Photo ABCs

Tour of California

The Tour of California ended today, with an overall victory by Tejay Van Garderen. This year was the first in many years I was unable to see multiple stages of the race. In fact, I saw the start of the race in Escondido one week ago, and that was it! Here is a shot of the roll-out in Escondido. Visible are Tim Duggan, US Road Race champion (in the blue jersey with the stars), and Peter Sagan, in the green Cannondale jersey. Also visible is Philippe Gilbert, in his World Champion road race rainbow jersey on the far right.

George Hincapie

George Hincapie competes in the Bakersfield time trial in the 2012 Tour of California.

Tejay Van Garderen

Tejay Van Garderen competes in the 2012 Tour of California time trial in Bakersfield.

Chris Horner

Chris Horner, winner of the 2011 Tour of California, competes in the Bakersfield time trial of the 2012 Tour of California.

Levi Leipheimer

Levi Leipheimer competes in the Bakersfield time trial at the 2012 Tour of California.

Dave Zabriskie

Dave Zabriskie approaches Big Bear Lake in his yellow jersey, as team Rabobank and other teams take control of the peloton attempting to chase down the breakaway rider for their sprinters. Peter Sagan, in the green jersey between the two blue Cervelo riders, waits in the wings for the sprint, which he would win. The breakaway, though, by AG2R rider Sylvain Georges, was successful.

Levi Leipheimer

Levi Leipheimer (in the powder blue Lotto jersey) sits comfortably in the peleton amidst riders from various teams as they arrive at Big Bear Lake. Also visible are George Hincapie, Tejay Van Garderen, and Jens Voigt.

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen

Phil and Paul are perhaps the greatest broadcasting duo in all of sports. If you watch English language bicycle racing around the world, chances are that you listen to Phil and Paul. They bring bike racing alive for the expert as well as the first-time viewer. 

I watched Paul Sherwen race in the 1979 Tour de France, when he rode for team Fiat. Here Phil and Paul prepare for the live television broadcast from stage 7 of the 2012 Tour of California atop Mount Baldy.

Paul Sherwen:

Phil Liggett:

Dave Zabriskie

Dave Zabriskie rides into first place in the stage 5 time trial in Bakersfield, and into the yellow jersey as the overall race leader. He would retain the jersey the following day at Big Bear, but lose it on stage 7 on Mount Baldy, to race winner Robert Gesink. Zabriskie wears the USA time trial champion jersey, which he again won this year the following week. 

(let me know if you see a magenta color cast in this picture--it's fine in the original)

Peter Sagan

Peter Sagan won an astounding five of eight stages in the 2012 Tour of California. It would have been six had the breakaway at Big Bear not succeeded. Here he enjoys his win after stage 8 in Los Angeles.