higher up where there is more shade, but I expect the exposed part between Juniper and the Devil's Elbow was also not much fun.

Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not saying is wasn't hot, just that it wasn't as bad as it could of been - or was last year above Palm Springs or in 1967 on Mt. Ventoux . . . .

between the heat forecast and the weekday stage it was EMPTY compared to last year and the year before. The guy I went with last year sat at the 1.5k mark and said the same..hot but not as bad as expected. I couldnt make it work this year so was on mt hamilton road.

[LouDeeter]

My DVR version ran out with 3 km to go, so I DVR'd the one hour summary after midnight and it was also missing the final 3 km. I figured it was my DVR.

[Elefantino]

My DVR version ran out with 3 km to go, so I DVR'd the one hour summary after midnight and it was also missing the final 3 km. I figured it was my DVR.
Yes, your DVR was trying to spare you from Liggett and Vande Velde.

Try this:

http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube3/?title=Last+6+Km+of+Stage+3&dashboard=tour-of-california&id=OyTUyVU6r9I&yr=2014

[pdmtong]

Yes, your DVR was trying to spare you from Liggett and Vande Velde.

Try this:

http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube3/?title=Last+6+Km+of+Stage+3&dashboard=tour-of-california&id=OyTUyVU6r9I&yr=2014

Having CVV in the booth could add so much to the broadcast, with little anecdotes from someone who actually rode recently at the highest levels.

But generally all he does is follow paul's lead and re-gurge it back out.

Don't you just love how they anoint the winner before hand only to yet again be proven wrong?

On another note, only a few years Trek shows up in a custom bus...this time Jens and crew roll up in a rented motor home. I did NOT buy the "Adios Jens" tee shirt nor the Sagan tee shirt ($35...ouch).

[Elefantino]

Some things from my workday yesterday. Did a story on Joe Dombrowski (http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/05/news/dombrowski-shelf-pain_327822) for the website and contributed to the finish coverage. Mostly, just had a good time and reconnected with some rider friends and colleagues.

Boonen's weird-color (and out of focus; sorry) bike
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/gmmtwo/file_zps24a7f1c0.jpg

At the start in San Ho
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/gmmtwo/file_zpsc98deeea.jpg
Video of the start here (http://youtu.be/vVWTSdoTfq8)

A happy winner, Rohan Dennis
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/gmmtwo/file_zpsbc7466c1.jpg

A not-so-happy race leader, Sir Wiggo
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/gmmtwo/file_zps0ee5c835.jpg

L-R: Tiago Machado, Dennis, Lawson Craddock on the stage podium
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/gmmtwo/file_zps4b882c9b.jpg

And, finally, Cav ... knackered.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/gmmtwo/file_zpsc89ec9c8.jpg

[pdmtong]

So how was it riding up there in air-con, sitting in a VIP tent, with cold drinks at your finger tips?

[Elefantino]

So how was it riding up there in air-con, sitting in a VIP tent, with cold drinks at your finger tips?
I was in the media tent. We had almost-cold water and not enough chairs. I rode up and down in a minivan and the trips were made nauseous by me trying to tweet while passenger-ing. Then a volunteer tried to keep me off the course at the finish but I brushed her out of the way.

It was hell. :D

[enr1co]

Work/meetings got in the way and wasnt able to ride on to Diablo and hang out:mad:

Fortunately worked from home and only ~2 miles from Blackhawk road leading to the southgate climb of Diablo, so was able to sneak away at 2:30 to view the peloton ride by ~ 3:00 :)

Watched a short YouTube clip of the final kilos and as always, just amazed how fast these guys were going up Diablo.

For those grades/mountains we mere mortals have been able to experience and suffer on first hand, its just incredible to see the speed of the pros!