LA Times coverage this morning

I didn't really have any opportunity to see any local news coverage on the TOC this year.

This if from the LA Times by Diane Pucin. She reported on the 2006 from France.

According to race organizers, an estimated 1.6 million fans watched the eight-stage, 650-mile trip from San Francisco to Long Beach.

The Tour of California is in its second year and is owned by AEG. Shawn Hunter, president of AEG sports, says the company intends to continue its five-year plan of growing the event into a premier cycling stop.

"We are looking to expand the race from eight to 10 days next year," Hunter said. "A mountain finish is something we're going to look at in the next couple of years."

Leipheimer and American Bobby Julich (CSC), who finished fourth overall, both said gaining a true mountain stage finish was important.

"A mountain finish would make it pretty exciting," Julich said. "Do we really need one? Yeah, we do."

Leipheimer agreed: "Fans would really like it, even if we have a shorter, uphill finish."

Channel 9's helicopter spent a lot of time following the riders up and down Ocean Blvd yesterday. Only a few brief moments on their "Sports Central" program at 10:30 PM.

VS. changed their schedule at will, unannounced on Saturday. The Bull Riding show just went too long I guess.