PADECKY: Tour of California needs to keep pedaling forward

Until this year the AMGEN Tour of California had the cycling stage in America all to itself in the last six years. Oh, there were other tours but they barely moved the needle of significance. They were pretenders, not contenders, to capture the public's attention and money. Then came something called USA Pro Cycling Challenge, an inaugural seven-day Colorado event last August that rocked the socks off a lot of people, including our very own Levi Leipheimer.

"That race in Colorado has forced the Tour of California people to refocus," said Leipheimer, who won that 518-mile race. "They (Colorado organizers) upped the ante. They did such a great job. It was a very impressive race."

When asked what was the most impressive memory he had in Colorado, Leipheimer responded with an answer that will warm the heart of any pro cyclist wishing his sport to gain higher visibility.

"The crowds along the course," Leipheimer said. "By the time I got to Denver it was the largest crowd I had seen in the U.S. for a race. Except maybe for the California finish at Palomar in 2009."

By no means is Leipheimer shrugging off the California tour. In fact, he said, the AMGEN Tour earned world class attention in 2006, its first year.

"It was an easy race to sell (to foreign riders)," Leipheimer said. "It didn't take a lot of coaxing to get people to come here. We live in California, the best place on earth."

But as the old line goes, if you don't keep moving forward in sports, you lose ground. Pushing the envelope is a way of life in the industry, in all sports except for the NFL, the baddest lion in the jungle. Everyone else scrambles for the public's attention and discretionary income.

"The AMGEN people have done a great job with the Tour of California, a great job," Leipheimer said. "But we could do better."

It isn't the accommodations; it's one of the strong selling points. Riders complain about the frequent flop-house type of lodging abroad. California delivers the opposite.

"It's showing off more of the iconic images of the state," Leipheimer said. "They tried to go into Yosemite but that proved difficult."

In protecting federal lands and a globally recognized national park, the resistance is formidable, if only for the headache logistics in what many believe would result in the shutting down of Yosemite (even if it's only for a day). Increased traffic, litter, smog, crime, name your objection.

Ah, but the thought of the peloton winding its way through mountain passes, past mountain lakes and streams, riding on the roof of California, what a photo op. Except for one thing. Where would be the crush of people?

"They (organizers) need to sell the race," Leipheimer said. "They need people."

People on the side of the road dressed in their Halloween best, pumping fists, cheering like a game show audience. A route out in the middle of nowhere — even if it's a spectacular middle of nowhere — stresses us Californians who like convenience. And it would stress race organizers who would claim a Sierra mountain stage is exciting, without the people alongside the road to prove it.

But, still, a Sierra mountain stage would offer such a challenge to riders.

"You can make challenges anywhere," Leipheimer said. "Don't you think the GranFondo could be a difficult course?"

I allowed that it was. Which immediately plugged us back to the Thursday announcement of the 13 Host Cities in the 2012 Tour. If the King Ridge route is a world-class challenge, why wouldn't that section of roadway be automatically included in the Santa Rosa race route in 2012?

"That would be choice No. 1," Leipheimer said, "without going out there too much (stretching confidence)."

To select King Ridge seems logical, marketable, even predictable, if you wanted to go that way.

"People who have ridden the Fondo," Leipheimer said, "will say to themselves, &‘Yeah, I rode that route.' And people in France watching the Tour of California on their televisions, well, they might want to plan a vacation to come to Santa Rosa to ride in the GranFondo."

On the other hand, Leipheimer was quick to point out, the 2012 route in and around Santa Rosa is still in the discussion stage. Nothing has been finalized. It's all to be decided. As is the Tour's future.

It is truly a work under construction, as is evidenced by this fact: 31 California cities have either hosted the start or the finish of the race in the Tour's first six years. Two new ones — Ontario and Sonora — made the roster for 2012. Make a bet that not all of the 13 Host Cities in 2012 will return for 2012. The Sierras remain untouched and it's hard to call yourself a real Tour of California without throwing the High Sierras in there somewhere.

Staple to that this other fact: Organizers for the Colorado race announced Oct. 18 that the Pro Cycling Challenge in August attracted a million spectators and brought $83.5 million to the state. More than good intentions and good organizers, money is the engine that moves modern sport. Colorado? We got the sights, the people, and the money. California? Well, hey, we got the sights! The people! And the money!

Gentlemen, start your pedals. Cycling in this country has just become more interesting than its ever been.

For more North Bay sports go to padecky.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Columnist Bob Padecky at 521-5223 or bob.padecky@pressdemocrat.com.