2013 Santos Tour Down Under: 20th Jan - 27th Jan

[theyoungest]

Presumably Matthews is riding for Raboblanco? Odds on fave for Stirling stage as usual, if so.

Matthews will be riding in support of Gerrans, at Greenedge. But yeah, that Stirling finish suits him to a tee, won the sprint there twice already.

 

[maltiv]

Great to see they added another selective stage! Stage 2 could potentially be a great stage. With that sharp uphill climb followed by a descent all the way to the finish, an attack will almost certainly stay away imo.

 

[dlwssonic]

The world champ and gerrans are the main contenders here.
Hopefully Gilbert won't be affected by the curse of the rainbow jersey

 

[trevim]

The world champ and gerrans are the main contenders here.
Hopefully Gilbert won't be affected by the curse of the rainbow jersey

He had his curse already last season. My guess is that he learned from that and he'll be back to business

 

[Miburo]

The world champ and gerrans are the main contenders here.
Hopefully Gilbert won't be affected by the curse of the rainbow jersey

Let's hope he'll delivers

 

[will10]

Matthews will be riding in support of Gerrans, at Greenedge. But yeah, that Stirling finish suits him to a tee, won the sprint there twice already.

I'd got it in my head that Matthews had gone from Greenedge to Rabo but obviously that's not right! I'll blame the NYE hangover

 

[LaFlorecita]

I disagree:
1.Big Phil
2.Simon "the wheelsucker" Gerrans
3.A.Valverde
4.Gasparotto
5.De Gendt
off the pace for Andy Schleck a place between 15th and 20th.

I predict Andy will finish in 58th place

 

[calinmarian]

I'd got it in my head that Matthews had gone from Greenedge to Rabo but obviously that's not right! I'll blame the NYE hangover

The Tour Down Under has only one hill finish that being Old Willunga Hill?It is very hard to find close to Willunga hill gradients another hill to be included as another hill finish to be as a counterweight to the boring stages decided in the last 200 metres of a stage?Please someone from down under to answer me?

 

[calinmarian]

I predict Andy will finish in 58th place

Florecita, could you tell me or predict the Saxo-Tinkoff team for TDU?

 

[the asian]

Florecita, could you tell me or predict the Saxo-Tinkoff team for TDU?

Cantwell, Rogers, CAS and Duggan are starting.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Cantwell, Rogers, CAS and Duggan are starting.

Also Chris Juul Jensen

 

[Miburo]

I predict Andy will finish in 58th place

Are you serious?

You think he'll finish the race?

 

[theyoungest]

I'd got it in my head that Matthews had gone from Greenedge to Rabo but obviously that's not right! I'll blame the NYE hangover

No, Rabo got the short end of the deal, Bobridge.

The Tour Down Under has only one hill finish that being Old Willunga Hill?It is very hard to find close to Willunga hill gradients another hill to be included as another hill finish to be as a counterweight to the boring stages decided in the last 200 metres of a stage?Please someone from down under to answer me?

They've included another hill, in the 2nd stage, 7 k from the finish line. Quite a steep one, at least it looks that way on paper (maybe the Aussies can enlighten us)

 

[LaFlorecita]

Are you serious?

You think he'll finish the race?

Hmm yes

 

[Pentacycle]

No, Rabo got the short end of the deal, Bobridge.

They've included another hill, in the 2nd stage, 7 k from the finish line. Quite a steep one, at least it looks that way on paper (maybe the Aussies can enlighten us)

Rabo probably got the cheapest part of the deal too.

About that climb: from the stage profile(at least if it's accurate) that stage 2 final climb is 2.5 kms at 9%, so it's quite a tough one.
Maybe even too hard for Gilbert and Gerrans, so it might be a climber who wins it.

 

[theyoungest]

Rabo probably got the cheapest part of the deal too.

About that climb: from the stage profile(at least if it's accurate) that stage 2 final climb is 2.5 kms at 9%, so it's quite a tough one.
Maybe even too hard for Gilbert and Gerrans, so it might be a climber who wins it.

A little Googling gave me the following description of that climb:

Corkscrew is a 2.48km climb (starting at the bridge) that has 3 distinct sections and has an average gradient of 9.5%. The first relatively straight section (about 1km) is 8 - 12% gardient, and then comes the mini Alpe D'Huez - only 4 short hairpins covering about 700m, but the gradient sits at 15 - 17% on the straight bits, from there the last 700m slowly levels out to 7% at the end (from about 11%), and then comes the 135 degree corner and straight down Montacute.

Sounds like a proper wall. Slagter FTW!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A little Googling gave me the following description of that climb:



Sounds like a proper wall. Slagter FTW!

so really improved parcours, better TV coverage, great lineup. Now we just need free drinks.

 

[Parrulo]

i decided to officially launch the 2013 season!!!!

added a race date to the tittle and made it a sticky, i know it's still 20 days to go but i bet we will be all over this thread all that time

anyway /mod hat off

stage 2 looks great!!!! isn't that little climb actually tougher then willunga?

on a serious machado note, he said he wanted to improve over his third place this year so we can count on him attacking there.

 

[Wilba60]

With most of the Australian and Kiwi riders in good form given that most will be racing their National Championships the week before, it will be a real selection dilemna for Orica. Not sure what they will be doing with Simon Clarke as he wasn't around for the early racing last season. This year he is racing in the Aussie team at the Herald Sun Tour and could be a key rider in the Australian Championships the week before the TDU.

He will ride alongside Gerrans in both races pre TDU, so wondering if they are setting him up as an inclusion to the OGE team this year? With his Vuelta KOM hot in his possession, he could be a real force in the Nationals and the TDU if included in the team. Will watch him with interest this Sunday at Arthurs Seat, which is the final leg of the Herald Sun Tour.

Mathews may have some stages that suit him well at TDU but will he get selected in his new team?

 

[trevim]

i decided to officially launch the 2013 season!!!!

added a race date to the tittle and made it a sticky, i know it's still 20 days to go but i bet we will be all over this thread all that time

anyway /mod hat off

stage 2 looks great!!!! isn't that little climb actually tougher then willunga?

on a serious machado note, he said he wanted to improve over his third place this year so we can count on him attacking there.

Everything looks great, it's January

 

[PCutter]

With most of the Australian and Kiwi riders in good form given ....
Mathews may have some stages that suit him well at TDU but will he get selected in his new team?

I expect all the guys with form or at least riding in the 'summer of cycling' to be in the team, so I see Mathews in the squad with possibly Howard as well, not sure about Goss. He's riding the Sun Tour and given Gerro has stated he will be easing off at MSR with an eye for the Ardennes perhaps OGE will look to get Goss up earlier than targeted last year, so possibly all 3 sprinters in the squad with Howard as lead out (depending on who has the legs). Add Gerro and Clarke (given he's riding Sun Tour I agree, he looks like Gerro's helper) and probably Durbridge since he will be in full prep for the National TT and thus carrying form, Stuey for his home race will always be a good guess and maybe the last spot goes to Jens Mouris who's been looking strong given his off season spent in Australia

 

[greenedge]

Gerrans or Gilbert to win I think.

I think Gavazzi or Ponzi could go well here.

 

[Wilba60]

I expect all the guys with form or at least riding in the 'summer of cycling' to be in the team, so I see Mathews in the squad with possibly Howard as well, not sure about Goss. He's riding the Sun Tour and given Gerro has stated he will be easing off at MSR with an eye for the Ardennes perhaps OGE will look to get Goss up earlier than targeted last year, so possibly all 3 sprinters in the squad with Howard as lead out (depending on who has the legs). Add Gerro and Clarke (given he's riding Sun Tour I agree, he looks like Gerro's helper) and probably Durbridge since he will be in full prep for the National TT and thus carrying form, Stuey for his home race will always be a good guess and maybe the last spot goes to Jens Mouris who's been looking strong given his off season spent in Australia

Wonder how much of an advantage it will be for the guys riding the Herald Sun Tour and then Nationals? I am not sure if the first road stage of the Sun Tour is going to be an advantage or disadvantage, 41C and headwind all the way will be a day to forget for most. Watch out this Friday to see the very worst South East Australian weather conditions and who survives it.

I would love to see Mathews riding the TDU, I predict he will be like Gerrans, Clarke, Davis and Impey to name a few who kick on with OGE and the way they race. Stuey has an interview on SBS and it sounds like he is a certainty for the TDU. Durbridge is flying and won today at Portarlington, so I reckon your team is pretty close to the mark. I remember reading an article with some names of the OGE riders going to San Luis, not sure if it was Howard or Docker mentioned.

 

[Wilba60]

Did find this article on the San Luis thread;
http://procyclingbet.com/fr/content/tour-de-san-luis-1

If it is accurate, it would seem like Howard won't be riding in South Australia.

 

[auscyclefan94]

valverde...he won't even be present i guess ???

anyway this is simon's race to lose.i don't think phil will match a full form aussie in tour down under.

kash will make the peloton suffer no doubt

Valverde is not competing. Personally, I would not want a GreenEdge walkover like last year...zzz.