Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- Tuesday's Tour of California Stage 3 departs San José at 12pm PST (3pm U.S. Eastern or 21:00 CET).  The Tour Tracker live coverage should begin at around that time.  Tour of California live webcast on cycling.tv is scheduled to begin at 4:30pm U.S. Eastern (22:30 CET).  Live coverage on Eurosport will happen if the coin turns up heads and time permitting pending the completion of the grasshopper world's tiddly winks competition, otherwise there will be no live coverage.

2009 Tour of California:  Carlos Rico, seen here at the Golden Gate Bridge early this morning, is part of the cyclingfans.com team on site at the race all week.  Carlos assists his wife, photographer Laura Alber, with carrying photography gear and in getting to the best possible locations for shooting.  And if that weren't enough, Carlos is fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, kind of handy in the world of professional cycling!  Great work guys.  We need more races in the U.S.! -Pete

- About 50 minutes ago:  "We just crossed the summit.  Pouring rain and hydroplaning!   Traffic at a stand-still coming toward the Pacific Ocean." -Laura Alber

- Laura just called again:  "You have what you need."  Carlos continues driving while Laura transfers photos.  So I'm downloading Golden Gate Bridge pics now.  Gotta love technology.  (When it works, of course.)  But the technology is nothing without a great, dedicated, talented team like Laura and Carlos....with a great sense of humor.  Did I mention that the other day Laura grabbed a Team Cervelo directeur sportif's rental car contract and fuel card and held them for ransom?  Team soigneur Igor traded them some team musettes and bottles in exchange for the documents.  Hilarious.  As Laura said, "The tifosi are dancing in the streets of Sacramento."  And wreaking havoc.  Gotta love it.  -Pete

- Photographer Laura Alber just called from the road.  Wireless modem connection slow today, so decision was made for them to abort the image transfer and continue to Santa Cruz for the race finish; we'll have photos of the peloton on the Golden Gate Bridge later.

- Live coverage summary:  At the moment, the race is playing on cycling.tv, the Tour Tracker and the tickers, all listed in gray section at right.  Eurosport is broadcasting WTA tennis at this time.

- Our photographer with the race Laura Alber just reported in from the road.  We should have pics of the peloton going over the Golden Gate bridge in a bit.

- Below, we've listed a couple of video clips from this morning's stage start in Sausalito.

2009 Tour of California:  An exhausted Carlos Rico and Laura Alber fell asleep wearing their media credentials.  Very funny, you two!

- If you are joining us for the first time, we cover pro racing all season long, getting to many races ourselves (mostly in Europe but increasingly in the U.S. as well), and making it easy for cycling fans worldwide to follow and watch all the big races, and many small races, online.  Pro riders and members of the media also regularly visit cyclingfans.com.  One pro team representative suggested the following to me as a tagline after riders kept telling him about cyclingfans.com: "The site even the pros turn to for live race coverage."  We're in our 5th year of doing this and have come a long way since this started out as my photo blog.  We are in our second year of working with the award-winning and renowned cycling Fotoreporter Sirotti and with the Tour of California we've added the fantastic photo team of Laura Alber and Carlos Rico (fluent in English, Spanish, Italian) who seem to be having a blast despite the lousy weather.  -Pete

- Took a little while to connect to the Tour Tracker.  Peloton is now on the Golden Gate Bridge.  Our photo team, Laura Alber and Carlos Rico, is also on the bridge.  Shame the weather is so lousy.  If they get a good connection, we hope to have photos before they continue on toward the finish.

- We recommend you open our Twitter feed in a separate window now.  If ever we have a server outage, we will update on Twitter and direct you to a live coverage page on another server.

- Today's Tour of California Stage 2 starts at 8:30am PST (11:30am U.S. Eastern, 17:30 CET).  The Tour Tracker live coverage should begin at about that time.  Tour of California live video of Stage 2 starts on cycling.tv at 9am local time (12pm U.S. Eastern and 18:00 CET).  Tour of California live coverage on Eurosport is scheduled to begin at 18:30 CET (12:30pm U.S. Eastern).  Live TV coverage on Versus in the U.S. is scheduled to begin at 12:30pm Eastern.

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Tour of California.

 Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- Monday's Tour of California Stage 2 starts at 8:30am PST (11:30am U.S. Eastern, 17:30 CET).

- Leave it to Bernie (U.K.) to remind me (Chicago) that Johan Bruyneel once again is tweeting from the road in California. -Pete

- Finally, live images are available.

- Report from the road:  Just spoke by phone with our photographer Laura Alber.  She says Francisco Mancebo is riding along minutes ahead of the closest chase group with the biggest grin on his face.  Laura and Carlos Rico have been sending in photos by wireless 3G card while driving.  Will get something posted in a couple of minutes.  -Pete

- Eurosport audio feeds are playing but Eurosport, like everyone else, are working without much in the way of images.

- U.K. correspondent Bernie S. reports:  "Lots of people in Europe complaining on Forums they can't access Tour Tracker because of server taking its limit of 100,000. Taken me 3 attempts but I am in now listening to Frankie and Joe."  Hopefully access will improve once cycling.tv and Eurosport coverage gets underway.  (If they get images from the race and go on the air, that is.)  Stay tuned.

- Added to our growing list of Tour of California Video Highlights below.

- We revealed in our pre-race photo gallery which team has a Hannah Montana poster in the team truck.  (It's Garmin-Slipstream.)  Our correspondent Carlos Rico reports that the team actually has TWO Hannah Montana posters in the truck.  "The garmin tech declined to go on the record concerning their obvious affinity for the teen diva!"

- JoeE Silva and Frankie Andreu are live at the finish in Santa Rosa on the Tour Tracker.  No images yet from the race itself, which just got underway.  cycling.tv, Eurosport, and Versus Tour of California live coverage begin a bit later.  (scheduled start times below)

Still to come:  Our TOC Prologue photo gallery

photo Copyright © Laura Alber/cyclingfans.com

- We recommend you open our Twitter feed in a separate window now.  If ever we have a server outage, we will update on Twitter and direct you to a live coverage page on another server.

- Tour of California live video of Stage 1 starts on cycling.tv at 2:30pm local time (5:30pm U.S. Eastern and 23:30 CET).  Tour of California live coverage on Eurosport is scheduled to begin at 00:00 CET (6pm U.S. Eastern).  Live TV coverage on Versus in the U.S. is scheduled to begin at 3pm PST (6pm Eastern).

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Tour of California.

 Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- Coming Sunday:  Tour of California Stage 1 LIVE (Start time: 12:00pm PST (3pm U.S. Eastern, 21:00 CET).  Also:  Laura Alber's Prologue photos, up close with Lance Armstrong, and more.  And of course more Tour of California video clips.

- Exciting prologue, huge crowds.  Our exclusive photos and video clip listings to come...  Lots more to come throughout all stages of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California.  We also expect more options for TOC live feeds starting tomorrow.

- Prologue start times again are here.  Final 10 riders will start with George Hincapie at 15:36 (3:36pm) local time (6:36pm U.S. Eastern, 00:36 CET), followed by the other big guns mentioned below.

- Eurosport live coverage has kicked in today afterall, on satellite and the live audio streams are playing as well.  (Bernie S.)  MJ Ray has Tour of California via satellite info in our cycling via satellite blog here.

- Regarding Tour of California coverage on Eurosport:  They have changed their schedules, looks like no live coverage until tomorrow.  -Bernie S. (UK correspondent)

- Liggett and Sherwen are now commentating live on both the Tour Tracker and on Versus TV (U.S.)  cycling.tv is also now LIVE with the race.

- LOL!  Liggett and Sherwen definitely are not aware they are on the air.  They are preparing for broadcasting on Versus in 5 minutes but the Tour Tracker currently is playing their audio feed!

- Not sure Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen know they're now on the air.  (Tour Tracker)

- Tour of California LIVE video now via the Tour Tracker (under "Live video streaming" at right).  Cycling.tv coverage should get underway shortly.  Eurosport coverage starts in about 30 min.

- We recommend you open our Twitter feed in a separate window now.  If ever we have a server outage, we will update on Twitter and direct you to a live coverage page on another server.

- Prologue Start Order and Start times here.  (.pdf)  As defending champion, Levi Leipheimer starts last.  The final 10 riders to depart are: Hincapie, Hamilton, Zabriskie, Armstrong, Vande Velde, Cancellara, Basso, Rogers, Landis, Leipheimer.  That is worthy of a Tour de France prologue!

- Now listing Velonews live ticker.

- Laura Alber and Carlos Rico are at the Tour of California all week providing photographic coverage for cyclingfans.com.  Lots more photos to come later today.  And we'll answer the all-important question:  Which pro team has a Hannah Montana poster on the inside of their truck door?

- ToC Kick-Off Press Conference quotes here.

- We will update in the morning with more live coverage links as well as the Tour of California Prologue Start Order and Start Times.  Information and link updates will be made throughout the day each stage of the race.  We will also have plenty of Tour of California video highlights for you to watch at your leisure.  The first set of (pre-race) video clips will be posted in the morning.

- Tour of California live video of the Prologue starts on cycling.tv at 1:30pm local time (4:30pm U.S. Eastern and 22:30 CET).  Tour of California live coverage on Eurosport is scheduled to begin at 23:00 CET (5pm U.S. Eastern).  Live TV coverage on Versus in the U.S. is scheduled to begin at 2pm PST (5pm Eastern).

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Tour of California.

 Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- Volta a Mallorca Stage 5 streaming live video now on Direct8.

- Coming Saturday through February 22:  Our 2009 Tour of California Online Race Guide.  Our correspondents at the race all week, in Chicago and in the U.K. will work to bring you quick and easy access to all available Tour of California LIVE internet coverage, video highlights and race photography.  The various broadcasters and sources of coverage won't tell you about each other but we'll tell you about them all...just as we do all season long.

- Mallorca Challenge Stage 4 photos here.

Thursday's Stage 5 Profile

- Live streaming video begins each day at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).

- The Mallorca Challenge Stage 5 starts at 12:20 CET (6:20am U.S. Eastern) Thursday.  Direct8 (France) live coverage of Stage 5 is scheduled to begin at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).  ib3.tv (Spain) live coverage should also begin at around that time.

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Mallorca Challenge.

 Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- Technical problems prevent Direct8 from showing the finish of today's stage.  Live coverage still available via the live text ticker.

- Mallorca live video has begun on Direct8.

Wednesday's Stage 4 Profile

- More Mallorca Challenge Stage 3 photos here.

- Live streaming video begins each day at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).

- The Mallorca Challenge Stage 4 starts at 12:25 CET (6:25am U.S. Eastern) Wednesday.  Direct8 (France) live coverage of Stage 4 is scheduled to begin at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).  ib3.tv (Spain) live coverage should also begin at around that time.

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Mallorca Challenge.

 Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- Stage 3 winner photo and Wednesday's Stage 4 info now posted on our Live race coverage page.

Coming up Wednesday on Stage 4 - Profile

- Brad emailed regarding my mention after Stage 2 of David Soul of Starsky and Hutch fame (the French love the series and Direct8 should be showing it later today): "I was hoping there'd be a musical link to David Soul's 'Don't Give Up On Us'".  I think he was joking, but guess what, "The Very Best of David Soul" was released last fall.  I didn't know he had any other songs.  I know you will all keep coming to cyclingfans.com for hot music tips.  -Pete

- Race LIVE now on Direct8.

- Vuelta a Mallorca Stage 3 live video on Direct8 should get underway after the commercials.

- More Mallorca Challenge Stage 2 photos here.

- Live streaming video begins each day at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).

Stage 3 Profile

- The Mallorca Challenge Stage 3 starts at 11:20 CET (5:20am U.S. Eastern) Tuesday.  Direct8 (France) live coverage of Stage 3 is scheduled to begin at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).  ib3.tv (Spain) live coverage should also begin at around that time.

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Mallorca Challenge.

 Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- Stage 2 has ended but if you want to watch re-runs of Starsky et Hutch dubbed in French, Direct8 has it each day at 19:45 CET (1:45pm U.S. Eastern).  Many French celebrities mention this series when asked what their favorite TV show is!  And David Soul (who played Hutch) lived for a time in the 1990s on a Seine river boat near the Eiffel Tower, before settling in London and adding British citizenship.  Where else but cyclingfans.com can you get this vital information?  -Pete

- IB3 TV feed may be geo-restricted.  (Not playing in Chicago or U.K.). Direct8 should be viewable worldwide, however. (Alternative link should open in media player with a bit larger video.)

- Live streaming video now playing on Direct8, with Mikis Cerieix  and former Fdjeux rider Carlos Da Cruz commentating.

- Added link to IB3 radio under Live streaming audio.  This is Catalan audio and coverage should start each day at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).  Thanks, Jafet!

- More Mallorca Challenge photos here.

- Starting with Monday's Stage 2, live streaming video will begin each day at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).

Stage 2 Profile

- The Mallorca Challenge Stage 2 starts at 11:45 CET (5:45am U.S. Eastern) Monday.  Direct8 (France) live coverage of Stage 2 is scheduled to begin at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).  ib3.tv (Spain) live coverage should also begin at around that time.

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Mallorca Challenge.

 Notes:  (latest notes always appear at the top)

- SuperPrestige Cyclo-cross now streaming live.  (info and links in post below this one)

- Reminder:  ib3.tv is scheduled to begin streaming today's stage (obviously delayed) at 15:15 CET (9:15am U.S. Eastern).  We'll see if technical problems were at the source or not.  Starting tomorrow through Thursday, both ib3.tv and Direct8 should provide live video from the race.

- More technical problems with Direct8 in Paris receiving live images from the race in Spain.  Hopefully things will be better tomorrow.

- I have an old copy of Cycle Passion in which Carlos da Cruz describes his training routes in and out of the canals east of Paris. -Bernie S.

- For those of you interested in watching today's Cyclo-cross Superprestige live coverage, it should begin in under 15 minutes, at 14:30 CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern).  Info and links are in the post below this one.

- Live streaming video of the race is back on Direct8.  Nice aerial shots.

- Ticker now reports there is a 7-man breakaway after the 4th tour. 

- According to the live text ticker (link below right), the peloton is all together after the third (of 10) tour of the circuit.

- Direct8 say they are not getting the race feed at the moment but they expect to get it back shortly.

- Live streaming video has begun!  Mikis Cerieix is commentating, with former Fdjeux rider Carlos Da Cruz doing color commentary.

- Race feed should begin shortly.  Unlike in the U.S., French TV is NOT strict about time schedules.  They should get around to the race eventually, after the cats playing Wii tennis and the newly-married couple that got set on fire when wedding guests bombarded them with silly string that ignited when it hit the candles on the cake.  (they're okay but do not try this at home)

- Direct8 is showing cats playing tennis on the Nintendo Wii.

- Direct8 schedule indeed shows race coverage from 13:00 to roughly 14:25 CET which is the approximate stage finish time.  If we get live video today, it may start in just over 10 minutes.  Stay tuned.  -Pete

- The Direct8 TV schedule has changed.  It now shows race coverage starting at 13:00 CET (7am U.S. Eastern), following the animal show.  Perhaps we'll get the race afterall?  -Bernie S. (U.K.)

- The Direct8 (France) live video feed may be geo-restricted.  (Feed is currently labeled "geo-targeted streaming" in the U.S. and is showing an animal program instead of the race.)  -Pete (U.S.)

- Starting with Monday's Stage 2, live streaming video will begin each day at 15:10 CET (9:10am U.S. Eastern).

Stage 1 Profile

- Stage 1 from Palma to Palma features an 11.6km circuit to be ridden 10 times for a total of 116km.

- The Mallorca Challenge Stage 1 starts at 11:50 CET (5:50am U.S. Eastern) Sunday.  Direct8 (France) live coverage of Stage 1 is scheduled to begin at 12:30 CET (6:30am U.S. Eastern).  ib3.tv (Spain) coverage is delayed today and is not scheduled to begin until 15:15 CET (9:15am U.S. Eastern).

- Welcome to our live coverage guide for the 2009 Mallorca Challenge.