Virtual Ride" of the Tour of California Final Stage in Redondo Part 1
Stage 7 is a 10 laps of a 7.65 mile circuit through the Southern California
community of Redondo Beach this Sunday afternoon at 1pm. The course has elements
that will test the riders with a few tight chicanes and transitions from six
lanes to two providing opportunities for breakaways to develop during the final
stage of the first Tour of California.
The start area is alongside the Pacific Ocean and Redondo Breakwater known
for its towering 20 plus foot waves in the winter that once washed across the
road the riders will ride on before the harbor breakwater was built. So lets
take a virtual ride around Stage 7 in this two part pictorial.
A lone rider rides past the start/finish in Redondo
The riders next face a hard left turn and goes up a slight incline click on
thumbnails below to see larger picture.
Hard left turn & up a slight incline with an island that will split the peloton
after a hard right turn,a slightly curving ride along Catalina Avenue until we
make the right turn just past the entrance to Redondo Pier... this will be
an excellent place for shooting some photos of the riders.
The course makes the sweeping turn and another slight rise onto the Esplanade
that runs due South along the Pacific Ocean although the blue Pacific will be
the last thing on the riders minds at this point...
The next obstacle is this lovely bit of road furniture and hard right turn onto
Paseo de la Playa at Calle Mayor around the Feed zone... an opportunity for the
fans to get a water bottle tossed off from the riders perhaps. The turn should
be a tight one as the road goes from six lanes to pass the traffic island and
transition to a two lane curving road ahead...
entering a slight uphill staight drive toward the somewhat steep 500 foot climb
that could present an opportunity for a breakaway as some of the riders are
strung out in the previous transition to two lanes...
The hill may look easy but, it can be a tough one especially after 9 times
through the circuit at the speed the pros will be moving at the hill can be a
challenge and an opportunity for the hard men in the peloton today.
A left turn at the top of the hill and another onto Palos Verdes Blvd... that
will be a very descent as the riders go down the 500 feet they just climbed on
newly patched roads with broad sweeping turns. The peloton will be flying as
they fly down this part of the course and come to a left turn at the bottom of
the hill into the posh shopping area of Riviera Village to contest the
intermediate prints points..
and return to Catalina Avenue on their way back to the finish...Part 2 to
follow... as the riders will face a fast return through some tricky sections set
up to the finish....
All photos c. Roman Trevisanut &
www.dailypeloton.com
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