Sprinters of the 2013 Tour of the Gila

So it's time for the 2013 Tour of the Gila.  This 5 day bicycle stage race is in it's 27th year here in Silver City.  Jackie and I are in our 21st year of marshaling for the tour.

Our current position is the intersection of Market St and US Hwy 180 west of Silver City.  This really works for us because the intersection sits on the hill top directly behind our house.

So at 7:30 AM May 1 we get our safety vests, our flags and start controlling the intersection.  As we wait for the races to start I take pictures of the Sprinters.  The Sprinter is, for a fact, a very popular team vehicle for bicycle racing.

Here is one of the Bontrager Cycling Team's Sprinters.

This is the Hagens-Bergan Cycling Team

This black beauty belongs to the ISCorp - Intelligentsia Cycling Team.

With all of the logos, I'm unsure of this Sprinter's ownership but it's marked KMS Cycling and Start House who have got to be major sponsors.                                    

Oops a local Sprinter!

 

 An unmarked Sprinter, maybe a stealth camper?

Finally the race!  Here come the Men's Pro's Cat's 1 & 2.  The field was huge, 84 racers strong.  All together the Tour of the Gila had 444 registered riders this year.

 

Back at the campground we find Kelly and Teresa O' Neal just out for a cycling vacation in their Sportsmobile Sprinter.  It's a Regular Body, short, with Pop Top.  They figured out a way to get everything they wanted in a compact vehicle and still store 2 bicycles inside.  Another example of the flexibility offered by the Sportsmobile design your own process!

 

And back at home sits "Poor Sprinter".  The Mercury sits ready and willing to take us on our next adventure.  Stay tuned...

 

JIM