Photo Courtesy of Amgen Tour of California

The time trials in Bakersfield presented a different type of challenge today. Temperatures reached 100+ degrees and the road became hot and grippy. David Zabriskie  (Garmin-Barracuda) was on fire. He was the only rider to reach the finish in under 36 minutes, catching three riders who left before him. Although he went out fast and lost a little on the final climb, he managed to win the time trials, taking Stage 5 of the Amgen tour of California.

Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) lost a chunk of time finishing at 37:43. For a man with literally one good leg, this was an inspirational ride.

Photo Courtesy of Amgen Tour of California

Austalia’s Luke Durbridge (Orica GreenEDGE) was excellent against the clock and took over the Young Rider’s Jersey. He balanced an aero-dynamic form with strength.

Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team) set the best split time at 15:48. He managed to hang on to most of that, placing second at 34 seconds off of the leader.

Peter Sagan (Liquigas Pharma-Quick-Step) was the final rider and left the starting line with a 40 second advantage. By the time he hit the intermediate split, it was clear this wasn’t his type of race. Normally he rides with the peleton and makes explosive moves at the last minute, beating everyone else across the finish line. Peter Sagan climbed steadily to the finish but conceded nearly three minutes to Zabriwskie.

David Zabriskie (Garmin-Barracuda) took the leader’s jersey today. He’s been known to climb mountains and it will be interesting to see if he can hang on to it during “The Big Bear Climb.”

Todays Race Results

General classification after stage 5

1 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin – Barracuda 20:29:31
2 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:34
3 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:39
4 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin – Barracuda 0:00:48
5 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:00:49
6 Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:01:01
7 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin – Barracuda 0:01:07
8 Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:01:10
9 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:01:26
10 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan 0:01:29

Here is the change to the overall standings;

1. ZABRISKIE David GRM 35’59″ 25

2. VOIGT Jens RNT 23″ 15

3. VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC 34″ 10

4. GESINK Robert RAB 39″ 5

5. TALANSKY Andrew GRM 48″ 3

6. VELITS Peter OPQ 49″ 0

7. TJALLINGII Maarten RAB 52″ 0

8. DURBRIDGE Luke GEC 01’01″ 0

9. DANIELSON Tom GRM 01’07″ 0

10. SUTHERLAND Rory UHC 01’10″ 0

11. MEYER Cameron GEC 01’26″ 0

12. CRADDOCK Lawson BLS 01’30″ 0

13. HINCAPIE George BMC 01’30″ 0

14. IRIZAR ARANBURU Markel RNT 01’33″ 0

15. DUMOULIN Tom ARG 01’37″ 0

16. SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon RAB 01’40″ 0

17. LEIPHEIMER Levi OPQ 01’44″ 0

18. BROWN Nathan BLS 01’49″ 0

19. BUSCHE Matthew RNT 01’49″ 0

20. NIBALI Vincenzo LIQ 01’52″ 0

Phil Liggett will be guest of honor at KOM Reception Friday night

Cycling enthusiasts enjoy a 35-mile trek that starts at Snow Summit Mountain Resort, and snakes over to Big Bear Lake’s north shore on Hwy. 38. From there participants are treated to Big Bear’s scenic beauty as they head west down Hwy. 18. This takes them to the turnaround point at Snow Valley Mountain Resort. The cyclists then head back to Snow Summit where they cross through the official Amgen Tour of California finish line arch. The course ride is supported by guides and a full-support crew. There is also a self-timed section on the course that gives participants a read-out of their times that they can compare with the professional race leaders.

In addition to riding 35 miles of the Stage 6 course King of the Mountain Experience participants get certain privileges others do not. Race day perks include V.I.P. finish line area seating, free bike valet, commemorative event tech T-shirt, raffle drawings, finisher’s medal, and limited edition number plate. There is also a V.I.P. reception after the race at Black Diamond Tavern that includes appetizers, no-host bar and cycling celebrities such as Phil Liggett, the official announcer of the race. Other benefits include pre-event bike check lube & tune, discount food and lodging, and Thursday night tour viewing party.

King of the Mountain Experience is Friday, May 18 at the Amgen Tour of California Stage 6 Finish Line at Snow Summit Mountain Resort, located at 880 Summit Blvd. The glory ride is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., which starts and finishes at Snow Summit. Entry fee is $150 per person.

Click HERE to register.

Peter Sagan edged out Heinrich Hausller (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Michael Matthews of Rabobank Cycling Team in an exciting finish to Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California.

The riders left Sonora at 10:35 this morning with another neutral city start. They were cheered on by a local marching band and a large crowd.

At 15 miles out, the average speed was 23 mph. Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Yannick Eijssen (BMC Racing Team) and Bradley White (United Healthcare Pro Cycling Team) made the first attack. It was short lived and the cyclists were back in the peleton within five minutes. Sebastian Salas, a Canadian riding for Optum Presented By Kelly Benefit Strategies, took the first King of the Mountain.

As the riders progressed down historic Hwy 49 (named for the year of the Gold Rush) 11 riders formed a breakaway. The break included Markel Irizar Aranburu (RadioShack-Nissan), Benjamin King (RadioShack-Nissan), Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Yannick Eijssen (BMC Racing Team), Wilco Kelderman (Rabobank Cycling Team), Alex Howes (Garmin-Barracuda), Timothy Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale), Wesley Sulzberger (Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team), Mikael Cherel (AG2R La Mondiale), Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Colombia-Coldeportes) and Carlos Julian Quintero (Colombia-Coldeportes).

As the breakaway group approached the second KOM, the gap increased to five minutes. The second KOM was a category 2 climb reaching 2,288 feet, just past the 39 mile marker.

It was a scorching day as riders passed through the feed zone. The riders were trying to beat the heat using ice packs. But the heat took its toll causing a total of six riders to abandon the race. Only five riders dropped during the previous three days.

As the breakaway group entered Mariposa, the gap dwindled to three minutes 40 seconds. Plenty of people turned out to encourage the riders as they faced three, almost back-to-back, KOM’s.

Between KOM #4 and KOM #5, the riders cooled themselves with downhill speeds of 53 mph. The gap was reduced to one minute and 20 seconds. After KOM #5 there was another sprint at the 78.3 mile mark in Oakhurst. It was taken by Alex Howes (Garmin-Barracuda).

After Oakhurst, the course said goodbye to the majestic beauty of the Sierra Nevadas. Team RadioShack-Nissan set a tough pace. They were trying to shake Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) and hoping to split the field at the top of Crane Valley Road (3700’).

With one kilometer to go on the climb, Columbia-Coldeportes rider Michael Rodriguiz broke from the peleton. His home town is Bogota, which sits at an elevation of 8,000 feet. Bram Tankink (Rabobank Cycling Team) and Mikael Cherel (AG2R La Mondiale) joined Rodriguez, followed by Brian Vandborg (Spidertech Powered By C10). Rodriguez powered through to take the last King of the Mountain. Meanwhile, Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) was grimacing under the pressure of the pace, while Peter Sagan looked comfortable.

At the 86 mile mark, the main field was stretched and riders have adopted aero-positions. Tim Duggan, who was in an earlier breakaway, set a strong pace and narrowed the gap to 15 seconds. No one wanted to let Brian Vandborg (Spidertech Powered By C10) get much of an advantage. And, with 40 miles to go, the break was reabsorbed.

Riders were treated to a view of Yosemite on their left while the terrain formed in favor of the sprinters. Team Liquigas-Cannondale stayed at the front of the main group, discussed strategies and remained confident.

The lead of the peleton continued to change hands, but as the riders completed 98 miles, Liquigas-Cannondale reappeared at the front and increased the average speed to 24 mph. Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) managed to pull himself back in the race. He is a superb athlete who has won nine races so far this year, including the Tour of Flanders.

Having climbed 15,000 feet, the sprinters have managed to survive today’s heat. Tim Duggan at the front of the field slowed the pace a bit and gave the riders a brief respite. It’s so hot the referees decided to extend the feeding zone to the last 15 kilometers. Normally riders stop picking up food and beverages at the 30 kilometer mark.

With less than 20 miles to go, BMC moved their team to the front of the peleton, keeping their eyes on the Rabobank leader. As they took a left, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) punctured his tire. Fortunately it was nothing serious and he was able to motor-pace back into the race.

As they left the tree behind, a confident Peter Sagan was snacking in the middle of the group just behind the three leaders (Team Cervelo, Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep and Team Rabobank). The BMC Racing Team began riding as a block. At 9.8 miles, Jonathan Clarke of United Health Care opened up a small gap. He continued to 7 ½ miles with a five second advantage.

Once the cyclists hit the 10 kilometer mark, the teams organized. Teams like AG2R La Mondiale were looking for their first win of the season. Heinrich Haussler moved into position as he approached five miles to Clovis. Tom Boonen hooked up with his team’s train (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and stayed in fifth place, while the rest of the field stretched out.

Team Bontrager Livestrong launched a sudden attack off the front, but team Omega Pharma-QuickStep didn’t panic until Dave Zabriske (Garmin-Barracuda) launched unexpectedly. Since he’s infamous for his time trials, he forced everyone to chase him, disrupting team discipline. He was followed by Josh Atkins of Bontrager Livestrong Team. Zabriske ran towards the finish line at 28 mph. But then, he looked over his shoulder!

With a thousand meters to go, Omega Pharma-QuickStep had Tom Boonen in position. Sagan was in the center with Heinrich Haussler on his back tire. Sagan once again proved his strength and sprinting abilities by powering past everyone to cross the finish first. Hausller found himself second with Michael Matthews of Rabobank Cycling Team finishing third.

The students from Big Bear High School decided to make gifts for all of the riders in the Amgen Tour of California. Art teacher, Julia Seaman, worked with the students to help create these fantastic bears from Big Bear!

Peter Sagan (SVK) of team Liquigas-Cannondale came from behind to edge out Heinrich Haussler (AUS) of Garmin-Barracuda and Tom Boonen (BEL) of Omega Pharma-QuickStep.

The race began this morning in sunny San Jose, the only city that has participated in all seven races. A large group of Slovakians came with their flag to greet and have pictures with their countryman, Peter Sagan.

The peleton had a neutral start to get out of the city. Twenty eight miles later, with sprint points awarded downtown, the peleton entered Livermore.

The riders then took an 87 mile route north. Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling) and Michael Creed (Optum Presented By Kelly Benefit Strategies) attacked first. Creed fell back and Sebastian Salas (Optum Presented By Kelly Benefit Strategies), Jason McCartney (Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis), and Wilson Torres (Colombia – Coldeportes) joined Jeremy Vennell in the breakaway group, creating a one minute gap. As the race reached Fenestra Winery the four riders widened the gap to four minutes and 25 seconds.

Once the feedzone was over, Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) picked up the pace at the front of the main group of riders. As the 43 mile marker approached, the breakaway gap increased to eight minutes and the ascent of Mount Diablo began. There were huge crowds on the upper slopes to greet the riders as they averaged 13 mph up the grade.

Sebastian Salas (Optum Presented By Kelly Benefit Strategies) made it up the mountain first taking the KOM points. While the main field was stretched out, Salas began a screaming descent. The big teams had to step up and put the hammer down.

At the 44 mile mark, team Liquigas-Cannondale controlled the peleton and narrowed the gap to six minutes and 20 seconds. Levi Leipheimer was at the front of the main group chatting with his teammates.

Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep took over the pace, keeping Tom Boonen in striking distance.

Jeremy Vennell maintained his aggressive riding, again extending the gap while Frantisek Rabon (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) drove a grueling pace for the peleton. There were stunning pictures of wind turbines lining the tops of the hills while the breakaway group’s gap was narrowed to two minutes and 35 seconds.

As Patterson Pass approached the breakaway group was looking shaky and the gap narrowed to 40 seconds. Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep did all of the work, including pulling Peter Sagan along.

Patterson Pass is a category 3 climb with a 4 ½% grade. Riders reach the summit after covering 105 miles. It didn’t discourage the sprinters. The timing couldn’t have been better.

The Garmin-Barracuda team made a move in support of Heinrich Haussler. They worked with the wind. It whipped through the heart of the peleton, splitting the main group of riders. The acceleration of team Garmin-Barracuda put pressure on the back of the peleton.

Fabio Duarte (Columbia-Coldeportes) and Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale) made a break. Duarte is a strong climber and he took the initiative. Roche tried to challenge for KOM points, but Duarte crossed first.

As they made the descent, the lead switched between Liquigas-Cannondale and team Omega Pharma-Quickstep. Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep wanted to keep Tom Boonen close to the front. There was not a lot of organization and at the 10 kilometer marker Rabobank joined the front of the peleton.

With seven minutes to go, speeds approached 31 mph. Although Liquigas-Cannondale set the tempo, Hienrich Hauseller was right beside them.

Josh Atkins (Bontrager Livestrong Team – Best Young Rider) dashed to the front and caught all of the sprinters off guard. Chris Horner scrambled to the front in order to keep his position.

AG2R La Mondiale took over the pace for a moment hoping to position Maxime Bouet. But Rabobank, desperate for a win, rushed to the front to retake the pace for Michael Matthews.

The final sprint appeared to be between Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Barracuda) and Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep). But Peter Sagan edged them out for his third consecutive stage win.

The second stage of the Amgen Tour of California began in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge and went south, down the Pacific Coast highway. The riders turned east, away from the ocean and headed into the mountains.

Alexandre Geniez, #106 from Argos-Shimano, broke away early with Bradley White (#88) from United Health Care and Jeremy Vennell (#128) of Bissell Pro Cycling. Geniez maintained his lead through the Empire Grade. Tom Boonen, (#22) from Omega Pharma-QuickStep, remained concentrated, but in the middle of the peleton.

A crash on the Empire Grade temporarily took out Peter Sagan (#57) of Liquigas-Cannondale while Geniez claimed today’s ‘King of the Mountain’ points. Geniez continued with a dare-devil technical descent trying to hold on to his lead.

The descent went from 2500 feet to 700 feet and the peleton was led by team Garmin-Barracuda. They were trying to set themselves up for Bear Creek. You could hear the sound of the rider’s brakes. Tom Peterson (#15) and Heinrich Haussler ( #13, points jersey leader) lead the team, with Rabobank slipstreaming behind them.

White and Vennell were picked up by the peleton in the final climb. Team Garmin-Barracuda had everyone up front. They dominated the stage, performing 88% of the work. Team Liquigas-Cannondale with Peter Sagan were right behind, attacking the 2200 foot climb.

Bear Creek is a relentless seven to nine percent grade. With three miles to the top and a two minute gap, Tom Boonen, Josh Atkins ( #141, Bontrager Livestrong Team) and Jens Voight (#8, RadioShack-Nissan) backed off. Geniez is finally absorbed by the peleton less than three kilometers from the summit.

United Health Care and Garmin-Barracuda split the work climbing over the top, while Rabobank with Luis Leon Sanchez (#45) led the descent.

There were several kickers after the Bear Creek Climb and Liquigas-Cannondale took control with Nibali (#51). Peter Sagan had a quick front wheel change and then caught up to his teammates. Levi Leipheimer (#21, Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and George Hincapie (#35, BMC Racing Team) were also at the front.

Marc De Maar (#83, United Health Care) made a surprise breakaway to claim the Visit California sprint points.

Tim Duggan (#15 Liquigas-Cannondale) sacrificed himself for his team by setting a hard tempo, coming off of the climb to the finish. Team Liquigas-Cannondale controlled the peleton almost until the end. Rory Sutherland (#81, United Health Care), a top time trial rider, made a break just before the finish, but it wasn’t enough. Peter Sagan took the angle on the last corner and blew through the finish line for the win. Peter Sagan enjoys his second stage win. This was not a stage for sprinters.

Peter Sagan survived a last minute tire change, coming from behind, to take the first stage of the Amgen Tour of California. Sagan rides for LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE (LIQ). Second place was taken by GARMIN-BARRACUDA (GRM) Heinrich Haussler. Fred Rodriguez, riding for EXERGY (XRG), finished third.

Peter Sagan is 22 years and now has a career win of 27 professional races. He won The Big Bear Climb finish in 2010.

Officer Volunteers Assistance

The Big Bear Cycling Association hosted the first annual Big Bear Children’s CycleFest 2012. It was a fun and interactive event for elementary school-aged children.

Safety Helmets

Children’s Cyclefest included a free bike and helmet inspection, safety discussions, a bike-handling skills clinic, and an obstacle course. It was the official kick-off event for the Amgen Tour of California Stage 6 Finish in Big Bear (Friday, May 18, 2012).

Photo compliments of Janet Aguila.

Safety Manual

More Cycling Safety

The Amgen Tour of California 2012 begins at 10:50 this morning in Santa Rosa, CA. There are several options for tracking the race this year. The Radioshack Tour Tracker is best for online and mobile. NBC Sports will broadcast the race. Next Sunday, the final stage through Beverly Hills, CA, will be broadcast on NBC.

Live Broadcast Links;

Television                  Online at Radioshack Tour Tracker

DroidX Cellphone                  iPhone

The first day of racing of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will start and finish in Santa Rosa, California, the city that helped establish the race as the premier professional cycling event in the U.S. and home to three-time race champion Levi Leipheimer. Expect to see spectators perched in the trees, rooftops and in windows near the finish line as they vie for the very best view of the final sprint. The stage will start with two neutral laps around the city before heading out to the open roads of beautiful Sonoma County. Within 30 minutes, the race will reach the Town of Windsor and the first of several of the stage’s featured Sprints. The peloton will then head south, passing by several of Sonoma County’s world-famous vineyards. In Graton, the racers will turn east and head back into Santa Rosa for another Sprint, followed by a straight shot towards the coast and into the quaint town of Occidental. From there, the stage heads north on Bohemian Hwy. and follow a portion of Levi’s Leipheimer’s “King Ridge Gran Fondo.”

Stage 1 Santa Rosa, CA

Free Health Screenings at Lifestyle Festival & Cycling Expo

Arrowhead Medical Regional Center (AMRC) will have its Mobile Medical Clinic on site at The Amgen Tour of California Stage 6 Finish in Big Bear Lake as part of the Lifestyle Festival and Cycling Expo. Medical professionals will provide free screening services aboard its state-of-the-art Mobile Medical Clinic (MMC), a custom-built, 40-foot vehicle that that features two exam rooms, patient intake area and patient education center.

Visitors to the mobile unit during the Lifestyle Festival and Cycling Expo in Big Bear will have the opportunity to receive height and weight checks and screenings for blood pressure and blood sugar. In addition, information about the Medical Center’s Cancer Services will also be provided by a representative of that program.

MMC was implemented to provide new access points to basic health screenings/primary care and health education services throughout the County of San Bernardino. The MMC enables hospital personnel to reach deeper into remote areas of the county with limited access to medical services. ARMC has been using the MMC to conduct basic health screenings and for flu shot clinics and recently began providing primary care services in select areas of the county. Primary care services will expand to additional areas in 2012. The MMC continues to be a popular and valuable resource for health screenings throughout the year at various events in the county.

The mobile unit is the first healthcare vehicle of its kind to be deployed in the County of San Bernardino to provide screenings and primary care to select sites. For more information on ARMC’s mobile clinic, please call 909-580-1000.