Tour of California Stage 1: South Lake Tahoe > North Lake Tahoe, (Photos by Will Swetnam)

Tour of California Stage 1: South Lake Tahoe > North Lake Tahoe Next >

Early morning snowfall has put the runnign of Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California into question.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
The team RadioShack bus, wrapped in graphics designed by Shepard Fairey sits outside the host hotel. The race start has been delayed a few hours to evaluate the weather.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
Two hours before the resheduled start, sunny skies were overhead as preparations for the stage were underway.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
The discussion between team staff and race organziers began under sunny skies...
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
...but soon the snow began again as the winds also picked up.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
The discussion at times was light hearted as Allan Peiper checks the skies, the sun seems to be peeking out again.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
A young fan seems eager for the start and is prepared for the snowy weather.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
The sun shines on George Hincapie as he arrives to sign in.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
Jens Voigt talks with stage emcee Brad Sohner about the conditions of the stage.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
Riders such as Levi Leipheimer, Bernhard Eisel and Linus Gerdemann also joined in this last minute safety conversation with race organizers and team directors.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
After that discussion ended, Jim Burrell, David Saltzman, and Andrew Messick discuss reviewed input from staff out along the route before making a final decsion.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
As the snow picks up yet again, it seems we're going to race; but without time splits being recorded. They'll race for position only...
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
Literally in the last minute, the stage was cancelled. Here Andy Schleck heads back to his team hotel.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1 andy schleck leopard
The riders feel it was the right choice. Anders Lund and Kur-Asle Arvesen joke around after Stage 1 is cancelled.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1 leopard team sky
The Leopard TREK riders, along with other teams, have WW 108 stickers on their frames to pay their respects to Wouter Weylandt's tragic death at the Giro.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
The Team RadioShack bicycles also were bearing the Wouter Weylandt tribute stickers.
AToC Cancelled SNOW Stage 1
Dave Zabriskie and a few other members of the Garmin team chose to get a few miles in after the stage was cancelled. The road conditions proved the cancellation decision to be the correct one.
AToC Cancelled GARMIN SNOW Stage 1 ZABRISKIE