# ToC 2010 Stage 3



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Here's some insight into the San Franciso to Santa Cruz route for Stage 3 of this year's ToC. Bruce Hildenbrand is well connected with the ToC organizers so this is likely very representative of their current thoughts for the stage. You can also thank these guys for lobbying to get Tunitas Creek repaved.

The potential route for this stage includes up Tunitas Creek, down King's Mountain, up Page Mill Road, and possibly down Alpine West. This gives a lot of different spots where you can watch the stage from the Bay Area side. Speculating, the route from King's Mountain to Page Mill Road might well be through Portola Valley, though conceivably they could bring it out as far as Junipero Serra. I don't think that any of this is going to be decisive in terms of GC but it should be amazing viewing! I'd love to watch the peleton descend King's Mountain though of course they would be gone in seconds. Seeing them going up Tunitas Creek, and then getting over to somewhere near the top of Page Mill Road via Skyline might be a good possibility.


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## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

it's gonna be on a Tuesday. Have to work. 
it's also going to be in May. Gonna be difficult to convince to pros to skip Europe to come to CA.


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## PaleAleYum (Jan 12, 2006)

CoLiKe20 said:


> . Gonna be difficult to convince to pros to skip Europe to come to CA.


Actually, I think it will be an interesting barometer of the ASO's power. They have tied themselves in with AEG and on the ToC. They don't have a similar financial interest in the Giro.

Will be lighter on star power than last year, but given the arm twisting that will likely go on by the ASO, I don't think it will be as bad as it seems on first glance when going head to head with the Giro. I do wish the schedule permitted a different week for the ToC though.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

For me, work will simply have to wait. At least many in the Bay Area will have an opportunity to get for an hour or two to see the tour come through the Woodside/Portola Valley area. There was a huge turn-out last year on Tunitas Creek despite it being more remote, wet, cold, windy and also a work-day.

There will be a full peloton of riders with many of the Pro Tour and domestic teams represented. Most of the teams have enough depth to do 2 or 3 races concurrently. I agree that there some of the big name riders will be missing. RadioShack will be out in force and that will be enough to keep the interest level high.

For me, when watching a day in a stage race, it doesn't make all that much difference as to what big names are there. They all kinda look the same as they race by anyway! It is more about the breakaway, the peloton, the scenery, the atmosphere, the day-out in the hills, the caravan, the pain and suffering on the faces, ... than any one rider or team.


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## kaizen (Apr 9, 2007)

Will be there...again! Last year was a spectacle worth experiencing - rain, cold, wind, and the speed of the climbers up Tunitas Creek. Amazing!!


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## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

Waiting for the announcement of the full course. If they do Bonny Doon again, I'll probably see both the start of that climb and the finish in Santa Cruz. (Last year I wimped out due to the weather (had just suffered through a pretty ugly rain ride a few days earlier), and so I just drove to the finish in Santa Cruz.)


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Sounds great to me. I think I can manage a day off work to view the event. The pros up Page Mill? Wouldn't miss it.

Big George, Dave Z, Lance, Levi of course, etc. have committed, so it's not like it's going to happen without any big names.


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## pacificaslim (Sep 10, 2008)

I hope it'll be a little warmer and a little drier than it was last year. It was still fun out there on Tunitas but a little sunshine would be nice this year. (I did go down to the Visalia-Paso Robles stage as well and that was warm and sunny).


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Bruce has added an update and Page Mill Road is out. Instead they will head up 84 from Woodside to Sky Londa. It's a shame that they didn't choose OLH!


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## Peninsula Ryan (Aug 2, 2002)

Ugh, 84 compared to a climb up Page Mill...ugh


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