Australian National Road Championships - Ballarat, 8-12 January 2014

[movingtarget]

Good on him for being honest I say.

He never has much trouble being honest and it sounds like most people predicted, he does not seem to give himself much chance. More of a tune up for the TDU I would think for Evans.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Even the biggest star in the race doesn't think Ozzie nats are worth ****

As much as I love the Aussie Nats as a race, with one single dominant team and all of the others riders either on their own or with just a few riders, I can see why he would say that.

Man he is hard to love sometimes

Would you rather a puppet or someone who says what they think? I do see your point though.

 

[movingtarget]

I thought it was an 11:30 start tomorrow?

They are showing the last 3 hours or so. Liggett usually does the TV commentary then heads off to the TDU.

 

[greenedge]

Two names from Drapac who could go well are Jack Anderson, who won quite a few long races last year and Lachlan Norris, who beat Earle at the Tour of Tasmania in 2012.

OGE have Gerrans and Clarke, but also I will go out on a limb and say one of Matthews or Goss could feature too, along with Howson who seems to climb ok.

My tip is for Gerrans to win from a five man group of Morton, Norris, Porte and Clarke, with Morton to be the best on the climb.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Two names from Drapac who could go well are Jack Anderson, who won quite a few long races last year and Lachlan Norris, who beat Earle at the Tour of Tasmania in 2012.

OGE have Gerrans and Clarke, but also I will go out on a limb and say one of Matthews or Goss could feature too, along with Howson who seems to climb ok.

My tip is for Gerrans to win from a five man group of Morton, Norris, Porte and Clarke, with Morton to be the best on the climb.

Evans to be outclimbed by Morton, Norris, Porte and Clarke? Come on!

Even an out of form Evans can outclimb the whole Australian field. I am not convinced that he has the form to ride away from the field, especially with the strength of OGE but I believe he wont be far off the front of the race near the end.

 

[search]

Earle will be somewhere in the mix I think, maybe even win

 

[auscyclefan94]

He's back

(c) Cycling Australia

 

[auscyclefan94]

Lachlan Morton DNS

 

[Afrank]

That sucks. Any reason given?

 

[Jancouver]

Any live feeds for this race?

 

[fauniera]

https://twitter.com/CyclingAusRoad

Breakaway: N.Elliott, J.Prete, A.Phelan, R.Gilett, W.Clarke, S.Von Hoff, B.Sulzberger, M.Docker, W.Sulzberger, L.Durbridge, E.Jone, J.Taylor, A.Hansen, S.Clarke, W.Walker, C.Jory, A.Iacuone

 

[greenedge]

That really does suck for Morton- not just for the fact he was on my cq team. His absence could change the dynamics of the race.

@ACF- you know i'm just as much an Evans fanboy, but he has no teammates, so therefore i feared he would miss a decisive move. Evans out climbing Porte, nowadays?

Holy hell- strong break (4 drapac- compared to 3 OGE)- but the OGE riders look a bit stronger. Hansen will work hard to keep it away too.

 

[auscyclefan94]

That really does suck for Morton- not just for the fact he was on my cq team. His absence could change the dynamics of the race.

@ACF- you know i'm just as much an Evans fanboy, but he has no teammates, so therefore i feared he would miss a decisive move. Evans out climbing Porte, nowadays?

Holy hell- strong break (4 drapac- compared to 3 OGE)- but the OGE riders look a bit stronger. Hansen will work hard to keep it away too.

Firstly, it is 3km at around 6%. Gerrans could not be dropped by the great climber Porte and secondly I still rate Evans as a better climber than Porte. The illusion that Porte is a better climber now than Evans was created by the fact that Evans had such poor form.

 

[greenedge]

Online the weather is apparently 23 degrees celsius at Ballarat, with a high of 27

Anyone know if it could be hotter?

 

[Ferminal]

ffs this break... total doomsday scenario comes true.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Online the weather is apparently 23 degrees celsius at Ballarat, with a high of 27

Anyone know if it could be hotter?

I'd be surprised if it gets up to 27 to be honest. It is very cool in Melbourne currently and generally Bunninyong/Ballarat is about the same temperature.

Breakaway is too large to work. Only 2 minute gap as well. Team Avanti chasing on the front of the peloton which is good for all the non-OGE pros.

 

[greenedge]

Firstly, it is 3km at around 6%. Gerrans could not be dropped by the great climber Porte and secondly I still rate Evans as a better climber than Porte. The illusion that Porte is a better climber now than Evans was created by the fact that Evans had such poor form.

Gerrans had great form that year, Porte was preparing for the TDF. I understand/ love Evans but for the last two years Porte has climbed better than Evans in the events he is supposed to have been good in, so...
But yes Evans did climb well in the Giro and has had no form in half his encounters with Porte.

 

[fauniera]

2:20 for the breakaway. Who can bring them back? The big teams are represented, Sky, BMC and Belkin are missing but only have a handful of riders. Could be over for them already.

 

[Afrank]

This as good a place as any to post this I guess.

Via Trek on Twitter

Trek Factory Racing ‏@TrekFactory 2m
Unofficially Trek Factory Racing Team's @HaydenRoulston wins New Zealand Road #elitenats and take the team's first ever win @TrekBikes

 

[auscyclefan94]

2:20 for the breakaway. Who can bring them back? The big teams are represented, Sky, BMC and Belkin are missing but only have a handful of riders. Could be over for them already.

This happens most years and the break comes back. The gap is now out to 2.45. The Aus Nats is a special race that foreigners need to understand better You really think that the others pros weren't prepared for this?

Avanti is chasing and I think it will come back together eventually.

 

[greenedge]

It should come down later- OGE should not be confident that their riders can get away from those Drapac riders (for now) and Hansen should be strong and Von Hoff would smoke them in all (except for mabye B Sulzberger) in a sprint.

Edit- And Will walker

 

[Ferminal]

It should come down later- OGE should not be confident that their riders can get away from those Drapac riders (for now) and Hansen should be strong and Von Hoff would smoke them in all (except for mabye B Sulzberger) in a sprint.

Yep... hoping they keep the gap manageable as it's a big risk to put it all on Clarke (given they are outnumbered).

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cadel on the end of the OGE train.

 

[Ferminal]

This happens most years and the break comes back. The gap is now out to 2.45. The Aus Nats is a special race that foreigners need to understand better You really think that the others pros weren't prepared for this?

Avanti is chasing and I think it will come back together eventually.

Break has won 3 of the past 4 years!

 

[greenedge]

3:09 Minutes for the break now.