2009 Tour of California: Stage 8 | Bicycling in California

2009 Tour of California: Stage 8

The Tour of California may reach its climax on the 4,000-foot climb up Mount Palomar, perhaps the final chance for the GC men to stake their claim on the golden jersey.

Author:	RaphaContinental
Date:	20 Jan 2009 5:04:26 PM
Activity:	Bicycling ActivitySearchBicycling
State:	California (CA)
Distance:	100.4 mi (Change units)
Elevation:	Total Gain: 21278 ft Total Loss: 20857 ft Net Change: 420 ft
Difficulty:	1 / 10
Tags:	2009 Tour of California, California, San Diego, Rapha Continental
Rating:	1 rating(s) Rate it

Photos courtesy of the Rapha Continental

The ToC was essentially decided after the Solvang TT the past two years, but the addition of Mount Palomar (5,123 feet) offers a new wrinkle. "This is the kind of stage where a few spots in the top 10 will be in jeopardy," says BMC Racing's Tony Cruz, a Long Beach resident who occasionally rides Palomar. "Once it gets whittled down to a select group and guys figure out, oh, so-and-so's not looking so good, that's when the fireworks start."

WATCH: Palomar is steepest toward the top. "The last 4 to 5 kilometers are where the action will happen," Cruz predicts; the 16.1km climb will offer many chances to thin the pack with attacks. Cole Grade, the last real climb, offers "an opportunity for the soloists to go for broke" if the team controlling the race lacks riders up front. Watch closely: There's a steep descent just 5 miles from the end, so a small move could stay away for a stage win.

RIDE: "If you're camping, do a loop around Palomar," says Cruz. One possibility--up the steep South Grade Road the racers will climb, down East Grade to Lake Henshaw and back on Route 76--nets 30 miles.

GEAR: Hidden Valley Bicycle, open since 1961, has just about anything you'll need.

EAT: Filippi's Pizza Grotto is a SoCal original.

SLEEP: Go camping on Palomar (parks.ca.gov). Some campgrounds close seasonally (others require reservations), so try Euro-style roadside campervans on South Grade Road.
Tour of California Stage Maps: Prologue | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 | Stage 7 | Stage 8

Position Format:	Datum:

Tracks

Tour of California: Stage 8

Dist: 96.83 mi	Points: 1716	Calories: none
Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Distance	Instruction		Distance to next
3.99 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at Bandy Canyon Rd	Then go 0.30 mi
4.29 mi	Turn Left	Turn left to stay on Bandy Canyon Rd	Then go 4.19 mi
8.48 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at CA-78/San Pasqual Valley Rd	Then go 6.39 mi
14.87 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Bear Valley Pkwy	Then go 2.62 mi
17.49 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Bear Valley Pkwy/S6/E Valley Pkwy	Then go 0.38 mi
17.87 mi		Slight right to stay on Bear Valley Pkwy/S6/E Valley Pkwy Continue to follow E Valley Pkw	Then go 0.83 mi
18.69 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Lake Wohlford Rd	Then go 7.80 mi
26.49 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at S6/Valley Center Rd	Then go 5.00 mi
31.49 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at CA-76/Pala Rd Continue to follow CA-7	Then go 4.96 mi
36.45 mi		Slight left at S Grade Rd/S7	Then go 6.77 mi
43.22 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at E Grade Rd/S7	Then go 11.27 mi
54.50 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at CA-76/Pala Rd	Then go 17.62 mi
72.12 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at Cole Grade Rd	Then go 7.87 mi
79.99 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at S6/Valley Center Rd	Then go 2.92 mi
82.91 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at N Lake Wohlford Rd	Then go 7.80 mi
90.71 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at S6/E Valley Pkwy	Then go 0.33 mi
91.04 mi		Slight right to stay on S6/E Valley Pkwy	Then go 0.43 mi
91.47 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at E Washington Ave	Then go 0.59 mi
92.06 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Stoneybrae Pl	Then go 0.04 mi
92.10 mi		Make a U-turn at Fieldbrook Way	Then go 0.06 mi
92.16 mi		Stoneybrae Way turns right and becomes El Norte Pkwy	Then go 0.44 mi
92.60 mi		Slight left at N Citrus Ave	Then go 0.22 mi
92.82 mi		Continue on E El Norte Pkwy/E Norte Pkwy	Then go 2.40 mi
95.22 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at N Escondido Blvd	Then go 1.43 mi
96.65 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at W Grand Ave	Then go 0.18 mi
96.83 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at N Broadway

Neutral Start

Dist: 3.57 mi	Points: 44	Calories: none
Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Points of Interest

Official Start

Location: 33.052864°, -117.066879°

First Climb of the Day

Location: 33.062917°, -117.026196°
© Rapha

By the Orange Groves

Location: 33.097467°, -117.024814°
© Rapha

Dusk View on Pala Road

Location: 33.299615°, -116.916161°
© Rapha

Descending Pala Road

Location: 33.302197°, -116.913157°
© Rapha

Heading up South Grade Road

Location: 33.294521°, -116.895862°
Turning off CA-76, the first stretch of the Palomar climb starts with a half-mile straightaway on South Grade Road. After this, it's all about the switchbacks. © Rapha

South Grade Switchbacks

Location: 33.299041°, -116.889939°
South Grade Road features Alpe d'Huez-style switchbacks; the kind that offer views of the road below from the road. © Rapha