We'd heard they were closing Little Cottonwood Canyon Road around 2:00 p.m. - the race started at 11:00 a.m. in PC - so we headed up there around noon, clutching our raincoats as we looked anxiously at the darkening clouds. Sure enough, the temperature dropped 20 degrees between Sandy and Snowbird, and we drove through a short but enthusiastic rain shower.
Everybody polka!
The parking lots were already getting full by the time we got up there: not only was this race going on, but Sunday was the first day of Snowbird's Oktoberfest ... which runs through the rest of August, all of September and October. We had enough time so we walked up to check out Oktoberfest. After paying $6.50 each for beer and listening briefly to the lederhosen-clad polka band, we decided that was all the Oktoberfest we needed.
Levi's last charge
We took our places along the fence about 200 m. from the finish line. Our positioning gave us a great view down the road as the riders made that last push, and we could watch them as they turned down into the finish area as well. Spectators lined the road on both sides - making me extremely nervous what with the running alongside the cyclists - and cheered madly for everyone, even after the winners (Jai Crawford for the stage win; and Levi Leipheimer for the tour win) went by.
We weren't able to get as near to the podium this time what with all the oodles of people, but we did get close enough to see the exhaustion and exhilaration on the riders' faces. It's too bad that George Hincapie didn't get to finish but it was wonderful to see an old guy like Levi (because yes, in this sport 36 is old) holding his own against the young up and comers. And it was great to see those young guys - sprinters like Alex Dowsett, powerhouses like Taylor Phinney and overall talents like Ian Boswell - the faces of cycling to come.
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