The Amgen Tour of California is off to a thrilling and fast paced exciting start!!!! Yesterday in San Francisco a crowd of more than 200,000 witnessed history as Santa Rosa resident Levi Leipheimer (USA) of team Gerolsteiner led an American sweep of the top five places in the Prologue of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California, an international professional cycling stage race taking place throughout California from February 19-26. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger presented Leipheimer with the first Amgen Leader Jersey.
On a personal note, I was just delighted to meet WUGger, Skert, who is a tour marshal for the race as it makes it way up and down the state. Skert is simply an angel in America and does so much to help charitable events such as this one. Skert is one of the most gracious, wonderfully warm and personable persons I have ever met.
After saying hi and meeting Skert, before she had to go off and guard the peleton, I hiked up the 377-steps that scale the sheer eastern face of Telegraph Hill pass the beautiful cottages and exotic private and public gardens. Above in the trees the famous flocks of green and red wild parrots squawked as they flew overhead. At the top of this amazing ascent onto one of San Francisco's beautiful hills, Telegraph Hill, I watched the time trials as the racers climed up the last stretch of the hill to the Finish Line. What an exciting afternoon! Took lots of photos which I am just know starting to look and will posting some soon.
Today I went up north to watch the second day's events in suuny Santa Rosa. A crowd of more than 130,000 from Sausalito to Santa Rosa watched the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California, won by Argentinean sprinter Juan José Haedo of the Toyota-United Pro cycling team. Joining me in Santa Rosa was another most charming and gracious WUGger, AnneAbrams and her wonderful husband, Tom. Ann e and Tom went out of their way to make my visit a memorable and exciting day! We watched the race in the warm sun on the jumbo screen as it made its way up the coast and then witnessed live the exciting finish. After the race Ann e, Tom and I had the pleasure of sitting down with Skert and hearing what it is like to be out there in the caravan and in all the behind the scenes excitement and drama.
And this was all on the first two days!...We still have the awesome ride down Big Sur to come and the warm, beautiful southern coast after that. Tomorrow, the cyclists and their escort of motorcyle tour marshals, TV cameras, professional photographers, race VIPs and California's finest, the California Highway Patrol, will travel through the wide open ranchlands high in the coastal range. The Sierra Road climb east of the city center of San Jose will be the first Category One (highest ranked in order of difficulty) ascent in the King of the Mountains competition.
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Updated: 8:29 AM GMT op 21 februari 2006
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