Giro d'Italia - Lance chooses California over Giro

Eurosport - Thu, 22 Oct 20:29:00 2009

Lance Armstrong is expected to miss next May's Giro d'Italia after announcing he will race in the Tour of California.

CYCLING 2009 Tour de France Astana Armstrong Contador - 0

"I've decided to ride the Tour of California in 2010," the American told Twitter.

Current Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer will be joining Armstrong in the newly formed Team RadioShack.

The race will be held from May 16-23, so riders can expect balmy weather, a marked change from the wet, chilly conditions that prevailed for much of this year's race in February.

For the first time the event will begin with a road stage, from Nevada City, California, to the state capital of Sacramento.

It will pass through Davis, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Modesto, Visalia, Bakersfield, Pasadena, Big Bear Lake, Los Angeles and end in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks, home of title sponsor Amgen.

Stage seven will be the individual time trial in downtown Los Angeles next to the Staples Center arena - home of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.

"For the 2010 Tour of California we had the unique opportunity to move our race to a part of the year when we are almost guaranteed great weather in California," said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports.

"This timing will help us to better showcase the beautiful features the state of California has to offer, while allowing us to travel to parts of the state that just weren't feasible in previous years."

Organizers said the use of Twitter to announce the schedule was a first for an event of this stature.

Twitter was much in evidence in the 2009 edition of the race, as Armstrong mobilized his army of followers on the networking site to be on the lookout for his stolen time trial bike, which was eventually turned in to police in Sacramento.

AFP

Comment 1 - 18 of 18

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  1. chad, ray, it wasn't an attack, merely an­ observation based on a great number of posts from your­ side of the pond. If that's not you, perhaps I owe­ an apology. As for 'being riddled with­ scandal'. That's pretty much cycling I'm­ afraid. This includes riders of ALL nationalities,­ including Brits I'm sorry to say. If you look at­ the Giro for it's route, including some of the­ sport's most fearsome climbs, it is where it should­ be, a Grand Tour. Hopefully the battle against doping­ is being won. If you're areal cycling fan then take­ a closer look at the Giro and see it for what it really­ is.

    From terrytrudgian, on Sat 24 Oct 8:54PM

  2. Ya right Terry, No one watches the Giro except for the­ for the good people of Italy. This Giro has been­ riddled with scandal for years and the race is no­ indicaton of who is the best in the world. 9 times out­ of 10 the person who wins the Giro does not enter the­ TdF and if they do they are not a factor in the overall­ results of TdF.

    From chad, on Sat 24 Oct 5:09PM

  3. Its a pity they do not move the Vuelta as it is a much­ better race than the Giro and much better preperation­ for the Tour. Only the Italians are intrested in the­ Giro and do not want a non Italians to win it ask­ Steven Roche and Laurent Fingnon about that.

    From paulandlyndsay, on Sat 24 Oct 1:12PM

  4. Hey terrytrudgian,
    some of us American cycling fans­ can actually watch 2 events at the same time. Is it­ too difficult for you?
    Tho I don't agree with them­ going up against the Giro, I will plan to attend.. at­ least the weather will be better.

    From ray_west_00, on Sat 24 Oct 12:16PM

  5. Chad #12, the rest of the world will enjoy the Giro­ while America enjoys its own event. Nothing new there.

    From terrytrudgian, on Sat 24 Oct 10:21AM

  6. Yeehaaaa !!!!

    Leave the real racing to the Men LA

    From H C, on Sat 24 Oct 9:23AM

  7. Good choice the Italians can have their beloved Tour­ and we Americans can enjoy ours.

    From chad, on Sat 24 Oct 5:29AM

  8. As its no suprise Lance is riding the ToC over the­ Giro, it'd be nice next year if he could actually­ target and be on top form for TWO races? Just a­ thought.

    From demi162, on Sat 24 Oct 3:32AM

  9. The Giro and the Monuments are the most exciting races­ of the year so what if LA wants to concentrate on the­ Tour his choice it's a proven tactic and I wish him­ well.

    From Calum, on Sat 24 Oct 12:40AM

  10. Cthenn...still no Peter Joachim rant directed at the­ voices in his head? I'm starting to worry, can­ someone call his mum and see if he is ok?

    From demi162, on Fri 23 Oct 11:00PM

  11. That's a relief - well in a way it is - I had just­ decided that after some 15 years following the sport, I­ would give it a miss next year - guess it was him or me­ really.

    Now I think I might change my mind - I do like­ the Giro anyway - lets hope Eurosport don't another­ 'deal' with L.A. which means the coverage of­ one of the true Classics would be affected in order to­ promote another race.

    From Fred, on Fri 23 Oct 7:38PM

  12. WOW who would of though it Lance will be focused on the­ Tour and nothing else next season. Didnt see that­ coming. I gues he isnt riding in Italy or Spain because­ as he has said before "The American fans wouldnt­ understand what a win there means".

    From Liam L, on Fri 23 Oct 7:14PM

  13. I wonder what event Versus (American channel which­ shows cycling) will cover? 90% bet it will cover Lance­ Armstrong and the ToC. Personally, I'd rather­ watch the Giro though...who knows, maybe they'll­ cover both!

    From cthenn, on Fri 23 Oct 6:19PM

  14. I like the ToC for what it brings to cycling for­ America but the Giro will be what I will watch if I­ have to choose.

    From Worldwide, on Fri 23 Oct 12:31PM

  15. So the Tour of California will be overlapping with the­ Giro next year.Cycling tradion and history versus­ business and showcase...well, not really a hard choice­ make. The Giro all the way!

    From alexmn85, on Fri 23 Oct 8:28AM

  16. A Lance Armstrong article??? Cue Peter "The­ Parrot" Joachim in 3...2...1...

    From cthenn, on Fri 23 Oct 1:33AM

  17. ....Yay.......

    From CR, on Thu 22 Oct 11:39PM

  18. yawn...

    From LOOK486, on Thu 22 Oct 11:36PM
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