2009 Tour of California: Stage 4 | Bicycling in California

2009 Tour of California: Stage 4

Starting at the footsteps of Yosemite, the Tour of California makes its first foray into the Sierra Nevada on a relentlessly hilly 115-mile jaunt between Merced and Clovis.

Author:	RaphaContinental
Date:	20 Jan 2009 4:56:15 PM
Activity:	Bicycling ActivitySearchBicycling
State:	California (CA)
Distance:	118.18 mi (Change units)
Elevation:	Total Gain: 19592 ft Total Loss: 19221 ft Net Change: 370 ft
Difficulty:	9 / 10
Tags:	California, Rapha Continental, 2009 Tour of California, Clovis
Rating:	Unrated Rate it

Photos courtesy of the Rapha Continental

King of the Mountains (KoM) aspirants will push on this new stage, which runs from the Central Valley into the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite. There are four categorized climbs, topping out with the Crane Valley Road ascent at nearly 4,000 feet, before riders begin a descent to the valley floor for a flat run to Clovis. Expect early breaks targeting the KoM competition, but with the last summit 40-plus miles from the finish, it should all come back together for a sprint. The wild card? The possibility of snow or rain.

HOT TIP: We don't foresee any big leads at this point; instead, expect climbers, like Rabobank's Robert Gesink, to try to soak up KoM points before the long, flat run to the finish. Park on Crane Valley Road outside Oakhurst for the final KoM, then backtrack to Highway 41 and beeline south to Clovis for the finish.

Position Format:	Datum:

Tracks

Tour of California: Stage 4

Dist: 114.70 mi	Points: 1447	Calories: none
Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Distance	Instruction		Distance to next
0.00 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at E S Bear Creek Dr	Then go 11.54 mi
11.55 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at N Cunningham Rd	Then go 1.21 mi
12.75 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at CA-140	Then go 23.17 mi
35.92 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at CA-49	Then go 6.68 mi
42.60 mi		Slight right to stay on Boot Jack Rd/CA-49	Then go 10.28 mi
52.88 mi		Slight left to stay on Boot Jack Rd/CA-49 Continue to follow CA-4	Then go 9.29 mi
62.17 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at CA-41	Then go 0.14 mi
62.31 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at Civic Circle	Then go 0.20 mi
62.51 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Rd 426/Crane Valley Rd	Then go 6.16 mi
68.67 mi		Continue on Rd 223/Teaford Saddle Rd	Then go 6.11 mi
74.79 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Rd 221	Then go 1.61 mi
76.40 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Rd 200/N Fork Rd	Then go 11.49 mi
87.89 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at Rd 210/Hildreth Rd	Then go 0.55 mi
88.44 mi		Continue on Rd 211/O Neal Rd	Then go 7.23 mi
95.67 mi		Continue on Rd 145	Then go 1.34 mi
97.01 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at Rd 206/Friant Rd	Then go 2.08 mi
99.09 mi		Continue on N Fork Rd	Then go 0.15 mi
99.24 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at N Friant Rd	Then go 5.02 mi
104.26 mi		Slight left to stay on N Friant Rd	Then go 0.05 mi
104.31 mi		Slight left at N Willow Ave	Then go 2.02 mi
106.33 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at E Copper Ave	Then go 1.04 mi
107.37 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at N Minnewawa Ave	Then go 1.94 mi
109.30 mi		Slight left to stay on N Minnewawa Ave	Then go 0.08 mi
109.38 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at E Shepherd Ave	Then go 0.50 mi
109.88 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at N Clovis Ave	Then go 1.02 mi
110.91 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Nees Ave	Then go 0.01 mi
110.91 mi	Turn Left	Turn left at N Clovis Ave	Then go 0.35 mi
111.26 mi		Slight right to stay on N Clovis Ave	Then go 1.96 mi
113.22 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at 9th St	Then go 0.15 mi
113.37 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Woodworth Ave	Then go 0.76 mi
114.12 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Sierra Ave	Then go 0.07 mi
114.20 mi	Turn Right	Turn right at Pollasky Ave