Awesome - thanks for doing that Casey!!

1 to go - bell lap and our two leaders still have about a 100 yard lead. will we have our first breakaway finish of the day?

Finish - One rider from the break has attacked his partner on the back side. It looks like the leader will hold the lead to the line The second break rider got caught by the pack before the finish.

Since it looks like they are going to put me to work in just a few minutes I'll make this the final post of Giro Web coverage.

OK so the ambulances have finally cleared the course, and the 4/5 race is back under way with 10 laps remaining. There will be primes from 9 to go to 5 to go. Needless to say we are running a bit behind schedule but the officials will try to get back to on time. Looks like all the remaining races will have a few lapps shaved off to try and get the day closer to on schedule. Hopefully we will not have a repeat from a few years ago when 4 races required an ambulance call due to crashes in the final sprint.

8 to go - The long delay has taken a toll on the legs of several riders who have fallen off the pace. Of course the riders at the front of the field are really pushing the pace.

7 to go - We never got the awards presentation in for the Cat 3 women so that will be coming up right after the end of the 4/5 race.

6 to go - Next on the schedule is the 45/55+ race. I will need to go to work at noon so the race web coverage will be ending soon. If you want to know what is happening for the afternoon races you will have to come down to the rasce and spectaste in person.

5 to go - Two riders are off the front but they are not together. A god gap between the leading rider and the second place rider, who has a good gap to the front of the field,

4 to go - The wait list for the 35+ 1/2/3 race is being opened up. to take thghe place of the pre-reged riders who haven't shown up 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of the 35+ 1/2/3 race.

3 to go - The two leaders are now working together but they are only 5 seconds in front of the field.

To answer the question I have no idea when the Cal Cup awards will be presented. Usually the process goes after the results from Each Cal Cup race are finalized Robert starts figuring out the final Cal Cup standings and then posts those results for 15 minutes and then hands out the Cal Cup prizes after that.

The ambulance is here and while there is a break in the action we will have the podium presentatioon for the Cat 3 women, if we can find our winner :)

The SF fire Dept. is already here so hopefully the ambulance will get here shortly.

Ok the injured rider has been removed from the course so the race is back on. A prime is being rung as the racing action resumes.

17 to go - Sorry but I don't have a start list so I can't identify the prime winner. Once the racing action started again it didn't take long for the gaps at the back of the pack to show up again.

16 to go - and another two place prime. Since we lost a few laps due top the accident the primes will come fast and often so the primes can be crammed into the remaining laps.

15 to go - Since racing has resumed the same rider has won both of the primes.

14 to go - Now a spectator has passed out in a position where an ambulance will have to be put onto the course. Due to the narrow nature of the race course the field will have to be stopped until the ambulance canclear the course. The spectator saw the blood from the rider accident and passed out ( at least that is the story I heard).Unfortunately it looks like we will be on hold for several minutes.

And we are under way with the 4/5 race. The first lap was completed in 1:58

22 laps to go - And the speed pick sup as the lap only takes 1:48 to finish. Already a fair number of riders are getting gapped off the back. Looks like there was an accident just after turn #1. There are some RR tracks that run parallel to the direction of the race course. Hopefully the large field didn't swing wide and get tied up in the RR tracks. Long time Giro riders may remember when turn #1 took a right instead of a left and the larger fields sometimes saw a rider on the outside of the turn end up going down the driveway of the loading ramp that the RR tracks lead to.

20 to go - Looks like the field will need to be neutralized with the laps holding at 19 to go until the injured rider is cleared from the course.

Thanks for doing this, Casey!
Do you know when they are doing CalCup awards? At the very end of the day?

The awards presentation is being done for our first two races, the Cat 4 women and 35+ 4/5 .Our podium girls look like they came out of central casting in a 60's era SciFi movie about the far future. Neon orange and yellow wigs, plain white coats, white boots, leggings that match their wig and sun glasses. Be sure to check out the pictures of the awards podium.

The full field of 75 Cat 4/5 men had to be held back off the course during the awards presentation as many riders were eager to claim a favored position on the start line.

3 to go - Jessica Conner was leading the field as the pack came by the finish area.

2 to go - Lauraleen Fenech who won an earlier prime and was in the only break of the race is at the front setting the pacegoing into 2 laps to go.

1 to go - Bell lap The Metromints are leading out the last lap. do they have enough power to keep their sprinter safe and protected on this final lap? The wind is kicking up a bit just in time fo rthe last lap.

Finish Starla Teddergreen breaks up the Metromint party be winning the drag race from the final corner Anna Woldring takes a very close 2nd place and Cathy Crawford-Waller takes 3rd. A good and hard fought sprint finish for the Cat 3 women.

The multi prime sprints are starting to take their toll on the field as more riders are getting gapped off the back.Rona Hung takes the prime prized as the field sees 8 laps to go.

7 to go - The pack has a chance to regroup since there is no prime on this lap. Those riders who remain in the field are tightly bunched next lap our final prime wil be announced.

6 to go - Last prime a 3 month membership to Crunch Fitness. Katie Kelly was at the front of the field as the prime bell rang out.

5 to go - Allison Krasnow takes the final prime of the race. Now it is time for the pack to get set for the final sprint.

4 to go - The pack is looking for some leadership as the riders at the front of the field keep looking around for someone else to take over the pace setting duty. None of the multi rider teams are ready to organize things and take over the race.

12 to go - So we have podium girls this year to present the prizes to the top finishers in each race. Our first prize presentation will happen after the conclusion of the Cat 3 women's race.

Starla Teddergreen takes her second prime of the day.

11 to go - and the prime bell rings. A giant cyclocross frame and fork is the prize on the line from Montano Velo bike shop.

10 to go - Laurie Simonson from Metromint takes the prize of the Cross Frame and Fork by Giant. It is back to back prime action as the laps are winding down and there are still primes to give away.

9 to go - Rita Szeto took the prize on this lap and the officials are making it 3 in a row with another 2 place prime on the line. The sprint action is helping to keep the pace up over these last few laps.

19 to go - The prime bell rins out again for a MetroMint prime. It was Starla Teddergreen who took our first rpime and Rona Hung who took 2nd in the first 2 place prime.

18 to go - Metromint rider Brianna Hand takes the Metromint prime. So far the pack is staying together in one big happy family.

17 to go - Lairaleen Fenech throws down the first break of the race as she had about a 5 second gap on the field.

16 to go - Our leader has a gap of 7 seconds now but another 2 place prime was just rung and the pack was charging being lead by a Metromint rider.

15 to go - Lauraleen holds off the pack to win the prime but her advantage has shrunk.

13 to go - and the prime bell rings again. There are a total of 8 primes in this race spread out over the 24 laps

Sounds like no serious injuries from the last lap crach in the 35+ 4/5 race so now the Cat 3 women are lining up. Looks like at least 26 riders have lined up for the start of the Cat 3 women's race. Again this will be a 24 lap race.

24 to go - And the Cat 3 women have started.

23 to go - 2:20 for the opening lap for the women. The crowds are building in the Expo area. KCBS radio is one of the race sponsors. There were plugging the race for a couple of weeks on the radio and on their web site. If you make it to the race be sure to stop by the KCBS booth and thank them.

22 to go - The first prime has been rung and once again it is a 2 place prime.

21 laps to go - Ok I spaced and missed who took the prizes in the first 2 place prime.

20 to go - Lap after the prime was run in 2:08.

10 to go - Mark Robertson from Team Oakland wins the prime.

9 to go and the prime bell rings again. Didn't catch what the prime on the line is this time. Dave Pettit takes the prime at 8 to go.

7 to go- The last prime and it is a 2 placerer. A helmet for 1st and a Rack and Road gift card for 2nd.

6 to go - Don Seymour took 1st place in the 2 place prime. I believe it was Michael Reese who took second. Both riders were off the front by a little bit. This is the first time we have seen riders off the front here at the start/finish line.

5 to go - And our two prime winners are pressing their advantage are trying top hold onto their lead for the remaining 5 laps. The two leaders have an 8 second lead going up the small rise towards the back straight.

4 to go - Seymour and Reese still holding onto a 7 second lead with 4 to go at the finishline.

3 to go - looks liek the break is doomed since the gap is now down to 2 seconds.

2 to go - The pack is all together again. looks like this is shaping up to be a field sprint.

1 to go - The field is bunched gutter to gutter as they take the bell for the final lap. Riders were surging to the front as the pack headed towards Turn #1.

Finish - Sounds like a crash broke things up on the back side on the last lap. Stephen Langone takes the sprint, Earnest Gallardo takes 2nd Doug Rappaport takes 3rd and Jason Eiserich takes 4th

The sun is out and the winds are light. Only a few wisps of fog overhead. The masters are currently working on their 3rd prime lap. A helmet is up for grabs this time. the riders just saw 18 laps to go. Each year the Expo area here at the Giro. Allen Jones takes prime #3 with a lap time of 1:49.

16 Laps to go - 1:55 for that non-prime lap. The officials are pulling the off the back riders who arre in danger of being lapped.

15 to go Prime time once again - 2 Boxes of Cliff Bars to the winner next lap. There was just an accident that took out a couple of riders at the left hand turn #1 Looks like one of the riders who went down is injured enough so he will not be getting up for a while. The field is being told to slow down for the accident sight. The field was able to make it past the injured rider safely, Steven Woo was the winner of the prime sprint.

13 laps to go - next lap will be the 1/2 way mark. The field still has to slow down for the accident sight as the medics are working with the rider on the ground. The injured rider is not sitting up which is a good sign. He is still on the ground so the field will have to take it easy on turn #1 one more time at least.

12 to go - The injured rider is up off the ground and out of the way so the officials will start ringing the prime bell once again since the field will be able to go through turn #1 at full speed again.

11 to go and the prime bell rings to announce a pair of shorts to the winner of the next lap.

The first prime of the day for the master 4/5s is a 2 place prime. Box of Cliff Bars to first and a $25 gift certificate to Rack and Road for 2nd.

1:45 for the prime lap. We started the race with a field of 73 riders. Sounds like this race will be full of primes with 7 primes in a 24 lap race. Earnie Gallardo Jr took the prime of the day. After one lap off the prime bell is being rung for the second time. Already riders are coming off the back.

Earnie's father must not have taught his son the importance of sharing as Earnie JR takes the second prime of the day also. The second prime lap was covered in 1:48.