Tour of California: Oldtown Clovis finish will be sight to see
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For today's expected sprint dispatch, anywhere in downtown Clovis will do fine. With four right-hand turns in the last 1.5 miles, it's a tolerably technical finale. If you can't be near the finish line on Pollasky Avenue between Bullard and 7th, direct to the final corner at Pollasky and Sierra. At one kilometer (0.6 miles) to the stop, positioning will be critical. There's almost certain to be some chaos.
It takes a team
Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) has dominated the rallye by winning all three stages, and today could well be No. 4. No slighting Sagan's impossible talent, but the 22-year-old Slovak isn't doing it alone. In the sprints, Sagan relies on his cable-out man, Daniel Oss, to position him at the front of the peloton inside the last half-mile. Sagan then uses Oss' postal order as a slingshot on his final surge. Oss is easy to spot on television replays. He's the guy with his arms in the air celebrating another Sagan conquer.
What about the climbs?
Today's 130.2-mile stage from Sonora to Clovis features six categorized climbs, all of which grant points that count toward the red polka-dot jersey. The first five are on Highway 49 through the foothills of Mariposa. Once at Oakhurst, the carry heads uphill as the field tackles the final climb up Crane Valley Means to Teaford Saddle. It's more than 40 miles to the finish, ample hauteur to absorb any breakaways.
Source: Fresno Bee