May 18/14 15:11 pm - Tour of California: Stage 8 - Thousand Oaks Circuit Race

Posted by Editor on 05/18/14
 

Today is the final stage of the Tour of California highlighted by the famed Rock Store climb in the Santa Monica Mountains which provide the backdrop to Amgens's home town of Thousand Oaks.

The 2014 Tour of California has been a great success. It has featured tough races, epic climbs, stunning scenery and it has been extremely well organized. The riders at the TOC are also treated to better hotel accommodations than they normally receive in Europe. The weather has been uncharacteristically hot at the 2014 TOC, but it was only a few years ago that the first stage of the TOC was cancelled (Lake Tahoe) because of snow! That's bike racing.

Here are a few quotes:

Eric Wohlberg, OPTUM pb Kelly Benefit Strategies, Performance Director

BB: "You have had a great Tour with Will's performance, what are your thoughts on the Tour and the team?"

Eric Wohlberg: "Will is a very savvy guy and a strong sprinter. His performance has been super. We have had challenges protecting him on some of the crosswind days but the team has been great."

"This year at OPTUM we have very good staff and very good riders. Our goal for the season is to keep progressing and getting better. We want to see the team advance to the next level."

BB: "Eric, is Sudbury still home town and are you the only person here who knows how far it is from Levack to Copper Cliff?"

Eric Wohlberg: (laughs) "You bet I am...I am sure that I am the only person here who knows that! Yes, Sudbury is still home and if we are talking about Sudbury I should mention that my brother has a really good band up there called the, Blazing Elwoods."

Thor Hushovd, BMC

BB: "Thor, you have been to Toronto and have ridden in the area, do you have anything to say to your many fans in Canada?"
Thor Hushovd: "Yes, first I would like to thank my Canadian fans for their support. The riding in the Toronto area is good. Also, it is very nice to ride along the lake. If I lived in Toronto, I would really like the riding there."

Ted King, CannondalePro

BB: "Ted, you and I have talked in the past about you growing up in New England and playing hockey before you got into cycling. Is there anything that you would like to say to your fans in Canada?"

Ted King: "Ya, I would like to say that I am very upset that the Bruins lost to the Canadiens. Watch out for Boston in 2015. Go Bruins!

Bill Buckley in Thousand Oaks - exclusive to Canadian Cyclist