2008 Amgen Tour of California Preview
Photo: Melissa Eisler/ Active.com Bruce Hildenbrand
For Active.com
Entering its third year, the Amgen Tour of California is one of the premier early-season races on the professional calendar. Featuring 18 teams from both sides of the Atlantic racing through the spectacular California countryside, this event has something for racers and spectators alike. About the only uncertainty is the weather, and—knock on wood—the 2006 and 2007 editions were blessed with sunny, dry conditions. What's not to like?
Save for Australia's Tour Down Under in January, the Amgen Tour of California is the season opener for most pro squads. Americans are anxiously awaiting the debut of the team they hope will fly Old Glory proudly in Europe, Team Slipstream. With the departure of Lance Armstrong's Discovery Channel squad, Jonathan Vaughter's Team Slipstream has inherited the mantle as America's team. Comprised of older pros and young, up-and-coming riders, the big question is: Do they have the firepower and the chemistry to be successful in Europe?
One of Team Slipstream's biggest signings over the winter, Dave Zabriskie, was second in the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Unfortunately, a crash on Stage 1 in 2007 put paid to his chances as he was forced to withdraw. Can Dave re-discover his early-season form and be a contender in 2008? Clearly he will be one of the protected riders for Team Slipstream. Christian Vandevelde and Tom Danielson have also raced well here in the past, so expect them to be on Team Slipstream's roster as well.
New Kit for Defending Champ
Anticipation is also high for the Team Astana. After what can only be described as a tumultuous 2007 Tour de France, the Kazakhstan-based squad is under new leadership and boasts a cast of new riders. When the Discovery Channel team folded, its long-time director, Johan Bruyneel, announced his retirement. But only a few days passed before rumors started circulating that he was back in the sport and linked to Team Astana. Those rumors soon proved true.
Most noticeably, Bruyneel hired a large percentage of his old Discovery riders, including Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, American Levi Leipheimer and upstart Californian Chris Horner. Although Contador is the reigning Tour champion, Leipheimer won last year's Amgen Tour of California, and when in California, you have to root and ride for the locals. That means that like last year, when Ivan Basso broke wind for Leipheimer, expect to see Contador, if he rides the event, at the front with Leipheimer in tow.
Team CSC provided some of the most exciting moments in 2007, including Jens Voigt almost snatching the win from Leipheimer. Here's hoping that CSC comes back to the event with the same determination. In the final year of his career, this will be American cyclist Bobby Julich's last Amgen Tour of California. The podium finisher in 2006 will definitely be looking to go out on a high note.
When Michael Rogers launched off the front on Stage 6 to Santa Clarita last year, he almost won the overall title. Gone is his T-Mobile sponsor, replaced by Bob Stapleton's High Road Sports organization. Will the team be able to regroup and find the motivation to be as active as they were in 2007? Stapleton has tried very hard to bring a new paradigm to pro cycling and fight against doping; let's hope that all his efforts are rewarded with some noteworthy performances in California.
Making a Statement on the Home Turf
A number of domestic professional teams—such as Health Net-Maxxis, Toyota-United and BMC Racing—will be looking to steal the spotlight, even for only a moment, from their Euro counterparts. But if the race follows form, it will be an uphill battle. Toyota-United's Ivan Dominguez won the final stage last year, but it was the only ray of sunlight for the homeboys. Rock Racing has generated a lot of press with its flamboyant owner, Michael Ball, and its Cadillac Escalade team cars, but do they have the personnel to back it up?
On the administrative side of things, there was a lot of speculation as to the Amgen Tour of California becoming a UCI Pro Tour event. While the idea behind the Pro Tour is admirable, the UCI has failed in its execution and the series is in trouble. A Pro Tour ranking would bring all the best teams in Europe, but it would exclude a lot of the smaller American pro teams. Frankly, most European Pro Tour teams have little interest in being truly competitive in February, so including too many in the event would end up pushing out several U.S.-based teams that are motivated to show themselves against the big boys and make their sponsors happy.
As for the course, much more climbing has been added from years past, meaning the race will be even more selective.
Anxious anticipation is the slogan for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California. Will Team Slipstream live up to its billing as America's newest Euro team? Can Leipheimer and the reformed Team Astana defend his 2007 victory? Will the U.S.-based professional teams step up their game and leave their mark? From February 17 through 24, those questions will be answered on the beautiful and challenging roads of California.