Site search
sponsored by
News
Sports
ENLARGE
Cyclist Lance Armstrong talks to the media before the start of the first stage of the Tour of the Gila in late April in Silver City, N.M.
Lance Armstrong last raced through the streets of Nevada City nearly 18 years ago.
But the seven-time Tour de France champion apparently liked what he saw, as he suggested Thursday that the western Nevada County community would be a strong fit as a stage race for the Amgen Tour of California.
“First of all, if that's what they're hoping for then it's good that the race was moved to May,” Armstrong said in a phone interview. “I've never been to Nevada City in February, but I'd bet it's a bit nippy. Right?”
“You know, it's like if you were to renew the old Coors Classic in Colorado, you'd want to go to the legendary spots. So, the Tour of California would want to include the marquee events in that state. And the second-oldest bike race in the country, which apparently Nevada City is ... the organizers need to recognize that. So the answer is ‘yes.' They definitely should do that.
“You want to go where the crowds are. And with Nevada City, you have that built in.”
The Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, led by Classic race organizer Duane Strawser, has been actively seeking a spot on the Amgen stage race. Strawser, who owns Tour of Nevada City Bike Shop, was happy to hear the top cyclist in the world speak highly of the local race and its host city.
“I think we've earned that kind of reputation by just putting on such a professional race over the years,” Strawser said. “But still, you don't expect to hear that type of input from Lance Armstrong, somebody who is used to doing some of the biggest events and races in the world.”
Armstrong raced the Tour of California for the first time this year, finishing seventh overall. And one of the two Astana teammates who will join him this weekend is also no stranger to California, or Nevada City. Levi Leipheimer, a Santa Rosa native, is the three-time defending Tour of California champion. The two confirmed via social network Twitter earlier this week that they would race in Sunday's 49th annual Nevada City Classic, where Armstrong took second in the 1991 race and Leipheimer was crowned the 1998 champion.
Armstrong, Leipheimer and Astana teammate Chris Horner, who also has posted a top five finish in Nevada City, were training for the Tour de France in Colorado when they decided to head west for Father's Day weekend.
“We just looked at the calendar, because we're stateside, and we saw Nevada City on the weekend,” Armstrong said. ”And personally, it's a race that I did a long time ago and Levi said he did in '97 or '98, so there's a little bit of nostalgia for both of us.
“So we said ‘Why not?'”
Armstrong said the Astana trio had been looking for American races to help get them ready for the Tour de France, helping to break the monotony of training at altitude in Aspen while getting their competitive juices flowing. Prior to last month's Tour of Italy, in which Leipheimer took sixth and Armstrong 12th, they competed in the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico. And just last week Armstrong and Leipheimer surprised western Colorado cycling fans by racing in the Western Slope Ominium Leg Breaker Time Trial in Carbondale.
“Levi and I are obviously in the middle of our Tour (de France) preparations, so we've been duking it out with each other in training,” Armstrong said. “And actually, Horner is also here, so there's three of us just beating each other up.
“(Competing at American races) you've got domestic pros and we're all out there on fast, light equipment. Even though it's not the Tour de France field, it's just hard to simulate that in training. Even with a race like Nevada City, even though it's not the Tour de France, I think it's important to recognize that there will be a lot of strong guys there.”
Strawser said once Armstrong confirmed that he will compete many more cyclists have been calling for a spot in the race roster. But even before the Astana team trio signed up, three other former Nevada City Classic champions were in the lineup. Chad Gerlach, the 1996 champ, Burke Swindlehurst, who won the 2005 race, and Justin England, who claimed his second win in Nevada City last year, will all be in the mix.
“One of the three of us could potentially win, but I wouldn't bet my life savings on me winning,” Armstrong said. “But you never know.”
Armstrong showed just how well he remembered his previous Nevada City experience, recalling the 1.1-mile course that so many cyclists consider to be the most challenging single-day race.
“I remember a steep, hard climb up and then a flatter section on the top that's not very long and then just a raging downhill, a hard left, another hard left and then you're climbing again,” Armstrong said. “And I remember there being a great turnout from the locals, just a lot of people from the area coming out for the race.”
And considering Armstrong is making a return Sunday, there's not much doubt that fans from all over Northern California will flock to see him race before departing for the July 4 start of the Tour de France.
“If my Twitter responses are any indication,” he said, “there's going to be a lot of people there.”
To contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton, e-mail bhamilton@theunion.com or call 477-4240.
But the seven-time Tour de France champion apparently liked what he saw, as he suggested Thursday that the western Nevada County community would be a strong fit as a stage race for the Amgen Tour of California.
“First of all, if that's what they're hoping for then it's good that the race was moved to May,” Armstrong said in a phone interview. “I've never been to Nevada City in February, but I'd bet it's a bit nippy. Right?”
“You know, it's like if you were to renew the old Coors Classic in Colorado, you'd want to go to the legendary spots. So, the Tour of California would want to include the marquee events in that state. And the second-oldest bike race in the country, which apparently Nevada City is ... the organizers need to recognize that. So the answer is ‘yes.' They definitely should do that.
“You want to go where the crowds are. And with Nevada City, you have that built in.”
The Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, led by Classic race organizer Duane Strawser, has been actively seeking a spot on the Amgen stage race. Strawser, who owns Tour of Nevada City Bike Shop, was happy to hear the top cyclist in the world speak highly of the local race and its host city.
“I think we've earned that kind of reputation by just putting on such a professional race over the years,” Strawser said. “But still, you don't expect to hear that type of input from Lance Armstrong, somebody who is used to doing some of the biggest events and races in the world.”
Armstrong raced the Tour of California for the first time this year, finishing seventh overall. And one of the two Astana teammates who will join him this weekend is also no stranger to California, or Nevada City. Levi Leipheimer, a Santa Rosa native, is the three-time defending Tour of California champion. The two confirmed via social network Twitter earlier this week that they would race in Sunday's 49th annual Nevada City Classic, where Armstrong took second in the 1991 race and Leipheimer was crowned the 1998 champion.
Armstrong, Leipheimer and Astana teammate Chris Horner, who also has posted a top five finish in Nevada City, were training for the Tour de France in Colorado when they decided to head west for Father's Day weekend.
“We just looked at the calendar, because we're stateside, and we saw Nevada City on the weekend,” Armstrong said. ”And personally, it's a race that I did a long time ago and Levi said he did in '97 or '98, so there's a little bit of nostalgia for both of us.
“So we said ‘Why not?'”
Armstrong said the Astana trio had been looking for American races to help get them ready for the Tour de France, helping to break the monotony of training at altitude in Aspen while getting their competitive juices flowing. Prior to last month's Tour of Italy, in which Leipheimer took sixth and Armstrong 12th, they competed in the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico. And just last week Armstrong and Leipheimer surprised western Colorado cycling fans by racing in the Western Slope Ominium Leg Breaker Time Trial in Carbondale.
“Levi and I are obviously in the middle of our Tour (de France) preparations, so we've been duking it out with each other in training,” Armstrong said. “And actually, Horner is also here, so there's three of us just beating each other up.
“(Competing at American races) you've got domestic pros and we're all out there on fast, light equipment. Even though it's not the Tour de France field, it's just hard to simulate that in training. Even with a race like Nevada City, even though it's not the Tour de France, I think it's important to recognize that there will be a lot of strong guys there.”
Strawser said once Armstrong confirmed that he will compete many more cyclists have been calling for a spot in the race roster. But even before the Astana team trio signed up, three other former Nevada City Classic champions were in the lineup. Chad Gerlach, the 1996 champ, Burke Swindlehurst, who won the 2005 race, and Justin England, who claimed his second win in Nevada City last year, will all be in the mix.
“One of the three of us could potentially win, but I wouldn't bet my life savings on me winning,” Armstrong said. “But you never know.”
Armstrong showed just how well he remembered his previous Nevada City experience, recalling the 1.1-mile course that so many cyclists consider to be the most challenging single-day race.
“I remember a steep, hard climb up and then a flatter section on the top that's not very long and then just a raging downhill, a hard left, another hard left and then you're climbing again,” Armstrong said. “And I remember there being a great turnout from the locals, just a lot of people from the area coming out for the race.”
And considering Armstrong is making a return Sunday, there's not much doubt that fans from all over Northern California will flock to see him race before departing for the July 4 start of the Tour de France.
“If my Twitter responses are any indication,” he said, “there's going to be a lot of people there.”
To contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton, e-mail bhamilton@theunion.com or call 477-4240.
