Pulling victory from the jaws of impending thundershowers, Sacramento's weather and geography cooperated Saturday afternoon to produce a nearly-flawless "prologue" of the Amgen Tour of California.

It was nearly as cold and windy as Sacramento gets, but the rain held off until the last riders were crossing the finish line around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The clear weather continued into the evening as the out-of-town crowds estimated to be more than 50,000 partied into the night and the Grid's monthly Second Saturday events.

Though the race began in earnest Sunday, with 136 racers riding through gusts of wind and significant rain - and Sunday morning was marred by the early-hours theft of Lance Armstrong's $10,000 time trial bike, as well as the bikes of three of his teammates - Saturday marked another leap forward into the international biking world's consciousness.

As many as 1,000 credentialled journalists from around the world, who first showed up for Thursday's press conference at the Sheraton downtown (see pictures), were matched by visitors from as far away as France, all of whom came to see Armstrong's return to racing after a three-year retirement. There were also dozens of top racers in the peleton, including the current Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre of Spain, Tour de France tragedian Floyd Landis in his first post-suspension race, two-time Amgen winner Levi Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, and the ultimate winner of Saturday's time trial, 2008 Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland.

There were many viewpoints along the 2.4 mile course, and most were taken up with the crowd. It was expected to be 75,000 people, but there was really no way to tell how big it was, spread out along the course. But with helicopters buzzing above, police everywhere and thousands showing up on bicycles, there was no question that it was a great day to be on two wheels in the Grid. 

There were dozens of parties, some upscale, such as Mulvaney's barbeque at 19th and L, right next to the final turn before the straightaway, and others just in private apartments around town. To view the race, people climbed lamposts, parking garages and even hung out on the concrete overhangs in the 18th Street Lofts (see pictures). The street was the place to be, and spectators cheered on each rider, first announced by a name plate on a preceding motorcycle, then accompanied by a TV crew from the Versus network, and a lag wagon behind. At the turn at 19th and L Streets, the following cars often seemed to be racing to keep up with the riders, who launched out of the corner for the final eight blocks to the finish line.

The sidewalks were full of people, some in bike gear, some in high style, such as the group of four from Lyon, France, who had come to watch Amstrong's return to racing. Another group was from a wedding party, dressed in classic formal wear. Some rang cow bells as the riders raced past. A freight train rumbled on past the last turn, oblivious to the international event happening just yards away.

Downtown businesses took full advantage of the crowds, from Ginger Elizabeth's chocolate shop, which was packed with sweet tooths, to Hot Italian, Andrea Lepore's new two-wheel themed, wood-fired pizza place at 16th and Q, which chose Saturday as its "soft opening," and was filled with many who stopped in for pizza, beer, wine and espresso, as well as to check out the high-end riding gear in its shop (gorgeous $485 riding jackets) and the spectacular upright bike racks that sit outside on 16th Street.

Marcus, the owner of L Bar, stood happily in front of his wine bar, saying, "We're staying afloat, but days like this really help us get through the month." Brian Fischer of the Midtown Grid worked the crowd in front of the Buckhorn Grill at 18th and L, spinning his wheel of fortune and selling beautiful Bikeramento t-shirts, proceeds to be used to buy bicycles for disadvantaged kids in Oak Park. David Aldersebaes of the online cycling magazine Pez Cycling News, of Portland, surveyed the crowd, notebook in hand, and proclaimed himself "impressed" by Sacramento.

Out-of-towners on the Grid included Michael Polsan of Chico, 51, who hadn't seen downtown Sacramento in three years, and was amazed at its transformation. "I didn't realize so much is going on here," he said. "Last time I was in downtown Sacramento, it was pretty sketchy, like a midwestern town on hard times. Now it's really looking good."

Nature, which was the big concern of organizers and crowds, particularly after last year's rainy Amgen finish, when riders had to hold back on the sodden turns, cooperated, and spectacularly so. Not only was there no rain during the race, but the pavement was dry all along the course, meaning that riders could hit corners full-speed, and many did. And after the race was over, and a few sprinkles passed through, a bright rainbow appeared in the northeast, arching over the scene at 18th and Capitol (see picture).

The party continued into the night for Second Saturday, as a whole new shift of people hit the streets. Though the cold temperatures kept the crowd at considerably lower density than a spring or summer Second Saturday, there were still many devoted Sacramentans - and tourists - filling the streets. Among the beneficiaries of the crowds was the new Bike Kitchen shop, on 18th and I Streets.

All in all, it was a spectacularly successful Amgen prologue, despite the theft of Armstrong's and others' bikes from behind the Residence Inn at 15th and L, a downbeat coda to a terrific day in the Grid.