2016 Tour Down Under WT January 19-24 Adelaide

[yaco]

Racing today at 104km phr - Outstanding racing - It's clear that Saint Luis is a better option for GC riders.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Wow, I didn't expect Woods to be that good! And he will be 30 this year. It's rare to see someone being nobody at 26/27 becoming that good later.

Seems like Cannondale has made some good transfers for this year.

He was a runner that had to stop running due to injuries. He ended up cycling quite a bit and showed talent so he got picked up the US. He has been getting better every year since he is racing and I think that only started in 2011.
Last year he was also doing really well. Also remember him doing great in Algarve.

 

[dirkprovin]

Re: Re:

Well, Jancouver, I AM an Aussie; albeit one with joint AUS/RSA citizenship !

I, too, am highly sceptical of Porte's GT potential. An excellent GT super-domestique; a rider who can win good one week tours and bring in worthwhile points hauls but on all the evidence to hand, he lacks the day-in day-out consistency, his TTing is good but far from elite standard and not always consistency and I'm not convinced of his race savvy.

However, the TLMRP crap is just that but you seem to be pretty amused by it; at least someone is.

Yaco, whilst I agree that Tzurruka is a complete WTF signing for OGE; what may've mitigated against McCarthy signing for OGE at the present time is his likely wish to pursue some of his own goals. Whilst he could be of value as a GT domestique; OGE quite probably already have riders on their books targeting those same "target races" as McCarthy. A few years time, this may have changed somewhat.

Have been following McCarthy's progress and he was out of contract in 2016. Would have been a good fit but maybe Chavez had a role in the recruitment of Tzurruka.

Next contract renewal, things may have changed. He does seem happy at Tinkoff but the team's future isn't certain. His career may've progressed and he could be a sought after commodity by a number of teams. At that point; Gerrans may retire at the end of 2017 as may Albasini so there may be some key openings for him at OGE.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Even the biggest Gerro-wheelsucker-haters probably feel some heart that he got up today, given how wretched his luck was last year.....

What do you expect? He used up all his luck winning 2 monuments. Thank god he just didn't have enough of it left to also become a wc

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

He is only 1.75, damn. He just looked huge compared to Henao, Porte and Pozzovivo.

Well everybody looks huge compared to Pozzovivo...

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

He is only 1.75, damn. He just looked huge compared to Henao, Porte and Pozzovivo.

Well everybody looks huge compared to Pozzovivo...

Not Caleb Ewan

 

[shalgo]

Re: Re:

Wow, I didn't expect Woods to be that good! And he will be 30 this year. It's rare to see someone being nobody at 26/27 becoming that good later.

Seems like Cannondale has made some good transfers for this year.

He was a runner that had to stop running due to injuries. He ended up cycling quite a bit and showed talent so he got picked up the US. He has been getting better every year since he is racing and I think that only started in 2011.
Last year he was also doing really well. Also remember him doing great in Algarve.

Yes, Woods was Canada's top junior 1500m runner; he ran a 3:57 mile when he was 18 and then went to the University of Michigan, which has a very strong middle distance program, on a track scholarship. He was also Pam-Am Junior 1500m champion. But once he was at Michigan, he had recurring injuries and he eventually had to give up on his running career. As Kwibus says, Woods didn't even start cycling until 2011. Yet by 2014, he finished in the group 7 seconds behind Gerrans in the GP Montreal.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

What happened to Ulissi today? It's quite surprising that he wasn't able to finish with the front group.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

What happened to Ulissi today? It's quite surprising that he wasn't able to finish with the front group.

Read something about he and Louis being poorly placed going into the climb

 

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

Not sure about the size as reasoning though. Robbie McEwen was pretty small.

(in physical stature)

Ewan is listed at 5'5" and 130lb. (I'm sure that height has been measured with his cycling shoes on )
Robbie McEwen is 5'7 and 150lb.

In cycling, there is a big difference between 130lb and 150lb.

(btw Cav is also listed at 150lb)

so he's not going to put on 20lbs when he gets a bit older?

btw I'm not buying into Ewan hype, just some of these arguments are specious

Haha, that would be funny if he would pack 20lb. Can you imagine 5'5" and 150lb?

That would be some real competition for Fatancour

 

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

Jancouver on the other hand just seems to dislike Australians from what i've seen on the time lurking on the forum before I decided to start posting so it's hard to take you seriously matey

I did make some strong comments about Porte as I never believed in his GC ability and the hype around here was unbearable at times, but quite honestly, the only Aussie rider I do dislike is Gerrans ... for obvious reasons.

Other than that, I'm a big fan of many Aussie riders (just look at my CQ teams over the years) but that will not change my views on some riders like Ewan. After all, calling him a "crit racer" does not mean that I do hate him. It's just my opinion.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: no

Even the biggest Gerro-wheelsucker-haters probably feel some heart that he got up today, given how wretched his luck was last year.....

errrr.....no! on final climb gerro found himself on the front of the chase group........

and he can be seen turning around looking for a wheel to suck on

...........at least it's only an oz race and not LBL

Mark L

ps gerro is the only rider i really dislike in the whole pro tour.....mind that caleb guy is catching up

Why?



I am/was not a big fan of Gerro-mate but last year I was quite happy when he wore the pink jersey in the Giro after all his bad luck... surely we can all be reasonable adults and be happy when someone finally gets some success after lots of bad luck

 

[LaFlorecita]

By the way I think the Ewan-bashing in here is a bit tedious, he's 21 and more successful than most riders are/were at 21. Give him time to develop ffs.

 

[BigMac]

Re: no

Even the biggest Gerro-wheelsucker-haters probably feel some heart that he got up today, given how wretched his luck was last year.....

errrr.....no! on final climb gerro found himself on the front of the chase group........

and he can be seen turning around looking for a wheel to suck on

...........at least it's only an oz race and not LBL

Mark L

ps gerro is the only rider i really dislike in the whole pro tour.....mind that caleb guy is catching up

Why?



I am/was not a big fan of Gerro-mate but last year I was quite happy when he wore the pink jersey in the Giro after all his bad luck... surely we can all be reasonable adults and be happy when someone finally gets some success after lots of bad luck

Amen sister.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

He is only 1.75, damn. He just looked huge compared to Henao, Porte and Pozzovivo.

Well everybody looks huge compared to Pozzovivo...

Not Caleb Ewan

That's true.
Hey, I like these tiny guys. Pretty nice with professional athletes who are at my level.

 

[Night Rider]

Re: Re:

Not sure about the size as reasoning though. Robbie McEwen was pretty small.

(in physical stature)

Ewan is listed at 5'5" and 130lb. (I'm sure that height has been measured with his cycling shoes on )
Robbie McEwen is 5'7 and 150lb.

In cycling, there is a big difference between 130lb and 150lb.

(btw Cav is also listed at 150lb)

so he's not going to put on 20lbs when he gets a bit older?

btw I'm not buying into Ewan hype, just some of these arguments are specious

Haha, that would be funny if he would pack 20lb. Can you imagine 5'5" and 150lb?

That would be some real competition for Fatancour

Caleb's weight is well out of date. He was listed three years ago at 61kg, McEwen was 67kg. If you saw Caleb now and then I would say the difference would only be about 3kg now.

It's not surprising, Orica are banking everything on bunch sprints for him.

 

[Night Rider]

Re:

Even the biggest Gerro-wheelsucker-haters probably feel some heart that he got up today, given how wretched his luck was last year.....

Nope. He had more than his share of luck with what he's won.

 

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

Even the biggest Gerro-wheelsucker-haters probably feel some heart that he got up today, given how wretched his luck was last year.....

Nope. He had more than his share of luck with what he's won.

Bingo!

If there is a Karma and if really what-goes-around-comes-around, then, he is not done with the bad luck yet

 

[sienna]

People hate Australian riders because they punch above their weight in world cycling.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

People hate Australian riders because they punch above their weight in world cycling.

No, they hate you because they hate your freedoms.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Even the biggest Gerro-wheelsucker-haters probably feel some heart that he got up today, given how wretched his luck was last year.....

Nope. He had more than his share of luck with what he's won.

Agreed. Once upon a time Gerrans was an interesting stage hunter who attacked in the Ardennes and was an overall nice guy but ever since his stage wins at the Giro and Vuelta he's turned into a wheel sucking egomaniac. Just look at his attitude at the '09 and '15 Worlds.

And his Liege win, despite not being his fault, was a travesty.

 

[Night Rider]

People hate Australian riders because they punch above their weight in world cycling.

I don't think so. People don't like Gerrans because of the tactics he uses to win or try to win races, it's not limited to him being Australian. I'm Australian and I'm not a fan of his.

 

[observer]

People hate Australian riders because they punch above their weight in world cycling.

It is euro centric mumbo jumbo. They'll bang on about the euro riders and teams etc. And yeah, that is where the history is. I can see how people don't like Gerrans, because of his style, or perceived lack thereof, but he races to his abilities, and does so with great success.

I don't understand why anyone would have a dislike of Caleb Ewan though, he is a kid, he is new, he is winning, he seems like a nice person.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

People hate Australian riders because they punch above their weight in world cycling.

It is euro centric mumbo jumbo. They'll bang on about the euro riders and teams etc. And yeah, that is where the history is. I can see how people don't like Gerrans, because of his style, or perceived lack thereof, but he races to his abilities, and does so with great success.

I don't understand why anyone would have a dislike of Caleb Ewan though, he is a kid, he is new, he is winning, he seems like a nice person.

There are precisely two people putting the boot into Ewan. Everyone else is mostly disagreeing. That's not because he's Australian, it's because there's some hype around him and some people always react negatively to that.

Australian riders aren't particularly liked or disliked based on nationality. Few people like Gerrans, everyone likes Hansen, most of the rest are in between, just like riders from most places.

 

[Night Rider]

People hate Australian riders because they punch above their weight in world cycling.

It is euro centric mumbo jumbo. They'll bang on about the euro riders and teams etc. And yeah, that is where the history is. I can see how people don't like Gerrans, because of his style, or perceived lack thereof, but he races to his abilities, and does so with great success.

I don't understand why anyone would have a dislike of Caleb Ewan though, he is a kid, he is new, he is winning, he seems like a nice person.

Fans get sick of media commentators telling us this rider is the next big thing, Australian media is really bad at pumping up riders to be the next big thing. We had it with Bobridge, we have it with Porte, there have been others. Everytime you have a race feed with these clowns we have the same thing over and over again.

It's a shame with Caleb because I get the impression he would just like to go quietly about his business and stack up the race wins. I agree with your assesement, he seems like a really nice guy.

Likewise with Rohan Dennis.