2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 8

Peter Sagan puts on a show
He's Jedi
He'd like you to know
Descending with complete élan 
He's happy to bring on the pain
The breakaway is also sturdy
Onward faster hurty, hurty
Up Rock Store for the final time
Sky is in front 
Brad's tucked in line
Three laps to go
Under twenty miles
And end to the party
An end to the trials
The race as exciting
As a firecrack
Thrills if not chills
It did not lack
Jack Bobridge wants to win
Degenkolb says it could be him
Cavendish comes with his team
Each man holds his stage win dream 
4 miles to go in Thousand Oaks
Several sprinters harbor hopes
Markey took it
A total winner
He'll have a tale to tell at dinner
He came so hard after days of frustration
Cyclists all, you've earned a vacation 
Sir Bradley wins the overall
The Amgen tour has been a ball !  
Of note is that these winning Brits
have in spades both brains and grit! 
Sorry for the post delay
I've been away since Sunday

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 7

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 7

We're more than halfway through this route

Once more the heat comes like a brute

Solo Mark C soldiers on

Showing grit on climb so  long

We have a breakaway of four

a fast descent might close their door

This stage ends in Pasadena

For fast racing an arena

56 KM on tap

Sagan wants his mojo back

A quick descent and then the circuit

The pain is real but may be worth it

(Cadel is leading at the Giro

To all Aussies--cheer your hero!)

Fast Fred, Matt Goss, and Cav ride together 

Think they're chatting about the weather?

The break is throwing the dice

Will Cannon throw on water ice?

The breakaway is pretty classy

Lars Boon, Ben King, and Greg Van A

Are showing they have much to say

Ditto Haga and Bolivar

UHC will go far

Cannondale puts on the gas

The head of group goes crazy fast

Less than 20 miles to go

The odds for Cav are very low

Pete has rehearsed his victory pump

'Tho up to now he's had the hump

Degenkolb wants to take a shot

Peter's canon says--"Or not!"

As in a poem by Rudyard Kipling

They advance 'tho pain is crippling

Three laps to go in miles just nine

A long time to tow the line

It's eyes down the last few minutes

Taylor Phinney is still in it

But in the end it's Pete!

Cannon fans get to your feet!

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 6

Phil Gaimon has abandoned

Sorry to say

His insiders ' blog

a fun look at the day to day

I hear there is a lady

Known  as 'the super fan'

She's seen three times every stage

That's dedication, ma'am!

Tom Boonen also calls it quits 

The seat too hot on which he sits?

Another torrid day in the saddle

Sun so bright the brains could addle

But these lads are controlled and smart

They take the Wiggo Way to heart

Save  for the breakaway lusty

They plowed the road and it was dusty

All the way to Mountain High

Break Man Chaves the winning guy !

Johan C Columbian born

Took to the hills like a bull to a horn

De La Cruz took two

Tom Danielson three

But the day belonged to Sir Bradley

He took some time from Rohan, D

Consolidating his victory 

Assuming nothing goes awry

The Amgen tour should go to Sky

Showing skill John Dombrowski

Kept the pace turned up to high

Making things go smooth for Brad 

Riding like a dog gone mad

Another night for Wiggs in Yellow

Lean, cool, calm--might we say mellow?

The break has yielded winners three

To field of sprinters--irony

Pete, John, and Mark must feel frustrated

This Amgen tour is complicated

I'm enjoying every day

Give thanks Californ-Eye-Aye!!

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 5

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 5

Although my room is small and steaming

I'm still Tour of Cali dreaming

We 're now close to St Marcos pass

Today 's break won't be allowed to last !

Cannon's working hard for Pete

He 's in form and hard to beat

The wind ahead will be a factor

Jens Voigt attacks--a wily actor

The grand old man of the bunch

He loves to add some extra crunch!

This five mile climb is very telling

Jaramillo shows what he is selling

Will Routely takes the KOM

Phinney descends like the wind

The pace is high it's all downhill

If he can escape he will

Cannondale is forced to chase

If Pete is gonna win this race

Joining CAN is Orica-G

Will they stop Taylor Phinney?

Taylor keeps his leading spot 

Man!  Not just the sun is hot!

4 KM he catches a tailwind

It seems like he is gonna win!

What a ride for BMC

'Nuff respect to T. Phinney

He bows like a King so regal

He's our own American eagle!

His grace! His class!

His ride a blast!

Cav left on the road

Pete came two

Matt Goss three

But Taylor took the load!

This Amgen tour has proved to be

A font of electricity

I'm in front of my swamp cooler 

Bowing to Taylor -- stage ruler 

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 5

It 's a high noon explosion 

gutter to gutter and all together 

The group is enjoying perfect weather

Unlike their brothers in Italy

Where heavy rains spelled misery

A six man break escapes and sticks

No GC men in the mix

Will Routely takes KOM points four

His climbing skills we can't ignore

This time I am here in the flesh

To blog the race from the finish

In truth it was just yesterday

When I demeaned the breakaway

Saying it was for team awareness

I was so wrong

In all fairness

Especially team UHP

They got more than publicity

Chris Jones got most courageous

Jonny Clark wears dots--outrageous!

He also finished number 4

Matt Cooke came in one number more

The break today was all that happened

All sprinters teams were caught nappin'

Especially OPQS

Cav was livid

Is my guess

Instead the break worked like a team

All the way to a win clean

for Will Routely man of the hour

In each stage breakaway he powered

For Optum-Kelly he excelled

Defending well his KOM

 Taking the stage like a bat from hell

The peloton waited too long to catch the break

For Cannondale and BMC this must be hard to take

Sir Bradley's still in yellow

I saw him with mine eyes

So scratch that off my bucket list

If tomorrow I should die

I so enjoyed watching the race

In a crowd of fans

Record heat for Cambria

But I made my stand

The commentators were flipped out

By the successful break

I was there for history

Much to contemplate

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 3

Stage one was the wind

Today it's the heat

It's more than just riders

Who must be beat

The eight man break 

flaunt their team kit

A chance to shine in the sun

For a bit

Belkin, Bissell, and Jelly Belly

Join UHC for their time on the telly

Mt Hamilton has been done

Mt Diablo is under the gun

It's how well they handle the blazing sun

Five miles to the sprint intermediate

The race isn't won, but Sky wants to be in it

The word of the day is clearly hydration

Loyal domestiques show dedication

Carrying water like beasts of burden

Forget to drink liquids and you will be hurting'

The sprint is not a big point of contention

The points too few to inspire attention

Wiggo in form is a sight to behold

He's wearing yellow with his eyes on gold

The pace of the peloton begins to rise

One team is out front an that is Sky

20 miles to go 

up to the peak of

Mount Diablo

The lads fear the elimination time

12% from the first cross the the line

BMC starts to unfurl

Wishing to give Team Sky a whirl

Taylor Phinney steps on the gas

Jell-Bells Davilla shows some class

Team Sky returns like an angry beast

They're single minded in the heat

Robbie Squire is still doing great

Paul Voss a good effort makes

The breakaway refuses to quit

Bradley is by himself--oh s**t!

Eight minutes to go 

He's Attila the Hun

Psychological warfare played for fun

Carter Jones attacks alone

But he couldn't bring it home

1 KM to go

A red cape for bull Wiggo

Rohan Dennis wins for Garmin

He gained some time 

He is first to hit the line!

Good work lad

Pretty impressive

Garmin is sharp

We get the message

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 1

2014 Amgen Tour of California  Stage 1

Some social events involving hip hop

Has kept me from being Sunday's

Imo 'pon the spot

The Tour of California has just begun

Several of the strong teams 

have brought their big guns 

Cav, and Degenkolb, Sir Brad, and 

Pete Sagan

Who will own the podium

Who'll be an also ran ?

The question is still open as to who will win

The climatic conundrum is very heavy wind!

Cross winds split the peloton 'tho they 're

Coming back together

In today's stage it's all about the weather 

22 KM is left on the route

Some early anarchy looks pretty cute

Like Peter Sagan and Taylor Phinney

Also Sir  Brad looking well if skinny 

Everyone is riding like this stage

were their last

Despite the headwinds the pace is very fast 

Mark Renshaw flats not good news for Marky Mark

Yet he regains the pack 

showing lots of heart

Ditto Kiel Reijnen for UHC

He's in the lead outstandingly

Cannondale must reel him in

Much respect for Kiel Reijnen

Goodbye K here comes Quick Step

Giant-Shimano is not through yet

Degenkolb is there but

Mark wins by a whisker

Time to kick back with a Cali Tour

Elixir!!!

I

2014 Amgen Tour of California Stage 2

Rohan Dennis is doing well

Jens Voigt shows good form

The individual time trials

Heats up a Monday warm

All eyes are on Taylor P

And Sky's Wiggo, B.

It should be much more clear

At three fifteen

After Bradley's ride is seen

The talking heads all agree

It's Dennis, Brad, or T. Phinney

Local hero Fast Freddy

Takes his turn for Jelly Belly

And does quite well 

we're very pleased

Despite his recent injuries

Brad has made it crystal clear

He came to win not just drink beer

He is the man all others fear

Phil Liggett echoes all our thoughts

His motivation can't be bought

Wiggo wings like Mercury

Greased lightening contained humanly

12:42 at time check one

I like to think he's having fun

Rohan eclipsed by Bradly, Sir

Can Taylor Phinney go faster ?

32 miles per hour

We should call it Wiggo power

23:18: 27 a fine TT

Work cut out for Taylor Phinney

 Ales Brad did not inhale  

to reach his

fighting weight

I hope when this race is done

He'll find time to celebrate

The time check shows him off 32

Will he even finish two?

Taylor Phinney 24:10

As third  he will podium

 New man from Spain

Eloy Teruel

Comes in fourth

He rode quite well

But 'nuff respect to winner Brad

Not for nothin' Fastest Lad!!!