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Jancouver said:Doesn't the weather in AU also massively aid the local Aussie conti team? As you said, San Luis is not WT therefore not mandatory ...
Lupi33 said:I went over today and watched it.
First time in the city circuit. I didnt realise they'd changed the route until I got there. I dont mean from last year which was a temporary route, but earlier years. A lot of shoppers looking on in bemusement.
I walked the entire circuit - well pretty much.
The main straight near the finish is all corporate on one side and the views are blocked on the other side by the video screens facing the corporates.
I'd change a few things. I'd like to see a grandstand constructed for the commonfolk at the finish line as its hard to get a view of the riders approaching and finishing anywhere.
Secondly, I'd like to hear less of Jimmy Jacques. The guy doesnt shut up for a moment. I realise someone has to call the race but I dont need all the other constant droning on he does. Its just noise to me after no time at all.
Thirdly, can we get rid of "Feel the Rush". They kept playing it constantly. I dont think there's a single person on the planet who likes that grating noise of a song, (other than perhaps Jimmy Jacques as its more obnoxious than his voice).
Also, I'd get rid of Jimmy Jacques at the podium ceremony, The guy is just annoying fullstop. Its cycling, we dont need all this artificial noise such as his yelling voice over a PA system and Feel the Rush constantly playing.
On a postive note, the sponsor was giving away free Trilby hats. A very good initiative
I didnt see any of the crashes, but saw some banged up riders. Overall though on such a circuit, most of it is whoooosh..there they go.
Overall disappointed that Kittel was held up by the crash as I was hoping for him to win. Drapac winning was a bit of an anticlimax.
Thank you. I only knew certain Colombians won it.Netserk said:The 2013 Tour de l'Avenir winner.
greenedge said:Pro Conti. And yes it does, though the weather has not been as hot as other years.
Jancouver said:Sorry mate, UniSA-Australia is not even a real cycling team and Bobridge is on Team Budget Forklifts which is NOT even a pro conti team.
TDU is the only WT event that allows national team or riders from Conti teams to participate!
WHY?
Any WT race that has a crit stage is a joke race.
Any race that has a KOM points at a flat criterium race is a JOKE ...
Jancouver said:Sorry mate, UniSA-Australia is not even a real cycling team and Bobridge is on Team Budget Forklifts which is NOT even a pro conti team.
TDU is the only WT event that allows national team or riders from Conti teams to participate!
WHY?
Any WT race that has a crit stage is a joke race.
Any race that has a KOM points at a flat criterium race is a JOKE ...
Libertine Seguros said:All WT races are entitled to include a national selection from the host nation if they choose. However, most countries hosting WT races have either ProContinental teams from their own country or enough wildcard options that this isn't necessary. However, for the TDU, because it's such a long way out to travel, a lot of ProContinental teams simply aren't interested in going that far out, especially as most ProContinental teams have relatively regional sponsor interests who have no presence in Australia, and as the race doesn't have a great TV presence either they would stand to gain nothing from being there.
Hence the UniSA team, made up of non-WT Australians from either ProConti or Continental teams.
As netserk pointed out, the Tour de Pologne often has a national team participating as well; this was especially the case before CCC Polsat went ProConti, as coming so soon after Le Tour and going head to head with some important Italian one-day races like Tre Valli, the number of ProContinental teams interested in Poland was comparatively small and the home interest was also relatively light, so it made sense for them to include a national selection among the wildcards, often animating the race along with Marek Rutkiewicz's annual tilt at the GC. Nowadays with Polish cycling on the up there's less need for the national team as more Polish riders are appearing in the top two levels, but we do sometimes still see the national team.
I'm with you on the crit though. I hate that. I generally dislike final day parades in all races other than Grand Tours (and even then it's only because of tradition). You don't need to pat yourself on the back and have a day off on-the-bike for making it to the end of a six day stroll through the foothills of South Australia. Make it a short TT or something. Even better, this is the kind of race where you could trial a skiing-style pursuit race. Short route, Adelaide - Norton Summit - Adelaide, handicap start. About 35km. First across the line wins the GC, anybody can understand that. It would be like Nordic Combined.
Would it work? Perhaps not. Would it be gimmickry? Absolutely. But it might work, and then it would give the race something unique and interesting. It's a short and relatively flat stage race and therefore the GC gaps are small enough that you could do something like that without it being a total disaster area to organize. And if it doesn't work? Oh well, abandon ship, and go to a short TT on the final day. Emphasise "short". The TT should balance out the rest of the parcours, so therefore it has to be short as the hills in the TDU aren't too big in terms of time gaps produced.
Jancouver said:Sorry mate, UniSA-Australia is not even a real cycling team and Bobridge is on Team Budget Forklifts which is NOT even a pro conti team.
trevim said:Maybe I'm being unfair but TdU seems like it step down a bit in terms of quality of riders. This year it was even more of an australian business without a true european star in good shape like Ulissi, Valverde, Thomas or Gesink for instance.
Regarding the race, I wasn't able to see it due to the time difference (how in hell do aussies follow GT's and stuff?!), but it seems like it was a great edition, one of the best probably, with the right balance sprinter/puncheur which is exactly what I want from this race.