Outdoors
Ridestrong
Nevada City
Oh, but you knew he came to win, right?!
Seventy-two hours after the tweet heard round the Sierra Nevada, seven-time Tour de France winner, cancer survivor and the bane of every baguette wielding, cigarette-smoking, beret-wearing ...er... Frenchy... threw down at the Nevada City Classic.
Couple-a things before we get to the quote of the day:
• More than a handful of merchants, B&B owners ...and two-bottles-of-Sutter Home-Chardonnay-deep locals said the crowds three deep lining the 1.1-mile circuit course for the 49th annual race were ten-fold ...if not more, than the 2008 running. Nevada City Chamber of Commerce thanks you Twitter.
• Real deal: It was Levi (3rd) and Lance of team Astansa who made headlines and set off the charge, interrupting taper-mode in the Rockies to throw down in Nevada City. But it was Team Bissell's Ben Jacques-Maynesn (2nd) who rode smartest, with no support — finishing only 21 ticks behind Armstrong.
• Estimated crowd: 15k plus.
• Last time Armstrong appeared in the mining town 'o charm: 1990 ...and for that, you get your first quote:
...When the PA guy let fly Armstrong last made his way around downtown Nevada City half-a-lifetime ago, the Livestrong One turned a tad circumspect:
"...Thank you, I felt old — but didn't know it'd been that long," Armstrong said. "Nineteen years ago I was a 20-year-old kid who was racing against pros.
"I was an amateur. It got easier. I'm not saying the course is easier. It's still a hard course."
...As for the quote of the day — Armstrong on the flavor of Nevada City:
"The highlight (was) the crowds," he said.
"...From the smell of barbecue and beer. ...To, just around turn two, I thought I smelled something I won't go into... but it is NorCal."
Yep, it was Lance's day. The self-effacing and self-proclaimed 'Old Man' leaves for France to begin his comeback in earnest in less than two weeks; will he win a stage or two?! Or was the California love a false start?
Soon, we'll know. But Sunday belonged to the Sierra Nevada gold country; to the power of Twitter, to, in the words of 3rd-place women's finisher and Truckee local Katerina Nash, "the bizarre world of cycling."
"Where," Armstrong told the crowd of upstart cyclophiles brandishing camera phones and Sharpees, "...we'll see what happens. The morale of the team is high. ...And the old man'll be around to come pick up the pieces — if there are any left."
Do not talk about Dummy Club
3/11/10, 5:41 pm, By Barb Archer
- DP Dummy Downhill March 27
- ...But you didn't hear it here
Can Rahlves clan repeat at Silver Belt...
3/10/10, 8:49 pm, By A. Pridgen
- Banzai ...Saturday and Sunday March 13 and 14 @ Sugar Bowl
- Part Chinese downhill, part skicross... the classic race was originally one of the West's first
March 11 Weather Report
3/10/10, 5:03 pm, Staff Report
- Rain...
- Yuck... (but should be niceish this weekend)
SugarBowl - Judah Chair
-Diamond Peak season pass sale starts Monday
3/09/10, 7:42 pm, By Barb Archer
- That's right - buy your '10-'11 pass ...ski the rest of this season free...
- (Plus, early lift access on pow days)...
Basin Bargain Basement - Putting the IV in Incline Village
3/08/10, 9:07 pm, By A. Pridgen
- That's right ...now you can do what you've always dreamed of...
- Set foot on their beaches and laugh when they ask you (and your 40) to leave: 'sorry, I'm a homeowner in Incline for $150k
Commentary ...When it comes to inch count ...Tahoe is John Holmes
3/07/10, 8:15 am, By A. Pridgen
- Does size matter?!
- Basin resorts seem to think so...
Paaso earns top spot at FWT Squaw stop ...Ingy finishes 3rd
3/01/10, 8:07 pm, Staff Report
- Jackie out-hucks men
- ...And is top of the podium headed into Freeride World Tour's final stop
SugarBowl - Judah Chair
-Mt. Rose spring pass on sale... it includes next season's pass
2/27/10, 9:09 pm, By Kayla Anderson
- $433 gets you all spring and all of '10-'11 season
- Nice
CR Johnson dies in fall at Squaw Valley
2/24/10, 4:28 pm, Staff Report
- CR Johnson dies in crash at Squaw Valley USA
- Johnson, 26, was wearing a helmet but hit the back of his head on rocks at Light Towers
Natalie Cole headlines Lake Tahoe Music Festival
2/23/10, 9:54 pm, By Kristen Power
- Will they bring back Huey?
- Click inside for tix and full schedule
Sinatra biopic closer to green light and DiCaprio ...North Shore and Cal Neva wait
2/21/10, 5:34 pm, By A. Pridgen
- DiCaprio hints deal's in the works
- Cal Neva years focal point of all known scripts ...and yes, the North Shore NEEDS some star power
SugarBowl - Judah Chair
-Summer Squaw rumors to fruition... Village acquired by Cushings from broke Intrawest
1/30/10, 8:09 am, Staff Report
- Great - now Squaw has something new to run down...
- ...See what happens Intrawest - Hedge Funds = no-no
And yes ...the KB roundabouts were originally scheduled to be complete this summer
1/27/10, 9:35 pm, Staff Report
- Tahoe Regional Planning Agency board votes unanimously (again) to approve three-lane/roundabouts in KB
- ...Yes, you've heard that (here) before
Restoring Watershed Function Critical for Tahoe
1/22/10, 9:40 pm, By Joanne Marchetta
- ...Another $2.5 bil. to fix Tahoe over the next decade?!
- Sure
A reminder from Manzanar
1/20/10, 11:18 pm, By David Bunker
- Manzanar...
- The dark side of the Eastern Sierra
SugarBowl - Judah Chair
-Could this be the end of Tahoe Luke... Crooner Stevenson escapes to the Galapagos
1/13/10, 8:55 pm, By Tracy Potter
- Oh man... battle of the cover crooners...
- New guy does new covers... but we're still suckers for 'Take it Easy' as the sun sets and we're sipping a Golden Eagle (le sigh)
Dirt Bag for a Day - North Pt. III
11/29/09, 7:59 pm, By D. Bunker
- So, you wanna see how it all ends...
- (Begins?!)
Dirt Bag for a Day - North Pt. II
11/29/09, 7:46 pm, By D. Bunker
- Dirtbag + Alcan + Moose =
- ...
Dirt Bag for a Day - North Pt. 1
11/29/09, 7:46 pm, By D. Bunker
- Apologies to the author but 'Relentlessly North' made the pics too small...
- While you were sleeping at your desk... he was out there... where Twitter couldn't save him
SugarBowl - Judah Chair
-Squaw OPEN!
11/18/09, 7:12 pm, Staff Report
- Full opening-day schedule...
- Hint: JT Holmes BASE jumps, Jonny Moseley lifts a glass... yep, happy 60th Squaw...but is there enough snow?!
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