that old pic brings back painful memories. I rode that race... the day before buying a couple of cogs for my Suntour freewheel (should have bought bigger!). The race is 78 or 79. I was a junior in 77 so wouldn't have ridden. The race had to be restarted once as we were to do a rolling start after a lap but the field was so decimated after the first lap that we were stopped and restarted. I also remember almost crashing into the back of the lead car when it stopped for a moment just after rolling out from the start. Such a kick locking up the rear wheel and sliding around down the bricks of Lombard Street. A once in a lifetime opportunity. I kept going long after I should have stopped (lapped twice by malone I think) because it was so much fun. When I took my shoes off my feet were bleeding from the strps cutting into them on that wicked climb each lap. Tom's memory of Mayor Moscone and the nice reception are spot on. We did try to act like gentlemen at the table! Thanks Rick for making this race happen. Michael Williams

I got this via email:

"My name is Rick Garner, District Representative of the United States Cycling Federation in 1976 & 1977. My bike club the Sequoia Cycling Club and I promoted quite a few races during this time including the Ca. State Championships.

I just saw the post on your site regarding a picture taken at the 1977 Giro di SF. I was the promoter of the 1976 San Francisco Gran Prix and the 1977 initial Giro di San Francisco. Just to set the facts straight, the first year 1976, I was approached by George Pagni of the Columbus Day Celebration Committee to put on a international caliber bike race as part of the Columbus Day celebration. I picked a course around Lake Merced and we called it the S.F. Gran Prix. At the sign in table, Bob Lemond a prominent racer at the time, brought his son up and asked if I could issue him a license and allow him to try his luck at racing. I signed a temporary license and he raced in the Junior race. Greg Lemond took third place that year. the next year I went big and chose a course in the North Beach area going up Lombard st. It was on this hill that Greg passed the lead motorcycle.this year he won 1st place, each year he was awarded a huge trophy by the mayor and received a large check. I am proud of these two races and the part they took in getting the U.S. its first Tour de France win when Greg finally did get to Europe. I moved to the Oakhurst area in 2000 and now own Yosemite bicycle & sport shop. http://www.yosemitebicycle.com

If you have any questions regarding events in this time frame, let me know.
Rick Garner"

Shin wrote:Casey - can you identify the riders in the photo? What year?

My guesses (L to R):
Laurence Malone, Santa Cruz
Dave Faust, SJBC
Jim Rogers, Pen Velo
Dave Zanotti, SJBC

Also, my memory is vague, but I think Greg Lemond lapped the field won the Giro di SF on a wet and drizzly day in '80.

Old enough to remember, old enough to forget...
Shin

The lead rider is almost certainly Calvin Trampleasure. The last rider looks quite a bit like Tom Hardy.

If I had to guess, I would go with 1977. We used that course once. The Garners were the promoters. They had a totally unrealistic number of laps for the race - they just underestimated how long it would take to do a lap. The number of laps was greatly reduced and the race still ran way too long (for traffic/permit stuff).

I didn't forget the uphill - my bike slipped out of gear on the climb a couple of times, taking me decisively OTB. The descent of the curvy brick part was fun, but the straight part of the descent after that was scary - the police were allowing some cars to cross at the intersections, and didn't seem to be very interested in controlling things. Not what you want when you could reach warp speed.

After we moved to the North Point/Beach course and hooked up with Columbus Day there was one year when Greg and Keith Vierra broke away and either lapped or nearly lapped the field. I seem to remember Mark Walsh and Robert getting away for 4th and 3rd (guess who figured to win that sprint).

The North Point course was used while George Moscone was mayor - he came to the race, as did Diane Feinstein after his assination. He really enjoyed the event, although it seemed more of a political chore for Diane. Their attendance was due to the race being part of the Columbus Day activities.

One nice little bonus to the race was that there was a fairly nice reception at the Holiday Inn afterwards. We could clean up and get in - the event was really for the Columbus Day organizing committee and friends, but we were not turned away. I can remember drinking wine (Champagne??) and enjoying caviar and smoked salmon sandwiches, resisting the temptation to go into bike racer/Tasmanian devil feeding mode.

That's a not a follow car, they didn't have a closed course in those days. :)

i'm just diggin the follow car

One of them looks like a young Wayne Stetina.

I think the photo is from the 76 era. It came from a calendar book that was put out for a couple of years with lots of local racing photos. Mr Simpson has some of these so he might be able to identify the year and hopefully here is a caption on the photo.

Casey - can you identify the riders in the photo? What year?

My guesses (L to R):
Laurence Malone, Santa Cruz
Dave Faust, SJBC
Jim Rogers, Pen Velo
Dave Zanotti, SJBC

Also, my memory is vague, but I think Greg Lemond lapped the field won the Giro di SF on a wet and drizzly day in '80.

Old enough to remember, old enough to forget...
Shin

Tom forgets that what goes down also needs to go up. Sorry for the crummy photo but if you look hard you get the idea.

FYI in the extremely distant past (1975-81), courses included the circuit of Lake Merced, for one year a course that WENT DOWN THE CURVY PART OF LOMBARD!!!, and another course in North Beach that included Columbus, North Point and Beach (passing the BV cafe). At that time the race was part of the official SF Columbus Day activities. After the race detached from Columbus Day stuff it moved to the current location.

CPhipps wrote:I don't think it's a new course.

Personally I think the course would be greatly improved by adding an out and back section on Vallejo to Montgomery and back.

must be a hill there, if Phipps wants it added. But are you sure you want to add another "turn" Chris?

I don't think it's a new course.

Personally I think the course would be greatly improved by adding an out and back section on Vallejo to Montgomery and back.