2011/12 Australian Summer of Cycling: Launceston Crits → Australian Nationals

[Ferminal]

Good grief, some of the posts on this thread.....

There seems to be direct parallels between January cycling fans in Australia, and July cycling fans in Europe.

Any in particular, or are you just adding to the pile?

 

[Spider1964]

Good grief, some of the posts on this thread.....

There seems to be direct parallels between January cycling fans in Australia, and July cycling fans in Europe.

Jesus Christ Billy.. Enlighten us? Why the superiority complex?

Misread the thread title did ya Billy.. Looking for the one titled "I have posted over 1000 times on CN Forum therefore I know everything"?

 

[Night Rider]

Would be interested to see who everyone thinks might take out the National Championship, would love to know who GE are going to protect.
I don't know if he has the form or GE want him to have a go but my pick is Simon Clarke.

Hopefully Matty Lloyd, if not him maybe Nathan Haas.

 

[Ferminal]

I'm with JSG, Barbie is the one who can do it, if he's been off the drink.

 

[clipperton]

anybody else heading out there on sunday? haven't been before but a lack of holidays means i'll be around so a mate and i are driving up. any tips on the best vantage points? do they let you huff and puff your way around the course while the action is elsewhere or are the roads effectively closed?

 

[Sasquatch]

I'm with JSG, Barbie is the one who can do it, if he's been off the drink.

He's been training hard. Smokey for the TDU.

 

[Ferminal]

He's been training hard. Smokey for the TDU.

Great to hear!

(and agreed with the latter)

 

[rgmerk]

Watching the Nats

Here is the course map. The straight stretch on the Midland Highway is a good spot to watch from; the climb is so long and dead straight you can watch the riders approaching for several minutes.

The Nats are fairly casual; water pistols are de rigeur if it's a stinking hot day, and it's not unknown for riders from domestic teams to abandon, head straight into marquees put up by their mates, and grab a beer then and there.

 

[delbified]

Hopefully Matty Lloyd, if not him maybe Nathan Haas.

i saw matty lloyd on the 1 in 20 recently and i couldn't keep up with him, i reckon he's in good touch.

 

[auscyclefan94]

i saw matty lloyd on the 1 in 20 recently and i couldn't keep up with him, i reckon he's in good touch.

Does that say more about you or Lloyd as a rider?


Regarding the bay Crits, even if GreenEdge win tommorrow it wouldn't count as their first win as a team because ultimately the bay crits are a national exhibition race.

Giacoppo ahead of Durbridge at the 3rd race of the Jayco bay Series. WA mafia will be happy

 

[Tuarts]

Nats is good fun. Was up by the KOM last year then managed to ride down the course to catch the end.

Giacoppo won, ahead of Durbridge? Good \o/

 

[clipperton]

Nats is good fun. Was up by the KOM last year then managed to ride down the course to catch the end.

cheers, that's what i wanted to hear - that you won't get hussled off the course as long as you're not getting in anybody's way.

 

[Tuarts]

Yeah I though that was good. May need to play it by ear this time though because it's going to be televised for the first time, could change how they treat other people on the road.

 

[rgmerk]

Anybody going to the Nats?

I'm planning to be there on Sunday - anybody else attending?

 

[Cake42]

I'm planning to be there on Sunday - anybody else attending?

Sorry not me, it is too long from Denmark
But I hope for the 3 riders from Saxo-Bank....

 

[Andy99]

Here is the course map. The straight stretch on the Midland Highway is a good spot to watch from; the climb is so long and dead straight you can watch the riders approaching for several minutes.

The Nats are fairly casual; water pistols are de rigeur if it's a stinking hot day, and it's not unknown for riders from domestic teams to abandon, head straight into marquees put up by their mates, and grab a beer then and there.

When was the last time a different course was used? Though saying that, it does always seem to produce a decent race.

I was last there in 2008, and it was this course then.

 

[rgmerk]

When was the last time a different course was used? Though saying that, it does always seem to produce a decent race.

I was last there in 2008, and it was this course then.

The same course has been used for a while, and the sprinters whinge mightily about it - Mark Renshaw and Robbie McEwen particularly.

They have something of a point, but FFS, without the Nats on this course every single race on the Aussie summer calendar would be a sprinters' race. The other thing is the course is a sensational one for viewing - the climb is dead straight for over 1km, so you see more of the riders than just about any other imaginable course. Unless you want the national championship to be run on a hot dog crit circuit, of course...

 

[Andy99]

The same course has been used for a while, and the sprinters whinge mightily about it - Mark Renshaw and Robbie McEwen particularly.

They have something of a point, but FFS, without the Nats on this course every single race on the Aussie summer calendar would be a sprinters' race. The other thing is the course is a sensational one for viewing - the climb is dead straight for over 1km, so you see more of the riders than just about any other imaginable course. Unless you want the national championship to be run on a hot dog crit circuit, of course...

Yeah, I agree. The climb through the feed particularly is nice and wide. A relaxed atmosphere too.

 

[Night Rider]

The same course has been used for a while, and the sprinters whinge mightily about it - Mark Renshaw and Robbie McEwen particularly.

They have something of a point, but FFS, without the Nats on this course every single race on the Aussie summer calendar would be a sprinters' race. The other thing is the course is a sensational one for viewing - the climb is dead straight for over 1km, so you see more of the riders than just about any other imaginable course. Unless you want the national championship to be run on a hot dog crit circuit, of course...

If a Green Edge rider doesn't win this year and a climber type wins then I guarantee next year they run the last 40-50km of the course off in another direction on the flat so it ends in a 20 man Green Edge sprint train finish.

 

[Wilba60]

""I've spoken to Cycling Australia on numerous occasions about the circuit, about changing it," Renshaw confirmed. "Hopefully through opening my big mouth the circuit will change in 2013. It needs it. I don't want an easy circuit; I don't want a hard circuit. I just want some variation."

So if it changes you will blame GE and not Renshaw??

 

[Tuarts]

The same course has been used for a while, and the sprinters whinge mightily about it - Mark Renshaw and Robbie McEwen particularly.

They have something of a point, but FFS, without the Nats on this course every single race on the Aussie summer calendar would be a sprinters' race. The other thing is the course is a sensational one for viewing - the climb is dead straight for over 1km, so you see more of the riders than just about any other imaginable course. Unless you want the national championship to be run on a hot dog crit circuit, of course...

Meh, it's a demanding course where the rouleur or he how is daring wins. Unless the Convict version of Gilbert comes along I just can't see how it'd be the same on a flat track. As it is, the pros who are sprinter that want it bad enough are usually at the front anyway.

 

[Tuarts]

Oh and Caleb Ewan wins another stage of the Crits. Very impressive.

 

[greenedge]

He is great. The womens race was also good with Spratt.

The finish at the Nats is hard anyways ( even that takes sprinters out of consideration )

 

[greenedge]

Sorry not me, it is too long from Denmark
But I hope for the 3 riders from Saxo-Bank....

There are only two Roberts and Cantwell. Porte left to Sky and Cooke to GE.

 

[Wilba60]

Very quick circuit down at Willy and hard to catch them as they flew by. Durbridge and Lane seemed to be doing the lions share of the work on the front and decimated the field. I saw 3 of the NSWIS riders drop out early due to the Greenedge pace being put on. I couldn't see any team support for Ewan, he just reminded me of Robbie McEwan sitting on the main sprinters and was able to find the right wheel. Great signs. Interesting to see that Sutton says that Ewan can climb "all day". Maybe he isn't the next Cavendish but is the next Evans

He is small, McEwan looked big next to him.