2013 Jayco Herald Sun Tour - January 3rd to 6th

[Tigerion]

Will be interesting to see how Edmonson rides in the bay classic or more importantly what the orica boys have him doing.
With Dean retiring there is a slot on the team, I wonder if this is a make or break to prove himself for that slot

 

[greenedge]

I will go with someone from the Aussie team to win. Then Atkins and someone from a continental team, probably Lapthorne.

Bold predictions.
Howson to win the prologue.
Phelan and Norris to do good rides.

 

[rgmerk]

Anybody know anything about the British riders?

Looks like a reasonable field under the circumstances.

Complete lucky dip as to who wins it; a break could easily stay away on stage 1 if it contains the right mix of teams.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

A few minor changes to the start list
http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/?ID=48867

I guess Australian National Team will ride for Haas?
Unless OGE v Garmin is an issue.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I will go with someone from the Aussie team to win. Then Atkins and someone from a continental team, probably Lapthorne.

Bold predictions.
Howson to win the prologue.
Phelan and Norris to do good rides.

Not that bold imo.

 

[Wilba60]

I mentioned in an earlier post that the first road stage on Friday looked tough but it has ramped up to an even tougher day. 39C now and instead of 15-20kmh north easterlies, we will be getting 30-45kmh north westerlies which will be a direct headwind for much of the trip. Very hard start coming up, so will be interesting to see how the different riders handle it.

Friday 4 JanuarySummary Min 23Max 39Sunny. Change at night.Melbourne areaSunny. Winds northerly 30 to 45 km/h shifting cooler southwesterly 25 to 35 km/h late at night.

Saturday 5 JanuarySummary Min 19Max 29Mostly sunny.Melbourne areaMostly sunny. Winds southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h turning southerly 25 to 35 km/h during the morning.

Sunday 6 JanuarySummary Min 16Max 31Sunny.Melbourne areaSunny. Winds southerly 25 to 35 km/h turning southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h later.

 

[Wilba60]

Just keeps getting worse for the riders. 41C and headwind ALL the way. The only bonus is that it should be a few degrees cooler over Mount Macedon. Day from hell coming up!!

Friday 4 January
SummaryMin 23Max 41Dry. Windy. Late cool change.
Melbourne area
Sunny. Winds northerly 35 to 50 km/h with stronger squalls. A cooler southwest to southerly change 25 to 35 km/h at night.

 

[rgmerk]

Just keeps getting worse for the riders. 41C and headwind ALL the way. The only bonus is that it should be a few degrees cooler over Mount Macedon. Day from hell coming up!!

Friday 4 January
SummaryMin 23Max 41Dry. Windy. Late cool change.
Melbourne area
Sunny. Winds northerly 35 to 50 km/h with stronger squalls. A cooler southwest to southerly change 25 to 35 km/h at night.

Should actually be a couple of degrees cooler over most of the route, as it's at about 500 metres altitude compared to Melbourne.

Still going to be a hot one.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

No idea if this is geo-blocked....


JaycoHeraldSunTour ‏@HeraldSunTour

#SunTour youtube channel is place to watch if you arent roadside or miss SBS highlights. @simongerrans ABC inter up now http://youtu.be/haLm4cU0epo

 

[Wilba60]

Prologue coming up tonight with many of the riders having been out earlier in the 36C conditions for the last leg of the Bay Crit. If the cooler sea breezes come in as predicted, the conditions could be a bit easier. Williamstown of course can throw up a pretty stiff breeze off the water but around on the Strand you would think it should be pretty even riding for all concerned.

Tough to pick out a winner of the prologue but I am going to choose Alex Edmondson for the win. Hopefully OGE don't give him too much to do today in the Bay Crit race and the 3 days of racing have in good time trial form. Not sure who will be the quickest in the Australian team, O'Grady, Goss or Gerrans possibly? How does McCarthy go over the short prologue distances?

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Henderson for the prologue.

 

[hoerpi]

Read James Oram as Jacob Oram at first, therefor go nz!

 

[Spider1964]

Should actually be a couple of degrees cooler over most of the route, as it's at about 500 metres altitude compared to Melbourne.

Still going to be a hot one.

Once they get over Mt Macedon (End of the Great Dividing Range), they'll feel like they've cycled into an oven. Will be a hot northerly blowing in their faces all the way to Bendigo. Undulating terrain all the way through Redesdale and Lake Eppalock. Last little pinch up One Tree Hill will test a few tired / hot legs.

Zak Dempster is now out of the SASI squad, Team Net-App Endura pulled him for "Form Management" reasons. Bendigo local who would have given stage 1 a shake.

Expect a few of the Bendigo locals to try and get in the early break - Lachie Norris, Darren Lapthorne, Shaun McCarthy, Robbie Hucker, Mark O'Brien.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Due to the extreme heat tomorrow, tomorrow's stage will start at 9:30am and finish around 1pm. Good idea imo.

 

[Grzdylu]

Jordan Kerby wins JaycoHeraldSunTour prologue.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Jordan Kerby wins JaycoHeraldSunTour prologue.

Never heard of the guy, but congrats to him.

 

[ramjambunath]

Jordan Kerby wins JaycoHeraldSunTour prologue.

Good to see. He's a good young rider now at CWO after the Eclipse fallout. Know about his efforts in the short TTs (may have won in Thailand), and impressed much in one of the stages in HA Azerbaijan tour before being eaten up in the final metres. He and his team mate Mitch Lovelock Fay will be ones to look out for in CWO. Should do well in races like the Tour of China which CWO controlled after a TTT. Think even Honey Shotz (Australia) were decent in the race.

 

[movingtarget]

What have they done to the Sun Tour ? It's half the race it used to be. Shorter stages and less stages. I suppose it's all about TV coverage or some such.

 

[auscyclefan94]

What have they done to the Sun Tour ? It's half the race it used to be. Shorter stages and less stages. I suppose it's all about TV coverage or some such.

Partially to do with money and the calendar adjustments I think. At least this way, it flows well with the rest of the races in the Australian Summer. I do agree that it is a shame that the Sun Tour has been shortened.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Partially to do with money and the calendar adjustments I think.

Mostly to do with UCI/TDU intransigence.

 

[mherm79]

They changed it to bring more attention to it and to save cash. By running it in Jan they hopped to get more pro's here for the Bay Crits, Nationals and TDU.

Also given the prologue and Bay Crits were both in Williamstown on the same day they saved time.

Speaking of Bay Crits - Caleb Ewan, what a star. kid is a very smart bike rider, strong and has a great kick. He was amazing to watch last year when he basically took on all of Orica Green Edge own and came from third wheel in the sprint.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

That is the way they are spinning it but they moved because they had to.
Their traditional slot got clobbered by Tour of Hangzhou- which never happened anyway
There are not enough spare weekends in January so they reduced the format and lost UCI status.
Downgrade in UCI status means less pro's than last time.
To continue at this time they need the TDU back one week.
(Bay Crits has been cut back one day to accomodate this farce too.)

 

[auscyclefan94]

Aaron Donnelly from the break wins the first stage, peleton was around 2 mins behind.

2. Calvin Watson (break)
3. Josh Atkins (break)
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

 

[Wilba60]

Any news on the first stage today?

Disregard, found the Twitter and see Aaron Donnelly has taken the first stage. Seemed to be that he won from a small breakaway group of 7 that split into 3.

Very hot out there today, so kudos to all who finished.

 

[mherm79]

anyone know the result of today's stage?