Originally Posted by rutan74

So far for my money, this race has been a snooze fest. Yesterday was just awful to watch. Everyone just sitting back taking it easy with the exception of 2 riders who wanted to ride. Kudos to them.

This ride will never make the cut over the long haul. The Euro's simply use this as a training ride to prepare for the Tour if they even come. The weather is just to nice, roads to wide, and atmosphere is to layed back.

I feel that many of the really good riders simply use this as a training vacation. Not to mention that for almost all of the teams, it is a long haul and expense to Cali for this ride. I get the Tour Down Under since it is the first big ride of the year, but Amgen is just not going to really make it due to the nature of the ride itself.

Yesterday was a good example of all the GC's guys just out for a ride. Mt Baldy seems like the only day anyone will really press the issue, so I guess 2 days out of 7 is the best we are going to get.

john