The heavy rain ensures that only the most enthusiastic cycling fans will be on hand at the Golden Gate Bridge to witness the second stage of the AMGEN Tour of California and to see Lance Armstrong mount his comeback after a three year retirement.

Rain ponchos and umbrellas offer only partial reprieve from the rains onslaught. Large gaudy cameras are wrapped in clear plastic bags to save them from getting wet. It is all to no avail - everything gets wet.

The Tour of California is considered by many to be the premier cycling event in the country and can draw spectators from thousands of miles away.

"We actually drove all the way down from Seattle to watch the Tour of California," Guy Baltzelle says.

There are those that would argue that cycling isn't much of a spectator sport. This is not true. Rather, it is a sport that requires an appreciation for the demands of touring.

"Cycling is at times the most dangerous and certainly the most endurance oriented sports and in conditions like this it makes it even more difficult," photographer and fellow cyclist Gary Hromada says.

Like Hromada, many of the people in the crowd are cyclists themselves. Perhaps it is the high level of endurance and tenacity required for the sport that allows them to wait stoically for the riders.

At last, when the police's motorcycles chase away the last of the traffic and the street is empty, the anticipation begins to climb. The peloton (the main group of riders) will be coming soon.

The increasing volume of cheers and cowbells trumpets the impending arrival of the riders. Another motorcade of police vehicles passes and then, the cyclists themselves - some of them, the sports finest.

They are densely packed and wearing grey rain gear. Some people shout Lance's name, the rest just scream 'Woo.' The pack of cyclists is followed by a pack of chase cars: SUVs with multiple bikes on the roof that function as bike dispensers should a rider's bike experience a mechanical problem.

As quickly as the riders came, they are gone and the crowd collectively exhales and begins to file off of the bridge.

From the bridge the riders will follow a route that takes them through San Francisco to Daly City and eventually to Santa Cruz. In all, the rout covers 115.9 miles and is estimated to take about four and a half hours.

As for Lance, the star of today's event, he is 37 and there are doubts about his ability to maintain his legendary level of performance.

"Honestly, I think that Lance is going to be a good support cyclist and good for publicity for the tour - keeping it viable and getting some of the crowds out, but as a racer, I don't expect him to win," cyclist Dan Patton says

Time will tell; the last stage of the tour finishes in Escondido California on Feb. 22.