sunshine, oceanspray and field sprints

Let's hope that wintry mix that keeps pounding the Midwest will soon leave and Spring will arrive. In one sense, that's been the problem. The wintry mix around KC has just been a smattering of snow, ice, sleet, and cold resulting in wind chills and reckless drivers but not enough snow for x-country skiing. Either bring it on, or get the hell out the way.

Some good news though to herald a season outdoors. The Tour of California starts tomorrow and the field is probably the strongest ever in an American stage race. Astana, although recently barred from the Giro D'Italia and Le Tour and now run by the mastermind Johan Bruyneel (Director Sportif for eight, count'em eight Le Tour wins), is fielding a team headed up by road champion Levi Lepheimer (USA, Astana). Where is Alberto Contador one has to wonder?

But the field is also crowded with many other high-ranking pros including David Millar (GBR, Chilpolte-Slipstream), Fabian Cancellara (SUI,CSG) who took two stage wins last year in the Le Tour, American sprinter David Zabriskie, and Tom Boonen of Quickstep. Sunshine, oceanspray, and field sprints should be in the mix most every stage.
The Tour of California begins with a prologue tomorrow at Stanford University in Palo Alto and finishes a week and 650 miles later in Pasedena.


elsewhere:
tour of california
greg lemond talks about cycling's recovery from dope