2006 Tour de Georgia - April 18-23, 2006

[Charlie Schuessler]

The Tour de Georgia is North America's premier, professional cycling event and rolling festival. The 4th annual edition, April 18-23, 2006, is now the highest ranked cycling stage race, 2. HC, in North America, sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale and USA Cycling. Proceeds from the event benefit the Georgia Cancer Coalition, a statewide network of people and organizations working together to fight cancer.

As North America's only Hors Classe (2.HC) professional cycling stage race, the 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia will begin in Augusta, Ga. on Tuesday, April 18 and culminate the 600-plus miles of racing with its grand finale in Alpharetta, Ga. on Sunday, April 23. The six-day, six-stage race will return to the Georgia communities of Macon, Fayetteville, Rome, Dalton, Dahlonega, Blairsville/Union County, Brasstown Bald Mountain/Towns County, and Alpharetta as Host Cities for official stage start and finish lines. New Host Cities for 2006 include Chickamauga/Walker County, Ga., Chattanooga, Tenn., and Cumming/Forsyth County, Ga.

Stages and Host Cities

Stage 1 Tuesday, April 18 – Augusta, Ga. to Macon, Ga.

Stage 2 Wednesday, April 19 – Fayetteville, Ga. to Rome, Ga.

Stage 3 Thursday, April 20 – Individual Time Trial, Chickamauga/Walker Co., Ga. to Chattanooga, Tenn.

Stage 4 Friday, April 21 – Dalton, Ga. to Dahlonega, Ga.

Stage 5 Saturday, April 22 – Blairsville/Union Co., Ga. to Brasstown Bald Mountain/Towns Co., Ga.

Stage 6 Sunday, April 23 – Cumming/Forsyth Co., Ga. to Alpharetta, Ga.

For more information go to http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/race.html

[Marc]

I wonder if the climb up the Mt. Washing toll road would be an HC climb...

[Marc]

I'll be very interested to see how Tom Danielson does this year. He was strong in last years event...

[Charlie Schuessler]

I believe I read somewhere that the Mount Washington climb is classified HC....I was reading in the current Bicyclist magazine that Ned Overland used a 16-Tooth chain wheel with 12-25 gearing in the rear...

[freeheelwilly]

Originally Posted by Marc

I wonder if the climb up the Mt. Washing toll road would be an HC climb...

Of course. Dude, c'mon.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by freeheelwilly

Of course. Dude, c'mon.

How the hell should I know-

I haven't even seen the toll road since I was maybe 8. Besides, if you can figure out exactly how they make the distinctions between classifications, let me know. It sure isn't scientific from what I've seen.

[freeheelwilly]

Originally Posted by Marc

How the hell should I know-

I haven't even seen the toll road since I was maybe 8. Besides, if you can figure out exactly how they make the distinctions between classifications, let me know. It sure isn't scientific from what I've seen.

Fair enough. i guess I've just been followin' the road scene for a while. Forgive me.

The Mt Washington climb is waaaay hors category. Long sustained 8-10% if I remember with one pitch over 20% (!). That things a leg breaker.

Lots of HC climbs in our neck of the World. Whiteface, for instance. There's a race up that every year (at least one). It's roughly the same profile as the Alpe D'Huez (~8miles/~8%).

Catamount in VT is another.

I would imagine Smuggler's Notch qualifies.

[Charlie Schuessler]

Originally Posted by freeheelwilly

Fair enough. i guess I've just been followin' the road scene for a while. Forgive me.

The Mt Washington climb is waaaay hors category. Long sustained 8-10% if I remember with one pitch over 20% (!). That things a leg breaker.

Lots of HC climbs in our neck of the World. Whiteface, for instance. There's a race up that every year (at least one). It's roughly the same profile as the Alpe D'Huez (~8miles/~8%).

Catamount in VT is another.

I would imagine Smuggler's Notch qualifies.

I was reading in a Velonews article that the Alpe D'Huez isn't considered that difficult an incline where the Pro-UCI riders are concerned when included within a stage race of a 100-mile day. However the drama of it being an Individual Time Trial stage is what makes it a special climb.

On a personal note, using 39 x 27 gearing I find the Classification 1 climbs (the routes that I’ve ridden in VT) nearly impossible.

[freeheelwilly]

Originally Posted by Charlie Schuessler

I was reading in a Velonews article that the Alpe D'Huez isn't considered that difficult an incline where the Pro-UCI riders are concerned when included within a stage race of a 100-mile day.

Doesn't surprise me really. I have the Alpe on my computer which hooks up to my trainer at home. It's a tough climb but it's not that grueling. ('Course I don't rage up it in under 30 minutes!)

What am I missing about your gearing? I have twenty five in back and can climb a tree. Gotta check my small ring up front but I think it's a 39. Maybe it's alot bigger though and that's where the difference is. Don't get me wrong, I love to climb but at 185-190 lbs I'm no "natural".

[Charlie Schuessler]

Originally Posted by freeheelwilly

What am I missing about your gearing? I have twenty five in back and can climb a tree. Gotta check my small ring up front but I think it's a 39. Maybe it's alot bigger though and that's where the difference is. Don't get me wrong, I love to climb but at 185-190 lbs I'm no "natural".

Where I live and ride regularly the road terrain is up & down with no flats to speak of, and at 6' 3" 218-lbs climbing steep or long ascents can be challenging so I like to use gearing to keep the crank spinning without going to a triple ring. I ride with a 39 x 53 double ring with 175-mm cranks. This winter I put a 11 x 23 9-speed cassette on the rear wheel while on the trainer and so far have left it on for local rides where I'm not making steep or long ascents far from home. However when I increase the ride loops past 25-miles, I'm going to change to the 12 x 27 cassette.