Stage 1, Presented by Nissan: Sunday, May 12 – Escondido
2013 ATOC Stage 1: route map, profile, and stage information
Stage Length: 104.3 miles
KEY FEATURES: Climbing began on day 1 at mile 12, the riders took on the climb of Mt Palomar (from the eastern slope), hit the summit by mile 50, followed by a steep climb up Cole Grade Road, a fast descent and a final sprint in town. Start and finish were from the same block in the city of Escondido.
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| Stage 1 ATOC 2013, (zoom in on route map and profile) |
| The city of Escondido is in southern California |
Stage 1 Results
Lieuwe Westra won the stage; see my results and finish photos here: Amgen Tour of Califronia - Stage 1 Results
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| Lieuwe Westra, Vancosoleil, wins Stage1. ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
Today was one of those rare times when a stage started and finished in the same town. We happily gathered in Escondido after applying copious amounts of sunscreen and grabbed our first free swag, the annual Breakaway from Cancer musette bag. I remained at the Start/Finish area with my brother and sister-in-law, both expert professional cycling fans. Willie headed to both Ramona and to the Coal Creek Road climb.
See Willie Reichenstein's album of photos from Stage 1, Amgen Tour of California: Escondio-Escondido. Like this one:
At Stage 1 Start
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| City of Escondido ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Nothing like a fresh line-up of team bikes ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| How to fuel team Bontrager ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| It was definitely a day for sunscreen. ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Tejay van Garderen came out to give an interview to Bob Roll ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| But forgot his shoes (and it was hot pavement!) proving that he has no ability to feel pain. ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Lieuwe Westra (left) and Bert-jan Lindeman heading out on what would be a very successful Stage 1. ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Peter Sagan came out to give an interview to Bob Roll and sign autographs, he also offered Bob Roll an lesson in how to pronounce his name - "Sah-gone". FAN TIP: if you find Bob Roll near the team buses, follow him, he is on the interview circuit and riders will come out of the bus to talk with him. ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Did you know that Frankie Andreu is Team Manager of 5-Hour Energy? ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Thomas de Gendt #71 ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| You'll recognize Thomas by the scorpion on his leg ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Brent Bookwalter (BMC) ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Thor Hushovd ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Sylvain Chavanel outside his team bus ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Rohan Dennis of Australia ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
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| Dave Zabriskie with two young fans ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
Thanks to so many friendly fans I met throughout the day, in the Lifestyle Village, near the team buses, in the Michelob Ultra tent watching the race live, along the barricades, and the DuVine Cycling Adventure Co tour group from Australia - you made the day special. Sorry @DanielParker Orr that I did not meet up with you, I looked for you three times in that fancy AEG VIP tent.
Willie found the Timmy Duggan fan club was out in support of our current American National Champion Road:
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| The Go Timmy Duggan Fan Club |
My brother Mike and Sister-in-law Suz live in Laguna Beach, CA, so they came down to Stage 1 today. Between us, we have been to the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Tour of Switzerland, Criterium Dauphine, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, plus we've been coming to the Tour of California since it started. Basically it seems we have chased these races and riders around the world. Suz has a long tradition of getting her photos with the riders.
Suz is gutsy and she knows how to get a photo op done. I very rarely have photos taken with the riders when I am on my own, only occasionally my favorites. But today when Suz started her fun, I couldn't stand by and watch, so I kept diving into her photos with the guys. We had so much fun laughing and enjoying ourselves. The riders were amazingly kind. Here we are....
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| Sylvain Chavanel, Suz, and me |
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| me, Johan Vansummeren, Suz |
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| Suz, Dave Zabriskie, me |
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| Get out of the way of my photo of World Champion Philippe Gilbert! |
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| No worries, Mike got his own picture of Philippe |
We enjoyed a lunch in the French cafe in town near the start-finish line. A very convenient and air-conditioned place to relax and enjoy a meal between the depart and return of the riders into the same location. We also toured the Lifestyle Village to collect our customary Breakaway from Cancer Swag, and of course, had a cold beer under the shade of the Michelob Ultra beer tent (featuring large screen TVs carrying race coverage live!).
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| Shade, beers, and fun new friends at the Michelob Ultra tent in Escondido - 105 degrees! |
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| Willie, Suz and Mike at the Breakaway from Cancer tent in the Festival Village - good swag! |
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| Lunch at the French Bakery, right along the route in Escondido. |
It was Mother's Day today. I met a mother, whose son had planned for her the "perfect day," as she called it. She told me she had been a bike racer herself, back in the day she raced with Connie Carpenter Phinney (Taylor's Mom). She and her son were happily enjoying a post-race lunch and tea in downtown Escondido right along the race route.
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| A happy Mother's Day |
We finished the night with dinner and a beer at Stone Brewery, in Escondido, with Willie, my friend and photographer for Pedal Dancer®, and family/friend and our host during these southern stages - Jeannie. Great conversation to finish a good day in a spectacular setting. And a tasty Stone Brewery Arrogant Bastard Ale! Yum.
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| The gardens of the Stone Brewery ©Photo by Karen at Pedal Dancer® |
Stage 2 : Route Map | Route Profile | timetable | ATOC Stage 2 page
Stage 2, Presented by Visit California: Monday, May 13 – Murrieta to Greater Palm Springs
2013 ATOC Stage 2: route map, profile, and stage information
Start Location: Murrieta City Hall/Town Square Park
Finish Location: Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (short steep hilltop finish)
Start Time: 10:20 a.m.
Stage Length: 124.3 miles
Live Viewing: 2pm PDT NBC Sport Network
CITY HIGHLIGHT: Route & City information about Murrieta
CITY HIGHLIGHT: Route & City information about Palm Springs
KEY FEATURES: Rides through Temecula Valley wine country, climbs up the San Jacinto Mountains to the hamlet of Idyllwild, stage will finish up Tramway Road climb to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway parking lot. The last 3.8 miles gains 1,880 feet of elevation (average over 9%) – "one of the toughest climbs anywhere".
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Pedal Dancer Stage 1 results: Amgen Tour of California - Stage 1 Results
Pedal Dancer Stage 1 highlights: California Cruisin' - Stage 1, Tour of California
Pedal Dancer Stage 2 results: Amgen Tour of California - Stage 2 Results
Pedal Dancer Stage 2 highlights: California Cruisin' - Stage 2, Tour of California
Pedal Dancer Stage 3 results: Amgen Tour of California - Stage 3 Results
Pedal Dancer Stage 3 highlights: California Cruisin' - Stage 3, Tour of California
Pedal Dancer Stage 4 results: Amgen Tour of California - Stage 4 Results
Pedal Dancer Stage 4 highlights: California Cruisin' - Stage 4, Tour of California
Pedal Dancer Stage 5 results: Amgen Tour of California - Stage 5 results
Pedal Dancer Stage 5 highlights: California Cruisin' - Stage 5, Tour of California
Pedal Dancer Stage 6 results: Amgen Tour of California - Stage 6 results
Pedal Dancer Stage 7 results: Amgen Tour of California - Stage 7 results
