How great are these Posties? Stage 2 of the Vuelta has Posties in the first seven spots in the GC, Max is in the leader's jersey and Floyd had it yesterday. Tony sprinted in like gangbusters in the group with Petacchi for a seventh spot in the stage. The Posties were out in front setting the pace and pushing it. Tour of Britain has Postie Blue everywhere: Chechu had a second spot in Stage two by only one second, with Jose A and Pavel only 10 seconds back Then Chechu took a fourth in Stage 4.

Our guys are really the Dream Team this year! HA - who were those folks who said that the team was weak for the Tour? And that without Lance in the Vuelta, they would be nothing. Eat your words!

I think that the T-Mobile in SF will be really outrageous - I can't wait to see Ace and Chechu chew up Fillmore. While the race has been shortened to leave out the original Marina and Presidio portions, they have added one more lap of Fillmore. That means 14 times up Taylor, which is a killer climb, make no mistake about that. Then there will be nine times up Fillmore, not eight as in past years. Nine!! If you have to arrive at 3 am, be sure to get your viewing spot on Fillmore!

I will be coordinating the course marshals on the far half of the course, which means I get the Fillmore part. Of course, everybody wants to marshal on Fillmore, but we are using only about 10 course marshals there this year. Last year, there were so many course marshals on the hill that they practically fell all over each other, and we really need folks in other areas to keep the riders safe from folks who walk out in front of them. Or, even worse, drive out onto the course. That happened at the Tour of Georgia with horrible consequences to the rider - he was laid up with injuries for a long time.

I'll be heading up to SF on Wednesday - lots to do to get the race together. I don't know if anyone really knows the humungeous planning and coordination it takes to put on a race like SF or Philly. It is like finely coordinating an army of different folks with different logistics. From travel and lodging arrangements for all the teams and officials and staff, to meals, to barricades and signing, to rider registration, numbers, and timing and results, to announcers scripts and live television coverage, media arrangements and transportation for reporters and photographers, a myriad of sponsors, expo and hospitality areas, unbelievable amounts of food and water, dozens and dozens of race vehicles, motorcycles and trucks, coordination with SF police, fire and emergency services, coordination and placement of hundreds of volunteers and the distribution of tee shirts, lunches and water to them all, not to mention parking for all these hundreds of vehicles - just to mention some of the "details" in putting on a cycling race. Plus never-ending problem-solving for all of the above.
Whew! No wonder we all work our butts off on these races. Hope to see you there!