# Stage 2 - Spoilers/Discussion/Etc



## BassNBrew (Aug 4, 2008)

M. Rogers has flatted. Group of 8 off the front by a min. Rirst hour covered just 16 mi after a long neutral start. Weather is crappy again.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i thought it would be a sprinters day, but there is a break off the front that might be able to stay away over the climbs.

astana will have to really ride out every day if they plan on getting levi the jersey. part of me thinks LA paid JB to say there was a comm problem just to keep levi from winning.


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Hamilton setting a nice pace in the front of the peloton on the first climb. He's starting to shed a few guys. 

Barredo has been in front of the break for for an eternity.


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Starting to have a few camera problems in the deep forest. 

Getting nostalgic now. My wife and I got engaged close to there.

Sun peaking out of the clouds in Santa Cruz.


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## BassNBrew (Aug 4, 2008)

weltyed said:


> i thought it would be a sprinters day, but there is a break off the front that might be able to stay away over the climbs.
> 
> astana will have to really ride out every day if they plan on getting levi the jersey. part of me thinks LA paid JB to say there was a comm problem just to keep levi from winning.



Please explain....


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

Do these camera guys on the motor bikes BRING TOWELS???? WTF! Wipe down the lenses! So bush league.

Can't wait for the real cycling television pros to show how it's done -- the Italians at Milan San Remo and the Flemish at Het Volk.


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## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

I just saw a chamois come out an whipe the lens.

An locals on the board? That Bonny Doon looks like it could break up the group. Could they stay away?


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Reports are that Pharmstrong crashed.


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## cheddarlove (Oct 17, 2005)

I liked the interviews with Lance and Levi this morning on VS. where they both gave Chris Horner major props for not following Bruyneels suggestion to sit up yesterday and instead they chased and brought the gap down. 
They said the radio's or TV coverage was not working well. Horner used his head and pulled their fat out of the fire. Like a chess game, he had to think instead of relying on the radio's. I think that's great. I always heard he was a great tactician but it's great to see it in action.


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## BassNBrew (Aug 4, 2008)

FondriestFan said:


> Reports are that Pharmstrong crashed.


Sorry to disappoint, but he's back up and riding.

Wonder if he's having second thoughts about racing after colliding with a photographer.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

bigpinkt said:


> I just saw a chamois come out an whipe the lens.
> 
> An locals on the board? That Bonny Doon looks like it could break up the group. Could they stay away?


Bonny Doon is a tough climb. It's roughly three miles of 10%. It eases up towards the summit, but then they hit Empire Grade, which is mostly a high speed descent through the redwoods. Someone could get away and theoretically, stay away. The problem is that around UC Santa Cruz, it breaks out of the trees and they will face some good wind off the ocean. One guy may not be able to stay away, but two or more could.


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## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

Levi rocketing up the climb. Dropping everybody but Peterson so far.


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## MJH2 (Feb 26, 2007)

Am I the only one astounded by Mancebo's not even making an attempt to hang on when Levi went?


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## agm2 (Sep 18, 2008)

Peterson is following following Levi down the hill. Looks like it's going to come down to Levi and Peterson. The chase group has falling to over a minute. Should be an interesting finish and word just came in that Levi is now the virtual winner on the road, so he might be in yellow soon.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

*I like Levi...*



Art853 said:


> Levi rocketing up the climb. Dropping everybody but Peterson so far.


there are a lot of folks here who bash him and say he is such a boring racer- that he never attacks or has no explosion in his attacks, a la cadel evans. i hope this attack up the bonnie doon pipes down all of his critics. i hope levi wins this stage.


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## agm2 (Sep 18, 2008)

Peterson takes the win! Levi in second.


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## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

MJH2 said:


> Am I the only one astounded by Mancebo's not even making an attempt to hang on when Levi went?


6 hours off the front, in the rain, the day before might have made his legs just a little tired


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## husonfirst (Jul 15, 2006)

Is it considered "uncool" for Peterson to have taken the stage since he did no work or is it perfectly acceptable? What's the unwritten code regarding these situations? Leipheimer probably doesn't care about the stage since he's shooting for the win overall.


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## MJH2 (Feb 26, 2007)

I don't doubt that. I'm not sure what he'd have risked by trying, though. He's effectively out of it now. It's possible that there are now 3 Astana riders ahead of him.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

That attack by Levi was nice! I wish he would have took the stage as well.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

helluva ride for Levi. that's the way to take charge of a race.


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## husonfirst (Jul 15, 2006)

I got goosebumps when I saw the chase group come across that turn behind Leipheimer and Peterson! I thought those two might get nipped at the line.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

husonfirst said:


> Is it considered "uncool" for Peterson to have taken the stage since he did no work or is it perfectly acceptable? What's the unwritten code regarding these situations? Leipheimer probably doesn't care about the stage since he's shooting for the win overall.


Perfectly fine for him to win esp since he has GC rider so he can't help Levi and he was in the break all day. Levi was riding for Yellow Peterson was going for the win. Had he not had a GC rider it would have been fine for him to pull but in this case he couldn't.


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## funktekk (Jul 29, 2006)

Peterson followed racing protocol to the letter. Its not like he didn't work in his break. The amazing part is that he had anything left to hold Levi's wheel that whole time.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Amazing ride by Levi. In his post-race interview, he said it was not planed. He should be well set for the GC even though Astana now has to defend.


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## jupiterrn (Sep 22, 2006)

At some point, if you want to win you are gonna have to defend. Astana has a pretty deep crew.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Ride-Fly said:


> there are a lot of folks here who bash him and say he is such a boring racer- that he never attacks or has no explosion in his attacks, a la cadel evans. i hope this attack up the bonnie doon pipes down all of his critics. i hope levi wins this stage.


I don't know why so many people don't like him. He is one of the top 5 or 10 bike racers in the world, and he is good at everything that he does. He isn't the stereotypical roadie; he seems to be clean and is always nice in interviews (not trash talking). Also, he is American, and there are still people who are bothered by that. He received a medal in the Olympics and has stood on the podium in the TDF. Personally, I think he could have beaten Contador if he tried, but he was a good teammate and road in his service. I guess that he doesn't "look" as dramatic as some when he attacks, but man he was flying today. I expected his attack to come today so that he could get time back in the GC, but I did not expect him to ride as fiercely as he did. I realized how fast he was going when he burned Nibali. I was more than impressed when he caught the front. Levi is really good.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I simply find it amusing how many Astana team members are towards the top. The GC as a whole has plenty of talent so it's not an out classed race by any means.


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## VoodooCadillac (Jun 15, 2008)

Peterson's stratedgy was perfect because:

1. He wanted to win the stage. He's not a GC contender.
2. Zabriskie and Danielson were in the chase group. Z is now the most likely non-Astana rider to challenge for GC. So you don't want to help Leipheimer gain time. Danielson is also solid on GC.
3. Make Leipheimer expend the energy with hopes it will payoff for Z and Danielson down the road. See #2.

I'm not saying these things are going to happen. In fact, I don't think they will. I think Astana will continue to take time. But, the Garmin guys have to "believe."


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

There are also time bonuses. By winning Peterson took a few more seconds away from Levi. Great racing today. I really thought Astana was in some trouble, I didn't think Levi was strong enough to drop everybody.


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## roadie92 (Jan 21, 2008)

Regardless it would have been a great if Levi could have taken the stage. Has Levi ever won a RR stage of the tour of Cal?


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## alexb618 (Aug 24, 2006)

thechriswebb said:


> He is one of the top 5 or 10 bike racers in the world


i just choked on my lunch!


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## El Caballito (Oct 31, 2004)

levi was impressive today. though, wish he would of found a little extra and pulled out a stage win.


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## peter1 (Apr 10, 2002)

Nice tactics by Astana. Given that LA, Horner and Levi are among the most experienced pros in the world, they shouldn't have messed this one up, and they didn't. This will probably be Levi's big result for the year, unfortunately, but at least he'll get great domestic coverage.

I used to live in that area and while it doesn't get really cold like, say, in New England, the winter sogginess is bone chilling. I never really felt warm, even in summer. I'm not surprised Mancebo/Rock couldn't keep his lead.


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## logansites (Jan 4, 2007)

Levi is going for the overall and has no need to be greedy. Its a diplomatic move not to challenge Peterson for the stage. He now has to defend the jersey so there is no point in pissing off anybody. Its give and take.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

alexb618 said:


> i just choked on my lunch!


A lot of people feel that way; I hear it all the time. I must be missing something somewhere because I really don't get it.


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## alexb618 (Aug 24, 2006)

thechriswebb said:


> A lot of people feel that way; I hear it all the time. I must be missing something somewhere because I really don't get it.


what you are suggesting is that there are only 4-9 'better' racing cyclists than 'letli viride' in the world today.

this is absurdity at its finest.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

what did levi say when he pointed to mccartney when he passed him? anyone know?

also, once levi ane peterson were alone, i think we all knew peterson would take the stage. well, everyone but craig hummer...


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

Peterson didn't have much to gain by working with Levi, since he's so far down on GC. But, boy, he sure looked like a major wheelsucker. Levi gave him a, what, ten mile lead out?


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

fast ferd said:


> Peterson didn't have much to gain by working with Levi, since he's so far down on GC. But, boy, he sure looked like a major wheelsucker. Levi gave him a, what, ten mile lead out?


That's bike racing. "textbook" as Levi said.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

With Armstrong, Horner, Popovych and Brajkovic for Astana as lieutenants, hell, they could rip any field apart and fight it out with themselves if they wanted to.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

alexb618 said:


> what you are suggesting is that there are only 4-9 'better' racing cyclists than 'letli viride' in the world today.
> 
> this is absurdity at its finest.


Given his palmares in stage races, I'd say it's far from absurd. 

YMMV, and it probably does of course. To each his own.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

BassNBrew said:


> Please explain....


what are you looking for? why i said astana would need to ride really hard all week or my half-joke that LA and JB tried to screw levi?


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