Giro: Belkov fires. Tour of California: I didn't take a pee once.

Belkov fires and wins.

photo Girod'italia

The Giro has friendly competition in the form of the eight stage Tour of California.

It works well for me. I always wake early (6 AM) watch the Giro, start work and try to follow the afternoon (2 PM) coverage of the Tour of California. 

Stage 9 and the rain continues from Sansepolcro to Florence. It didn't dampen Maxim Belkov's solo breakaway... to win a brilliant victory. The race favorites stayed together except for Ryder Hesjedal having a 'bad moment' to limp in 3:11 behind Vincenzo Nibali. 

I for one do not believe in some of the Italian media mentioning that Ryder is out of the running. The defending champ said, "I'm still less than two minutes off the podium. This is the Giro. It's been nine brutal days. I'm here to race and give it my best. I hope we're not forgetting who won the race last year. By no means is it an easy feat to pull that off again, but I'm here. I'm trying. I will try to rebound from today, and rely on the fact that I know I have my best performances in the latter part of a three-week race. There are still two weeks to race. There is plenty of opportunity to climb back."

Vincenzo Nibali said, "Wiggins and Hesjedal have lost time, but they are still my main rivals, along with Evans and Scarponi. But the Giro is long, we all know that, and you can always have a bad day."

And, you don't win a Grand Tour during the first week!

Stage 9, San Sepolcro-Firenze, 170km:

1	Maxim BELKOV	RUS	KAT	4:31:31
2	Carlos Alberto BETANCUR GOMEZ	COL	ALM	+44
3	Jarlinson PANTANO	COL	COL	+46
4	Tobias LUDVIGSSON	SWE	ARG	+54
5	Cadel EVANS	AUS	BMC	+1:03
6	Benat INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA	ESP	MOV	+1:03
7	Danilo DI LUCA	ITA	VIN	+1:03
8	Mauro SANTAMBROGIO	ITA	VIN	+1:03
9	Damiano CARUSO	ITA	CAN	+1:03
10	Vincenzo NIBALI	ITA	AST	+1:03

General Classification after Stage 9

Rank	Name	Nationality	Team	Result
1	Vincenzo NIBALI	Italy	AST	34:19:31
2	Cadel EVANS	Australia	BMC	+29
3	Robert GESINK	Netherlands	BLA	+1:15
4	Bradley WIGGINS	Great Britain	SKY	+1:16
5	Michele SCARPONI	Italy	LAM	+1:24
6	Sergio Luis HENAO MONTOYA	Colombia	SKY	+2:11
7	Mauro SANTAMBROGIO	Italy	VIN	+2:43
8	Przemyslaw NIEMIEC	Poland	LAM	+2:44
9	Rigoberto URAN URAN	Colombia	SKY	+2:49
10	Tanel KANGERT	Estonia	AST	+3:02
11	Ryder HESJEDAL	Canada	GRS	+3:11

New celeste kit, big win for Lieuwe Westra.

photo Tour of California

It's hot in Escondido, California.  

Reaching oven-like temperatures of 42C, most riders cramped and the challenge was just trying to drink enough. One team went through it's 150 bottles and had to stop at a gas station and buy more water.

Jeff Louder (UnitedHealthcare):

"It was like a blast furnace. It was like going into hell a bit."

Alexander Candelario (Optum-Kelly Benefit):

"I think it's the first hot day for everyone, so it was really hot. And I didn't even take a pee once. And tomorrow's going to be even hotter."

Hot for Sagan!

photo Tour of California

Stage 1, Escondido, 165.1km:

1	Lieuwe WESTRA	NED	VCD	4:31:33
2	Francisco MANCEBO PEREZ	ESP	5HR	+0
3	Peter SAGAN	SVK	CAN	+6
4	Gianni MEERSMAN	BEL	OPQ	+6
5	Jasper STUYVEN	BEL	BLS	+6
6	Jacob RATHE	USA	GRS	+6
7	Alexander CANDELARIO	USA	OPM	+6
8	Mitchell DOCKER	AUS	OGE	+6
9	Jeremy VENNELL	NZL	BPC	+6
10	Tanner PUTT	USA	BLS	+6

General Classification after Stage 1

1	Lieuwe WESTRA	Netherlands	VCD	4:31:23
2	Francisco MANCEBO PEREZ	Spain	5HR	+4
3	Peter SAGAN	Slovakia	CAN	+12
4	Carter JONES	United States	BPC	+13
5	James STEMPER	United States	5HR	+14
6	Gianni MEERSMAN	Belgium	OPQ	+16
7	Jasper STUYVEN	Belgium	BLS	+16
8	Jacob RATHE	United States	GRS	+16
9	Alexander CANDELARIO	United States	OPM	+16
10	Mitchell DOCKER	Australia	OGE	+16