It certainly was not the Saturday night forecast that organizers were hoping for, but Nancy Kerry with the city of South Lake Tahoe says they are still preparing for at least twenty thousand race-goers to set up along the race route.

Nancy Kerry: "70 percent with a few inches predicted.  That's nothing to keep anyone from getting here.  We get 100 thousand skiers on a weekend."

Mark Dinger with Cal Trans says the Highway 16 to 49 to 88 to 89 detour around road construction on Echo summit will add an hour to the drive.

MARK DINGER: "We're gonna help motorists get there as well.  We got lots of signage out on Highway 50 informing people of the closure."

As for the racers, Nevada City Bike Shop owner Duane Strawser (STRAW sur) says racers will use their version of all weather radials and will try to keep warm.

DUANE STRAWSER: "They will wear winter-type shoes.  Nothing is waterproof, but it will shield the cold out a little bit.  They'll wear ankle high instead of ankle bone low, Most professional athletes have access to the best possible technical clothing available."

Stage one starts at 10:30 Sunday morning.