2014 Tour Down Under Stage 5: McLaren Vale -> Wilunga Hill, 151.5km (2.WT)

[movingtarget]

Cadel will be pizzed, Hates coming second.

 

[theyoungest]

God, I am ****ed off right now. Mr Teamvote and Wheelsucker wins the race

Rarely will anyone have been in awe about a massive Gerro attack, I agree. But yeah, this wins races as well.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Rarely will anyone have been in awe about a massive Gerro attack, I agree. But yeah, this wins races as well.

Did the same in Milan San Remo and his other victories in the Tour Down Under.

 

[movingtarget]

Rarely will anyone have been in awe about a massive Gerro attack, I agree. But yeah, this wins races as well.

Well it's the whole argument about bonuses. Some people hate them but others think it makes the racing more aggressive but also has the opposite effect if a climber has a good sprint re Valverde or Rodriguez. They just wait for the last km.

 

[theyoungest]

Evans, always magnanimous in defeat:

"Cadel Evans ‏@CadelOfficial 9 min

Not an ideal result today - beaten by better team. Compliments OGE. #tdu"

Both his teammates and Richie Porte will be happy

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans, always magnanimous in defeat:

"Cadel Evans ‏@CadelOfficial 9 min

Not an ideal result today - beaten by better team. Compliments OGE. #tdu"

Both his teammates and Richie Porte will be happy

When you have Wyss being the only rider setting the tempo on the climb, their worst climber and all the top riders out the back, that is hard to take.

 

[theyoungest]

When you have Wyss being the only rider setting the tempo on the climb, their worst climber and all the top riders out the back, that is hard to take.

Bookwalter was there as well, I think?

 

[movingtarget]

When you have Wyss being the only rider setting the tempo on the climb, their worst climber and all the top riders out the back, that is hard to take.

Rick Zabel was not going to tow Cadel to victory. Cadel has been happy with the team but it's up against GE's best team.

 

[movingtarget]

Bookwalter was there as well, I think?

Yeah they had three at the bottom of the climb Zabel, Wyss and Bookwalter I think.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Rick Zabel was not going to tow Cadel to victory. Cadel has been happy with the team but it's up against GE's best team.

WHere were Hermans, Morabito and Moinard?

 

[Pippo_San]

Evans, always magnanimous in defeat:

"Cadel Evans ‏@CadelOfficial 9 min

Not an ideal result today - beaten by better team. Compliments OGE. #tdu"

Both his teammates and Richie Porte will be happy

Same old Cadel's whinings. He'll never change I guess.

 

[movingtarget]

WHere were Hermans, Morabito and Moinard?

Might have been Hermanns not Zabel. I think Liggett corrected himself.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Evans, always magnanimous in defeat:

"Cadel Evans ‏@CadelOfficial 9 min

Not an ideal result today - beaten by better team. Compliments OGE. #tdu"

Both his teammates and Richie Porte will be happy

Too much focus on Gerrans' wheelsucking imo. Evans needed to go with Porte, but didn't have the power. Slowly Gerrans came back. Evans just wasn't strong enough.

 

[movingtarget]

Same old Cadel's whinings. He'll never change I guess.

Not many like losing by one second and he's acknowledging the good ride by the opposition.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Might have been Hermanns not Zabel. I think Liggett corrected himself.

Nah, it was only Wyss and Bookwalter. I don't think it would have changed the result today but it wasn't really good enough.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Too much focus on Gerrans' wheelsucking imo. Evans needed to go with Porte, but didn't have the power. Slowly Gerrans came back. Evans just wasn't strong enough.

If Gerrans wasn't wheelsucking he wouldn't have beaten Cadel. That is why it matters.

 

[movingtarget]

Too much focus on Gerrans' wheelsucking imo. Evans needed to go with Porte, but didn't have the power. Slowly Gerrans came back. Evans just wasn't strong enough.

True but if he shadowed Gerrans he worries about the gap to Porte. Difficult position and Gerrans was relying on his jump at the finish. In hindsight it may have been better to let Gerrans worry about Porte but that has risks as well. He did what he could. No excuses really.

 

[JRanton]

It makes you wonder why Porte wasn't able to follow Evans on the Corkscrew climb which would have won him the race. He mentioned something about his positioning before that climb so maybe he used up too much energy trying to move up places in the lead up to the climb (I'll have to watch it back). Or maybe a sign of his slight inconsistency in performances that was evident last season (not so much referring to that Tour stage but other stage races during the season - his Pais Vasco TT for instance)?

 

[theyoungest]

It makes you wonder why Porte wasn't able to follow Evans on the Corkscrew climb which would have won him the race. He mentioned something about his positioning before that climb so maybe he used up too much energy trying to move up places in the lead up to the climb (I'll have to watch it back). Or maybe a sign of his slight inconsistency in performances that was evident last season (not so much referring to that Tour stage but other stage races during the season - his Pais Vasco TT for instance)?

Willunga is a different kind of climb than the Corkscrew. See Geraint Thomas last year.

 

[Pippo_San]

Not many like losing by one second and he's acknowledging the good ride by the opposition.

By disrespecting his own team nonetheless. The guy's got absolutely zero class.

 

[auscyclefan94]

It makes you wonder why Porte wasn't able to follow Evans on the Corkscrew climb which would have won him the race. He mentioned something about his positioning before that climb so maybe he used up too much energy trying to move up places in the lead up to the climb (I'll have to watch it back). Or maybe a sign of his slight inconsistency in performances that was evident last season (not so much referring to that Tour stage but other stage races during the season - his Pais Vasco TT for instance)?

Porte was on Evans' wheel for the whole climb on Corkscrew. He was just beaten by Evans on the climb. The roles reversed today.

 

[stefank]

Wheelsucking

Whether you think someone has been "wheelsucking" or has been "tactically astute" rather depends on whether you like the result or not. I rather like the fact that brains as well as brawn can influence the outcome of a race. Those without brains will no doubt disagree.

 

[JRanton]

Porte was on Evans' wheel for the whole climb on Corkscrew. He was just beaten by Evans on the climb. The roles reversed today.

No, what Porte was referring to was his positioning in the flat km's before the climb actually started. If you use too much energy in the wind trying to move up positions before the climb then it effects what you're able to do on the climb itself.

 

[JRanton]

Willunga is a different kind of climb than the Corkscrew. See Geraint Thomas last year.

Yes, but Thomas isn't a natural climber so that type of inconsistency is to be expected.

 

[Major Taylor]

Evans and his teammate went to the front at the bottom of the hill.

They should have ridden more defensively. It would have limited CE’s losses at the end.

Over confidence from yesterday is my guess.