# No Horner in ATOC this year



## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

...looks like. Amgen Tour of California announces 2015 teams - VeloNews.com


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

They just got sponsored by Knight too. I was hoping Knight would get some good exposure because of that. Guess Utah will have to do?


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

I was not expecting Horner to be out of the Amjen Tour. I was going to try and make one of the stages but without Horner I think I will skip it. To me it's weird since Horner won the Amgen tour in 2011 and it makes since to me to make a point of getting him in the race. Anyway it's to bad.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

More info. Horner disappointed. Horner, Airgas-Safeway disappointed after missing Tour of California invitation | Cyclingnews.com


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## turbogrover (Jan 1, 2006)

looigi said:


> More info. Horner disappointed. Horner, Airgas-Safeway disappointed after missing Tour of California invitation | Cyclingnews.com


Wow, I'm disappointed too. I think it's a huge mistake by the race organizers not to include Horner in the ATOC. He would've made the race way more interesting. I would've put the Airgas/Safeway team in, over the Hincapie team. Guess it's just politics.


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## SlippedChain (Nov 4, 2013)

turbogrover said:


> Wow, I'm disappointed too. I think it's a huge mistake by the race organizers not to include Horner in the ATOC. He would've made the race way more interesting. I would've put the Airgas/Safeway team in, over the Hincapie team. Guess it's just politics.


^^^This^^^
It was a big mistake.

Horner was fun to watch and as a 45 year old guy myself kind of enjoyed routing for one of the old guard.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

I particularly liked him racing Leipheimer up Mt Baldy. Two baldies leading the race up Baldy.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

Airgas Safeway is going to be racing in San Rafael in July so I think I will drive up and watch the race and maybe stay overnight with my wife and find something else to do in the area. It's a beautiful part of the country.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

I think it was a bigger deal that the sponsors Airgas and Safeway were excluded than Horner. The sport needs well-heeled investors at that level in this country, and I hope they get the invite next year based on their results this year. 

Horner? I think it's time for him to consider his next career. At a certain point every athlete has to. I'd prefer it not be as a DS, given the suspicions surrounding him, but maybe as a commentator or brand ambassador.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

what was airgas best placing last year in an UCI race? compared to hincapie? 
Yes they have horner but given his track record he is might be injured anyway, given his age it's even more likely. Given his 2014 results it's not clear what he will bring.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

Well on Feb 27th is the Chico stage race and Airgas Safeway is racing so we will get a sampler of what they can do. I wish them well.


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## turbogrover (Jan 1, 2006)

den bakker said:


> what was airgas best placing last year in an UCI race? compared to hincapie?


Airgas-Safeway has a rider that finished 17th overall in the 2014 TDF.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

Chris Horner also took 2nd place in the Tour of Utah last year. I think that Horner did more last year then folks are willing to admit. However this is a new year and we will just have to wait and see how it comes out. I am anxious to see how the first race this year pans out. If he is on the podium it will do so much for the team spirit coming up to other events.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

turbogrover said:


> Airgas-Safeway has a rider that finished 17th overall in the 2014 TDF.


yes. 
now will you answer the (rhetorical) question?


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

I took a look at the Marin bicycle that they will be riding. I like the way it looks.


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## turbogrover (Jan 1, 2006)

den bakker said:


> yes.
> now will you answer the (rhetorical) question?



I'm not trying to be snarky, but their placement in a 2014 UCI race isn't as relevant as having an accomplished world tour rider, and former ATOC race winner currently leading their team. In my personal opinion, Airgas-Safeway should've been included in the ATOC.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

turbogrover said:


> I'm not trying to be snarky, but their placement in a 2014 UCI race isn't as relevant as having an accomplished world tour rider, and former ATOC race winner currently leading their team. In my personal opinion, Airgas-Safeway should've been included in the ATOC.


Who on the team is going to be working for CH in the mountains. The kids he is riding with may have talent but the Amgen tour is made up of mostly World Tour teams this year. I suspect the kids will be off the back and Horner would be alone. What can he do by himself? At first I was outraged but now I am swinging around to maybe the team should earn their way into the mix and ride next year if they can prove their metal this year. Maybe they will ride in the Tour of Utah and the Tour of Colorado and if so then we will see how CH does with his young team. I am looking forward to Feb 27 which will be the first race of the year for Airgas Safeway.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

BikeLayne said:


> I am looking forward to Feb 27 which will be the first race of the year for Airgas Safeway.


They raced Snelling this past weekend.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

deviousalex said:


> They raced Snelling this past weekend.


Me too. It was fast.

Airgas will be at Chico SR this weekend.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

Local Hero said:


> Me too. It was fast.


Congrats....?


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

deviousalex said:


> Congrats....?


Thanks....?

My first time being in a race with a grand tour winner.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

Congrats on the racing. I hope you enjoyed the day. I guess the Airgas Safeway calender is not kept up to date as it does not mention the Snelling Road race.


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

I don't think they did anything at Snelling.. I looked at pics and it didn't seem like they were a factor.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

TricrossRich said:


> I don't think they did anything at Snelling.. I looked at pics and it didn't seem like they were a factor.


They didn't tear the race apart but had their turns at the front. This video may or may not show it:


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## DBT (Oct 31, 2008)

BikeLayne said:


> I took a look at the Marin bicycle that they will be riding. I like the way it looks.


Just catching up on this thread. The San Rafael race is fun. The course is pretty basic, just around a few downtown streets. Very little elevation change (though I am sure they feel it after charging for 90 minutes) allows for fast races. I think there are a total of 6 throughout the day. Pro men start late (at 8:00?) and finish under the lights.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

DBT said:


> Just catching up on this thread. The San Rafael race is fun. The course is pretty basic, just around a few downtown streets. Very little elevation change (though I am sure they feel it after charging for 90 minutes) allows for fast races. I think there are a total of 6 throughout the day. Pro men start late (at 8:00?) and finish under the lights.


Because there are a lot of people there the race is on full gas from lap one. Even that 1-2% gradient up to the finish starts to feel painful when trying to hold the wheel in front of you. In the right turn into the uphill you can loose a lot of position if you aren't careful.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Local Hero said:


> They didn't tear the race apart but had their turns at the front. This video may or may not show it:


nice crowds a GT winner can pull.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

DBT said:


> Just catching up on this thread. The San Rafael race is fun. The course is pretty basic, just around a few downtown streets. Very little elevation change (though I am sure they feel it after charging for 90 minutes) allows for fast races. I think there are a total of 6 throughout the day. Pro men start late (at 8:00?) and finish under the lights.


While there is "very little elevation change" just for ref last time I did San Rafael (which I doubt very much Horner will do) we climbed 1500 feet over the course of the race.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

32and3cross said:


> While there is "very little elevation change" just for ref last time I did San Rafael (which I doubt very much Horner will do) we climbed 1500 feet over the course of the race.


Horner did mention in a previous interview he will be doing crits, so I think he'll be there.


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## DBT (Oct 31, 2008)

32and3cross said:


> While there is "very little elevation change" just for ref last time I did San Rafael (which I doubt very much Horner will do) we climbed 1500 feet over the course of the race.


My apologies for not being clear. I meant nothing disparaging about the suffering that occurs. I have never raced it (I just live here) as I would be shelled off the back before that first right turn. I just watch, enjoy, and drink beer.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

Chris Horner is racing in the Redlands classic this weekend. It's a 5 day stage race and he is right up there. Tomorrow is a criterium and on Sunday a lengthy road race with a lot of climbing. I guess CH will put the hammer down on Sunday for the win if he is able. Apparently his first race of the season.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

BikeLayne said:


> Chris Horner is racing in the Redlands classic this weekend. It's a 5 day stage race and he is right up there. Tomorrow is a criterium and on Sunday a lengthy road race with a lot of climbing. I guess CH will put the hammer down on Sunday for the win if he is able. Apparently his first race of the season.


Chis is getting his ass handed to him he lost time on almost every stage. I give him no chance of winning Redlands, and thusly no chance of his team get invites Colorado or Utah unless they pay their way in.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

BikeLayne said:


> Chris Horner is racing in the Redlands classic this weekend. It's a 5 day stage race and he is right up there. Tomorrow is a criterium and on Sunday a lengthy road race with a lot of climbing. I guess CH will put the hammer down on Sunday for the win if he is able. Apparently his first race of the season.


it's not his first race, he rode snellen. 
which you were reminded of once already in this thread.


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

32and3cross said:


> Chis is getting his ass handed to him he lost time on almost every stage. I give him no chance of winning Redlands, and thusly no chance of his team get invites Colorado or Utah unless they pay their way in.


Wow, considering Horner's history @ Redlands, that is pretty bad. Unless he's just having trouble coming into form, it sounds like it time for him to hang up his cleats


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

den bakker said:


> it's not his first race, he rode snellen.
> which you were reminded of once already in this thread.


 Could you provide a link for the overall classification of the riders and CH.


edit: Never mind I found it. He came in 50th place.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

32and3cross said:


> Chis is getting his ass handed to him he lost time on almost every stage. I give him no chance of winning Redlands, and thusly no chance of his team get invites Colorado or Utah unless they pay their way in.


 He is 1 minute 8 seconds down from the leader. A local rider Ben Jacques Maynes is about 11 minutes down. 

Tomorrow is the day and we shall see how CH does. I wish him well.


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

It's kind of hard to follow the small races but apparently Horner was outgunned from day one. I think I will skip the small races and watch the big events as the coverage is available. Apparently Sagan's bike broke with 5km and after he got a new bike it was to late. His boss has a new name and is now called TickedOff.


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## Dry Side (Oct 6, 2012)

7th overall..

*http://www.redlandsclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/01dGC05Men_Pro-1.pdf*


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## BikeLayne (Apr 4, 2014)

Dry Side said:


> 7th overall..
> 
> *http://www.redlandsclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/01dGC05Men_Pro-1.pdf*


 Thanks


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

turbogrover said:


> I'm not trying to be snarky, but their placement in a 2014 UCI race isn't as relevant as having an accomplished world tour rider, and former ATOC race winner currently leading their team. In my personal opinion, Airgas-Safeway should've been included in the ATOC.


you still think so?


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## Jay561 (Jul 14, 2014)

Great to see Phil win this over someone like Horner. I cant stand that guy after he won the Vuelta.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

Jay561 said:


> Great to see Phil win this over someone like Horner. I cant stand that guy after he won the Vuelta.


He also got beaten by someone on junior gearing.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

we're right in the middle of Spring Classics and you people are chatting about the TOC???

WTF>>?????


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

atpjunkie said:


> we're right in the middle of Spring Classics and you people are chatting about the TOC???
> 
> WTF>>?????


Actually we are chatting about Redlands at the moment.

I can't speak for the rest, but I have the mental capacity to talk about more than one thing at a time.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

deviousalex said:


> Actually we are chatting about Redlands at the moment.
> 
> I can't speak for the rest, but I have the mental capacity to talk about more than one thing at a time.


there was pretty limited chatter on Roubaix and Flanders, they didn't even have dedicated threads (Wiggins @ P-R did). No talk yet about Amstel, Fleche Wallone or L-B-L. But yes, a multi page thread on TOC and Redlands.

more than one thing? zero posts about the classics and a handful about the TOC.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

atpjunkie said:


> there was pretty limited chatter on Roubaix and Flanders, they didn't even have dedicated threads (Wiggins @ P-R did). No talk yet about Amstel, Fleche Wallone or L-B-L. But yes, a multi page thread on TOC and Redlands.
> 
> more than one thing? zero posts about the classics and a handful about the TOC.


better to whine than make one yourself.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

atpjunkie said:


> there was pretty limited chatter on Roubaix and Flanders, they didn't even have dedicated threads (Wiggins @ P-R did). No talk yet about Amstel, Fleche Wallone or L-B-L. But yes, a multi page thread on TOC and Redlands.
> 
> more than one thing? zero posts about the classics and a handful about the TOC.


There's enough media coverage of all the big European races that I don't need to go read about them on forums.

On the other hand people I know/ride with were racing at Redlands.

Go ahead and start some threads on the big European races. I'll even rep you for it!


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## jlgoodin78 (Dec 13, 2007)

And apparently not in Utah either. I'd love to know the salary cost per crit he'll receive this year. I foresee sponsors jumping ship in 2016.



looigi said:


> ...looks like. Amgen Tour of California announces 2015 teams - VeloNews.com


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