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Tour de France: Not there to photograph it… but I do have photos of riders

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Lance Armstrong, Prologue, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Lance Armstrong, Prologue, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Astana’s Lance Armstrong negotiates the first turn during the prologue stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California bicycle race.

If you are following the Tour de France (Go Lance! Second to Contador is great!) you might be interested in some of my bicycle racing photography. I’ve photographed the Tour of California several times and had the opportunity to get up close to riders and racing action. You’ll even see a couple close shots of Lance…

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Photographs: People, Photographs: Sports

Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

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Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

(See more of my 2009 Tour of California photos.)

Ouch Team rider Floyd Landis warms up on the course for the prologue stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California bicycle race in Sacramento, California.

This photograph was made during the warm up period an hour or so before the start of the prologue time trial of the Tour of California in Sacramento, California. I picked a corner with good angles and good light and had a chance to shoot many of the competitors as they came though this second of two closely-spaced turns. Floyd Landis is a bit of a controversial figure in professional cycling – he is either a “bad boy” or a victim, depending upon your point of view. Landis won, in what seemed like heroic fashion, the Tour of France a few years ago – only to be disqualified after doping charges which he fought vociferously and publicly. In the end he lost his yellow jersey in the tour and was suspended from cycling for a period… and he also had orthopedic surgery on his damaged hip. Now he is back, and it will be very interesting to see what he can accomplish.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: People, Photographs: Sports

George Hincapie, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

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George Hincapie, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

George Hincapie, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Team Highroad rider George Hincapie rides the prologue time trial course before the start of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California in Sacramento, California.

I’ve written before that the time trial stages provide some of the best bicycle racing photographic opportunities. During the race itself the riders come by one by one, so it is much easier to spot and photograph them. In addition, you can often find a good spot on the course and set up an effective shot – riders slowing down as then come through a turn and facing you as they exit for example. But there are also many opportunities before and after the actual race. This photograph is among quite a few I made during the hour or so before the start of the race when the competitors ride the course several times and usually individually or in small groups of two or three. Not only is it easier to spot and photograph them, but the crowds that come later are often still yet to arrive.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: People, Photographs: Sports

Fabian Cancellara, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

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Fabian Cancellara, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Fabian Cancellara, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Stage winner Fabian Cancellara of Team Saxo Bank in the first turn of the prologue time trial stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, Sacramento, California.

Cancellara is seen here coming through the first turn and looking up the long straightaway heading back toward the starting area in the prologue time trial stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. He ended up winning this stage.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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