Down Under Classic (15/1/2012), Adelaide, 51km

[El Pistolero]

Another ****race win, but really good work by Lotto.

Perfect start for them.

Most of the big sprinters were there besides Cav though. And Farrar I think. Obviously it's a small ****ty stage win, but with a good sprinter field which is the most important thing.

 

[markene2]

Most of the big sprinters were there besides Cav though. And Farrar I think. Obviously it's a small ****ty stage win, but with a good sprinter field which is the most important thing.

1+

10char

 

[maltiv]

Greipel will be very scary this year if his team continues giving him such leadouts whilst he simultaneously manages to keep their wheel. In terms of pure speed no one are quicker than him.

After looking at the video it's pretty clear that EBH is in quite good shape, he was in the wind early and even had to close a decently sized gap with 400 meters to go and yet he held on for second. He will be very hard to beat in the GC. Also worth to mention that he's only 73 kg's now whereas in his first race last year, Tour of Oman, he was 76 kg's.

 

[Kwibus]

via @saddleblaze

The legs of a man who trained on sprinting only this winter.

He said he climbs like a brick atm

 

[Gloin22]

The legs of a man who trained on sprinting only this winter.

He said he climbs like a brick atm

Henderson said that, not Greipel

As for Henderson, he was clearly excited by the result his own form had produced.

"All I've done is sprint training and I was really happy today," he explained. "I felt fast. I delivered Greipel perfectly. I did a lot of accelerations to keep Greipel out of trouble.

"The one thing he has to work on is holding the wheel in the bunch but I'm happy with my form. I'm climbing like a brick at the moment but I'm sprinting fast."

 

[NickBVK]

EBH is all class and such a talented rider but watching him go flat out in a bunch sprint makes me so uncomfortable.

 

[PCutter]

"The men’s race was pretty exciting. I tried to move around the circuit as much as possible, but with 112, 000 people lining the streets of the course, it was much more difficult than the women’s race."

Quote from Pez article on TdU Classic. 112,000 fans out...guess cycling is no longer an obscure sport in Australia. That's bigger than a boxing day test or AFL grand final (though obviously not restricted by stadium size). Maybe we'll start to get more prime time coverage of the race/highlights.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=10015&status=True&catname=Latest News

 

[danjo007]

never trust anyone who doesnt have lips -> GRIEPEL ! (lizardface)

 

[greenedge]

Ok I was wrong, Greipel and his train was perfect. They will be scary for the whole year.
GE need to perfect their train.

Looking forward to tomorrow. Haussler and EBH look in good form.

 

[roadkill]

112,000 fans. Maybe we'll start to get more prime time coverage of the race/highlights.

I doubt it, there was 14,000 people at the cricket. Test match cricket is very popular.

 

[FreeWheelin]

Im sick of the dumb cricket comparisons. It costs money to go to the cricket and even so the first 2 days were sold out and the third was not far off even though the game was almost over. Im happy so many watched the race... but what else are people going to do in Adelaide on a Sunday night?!

The real value of cricket is TV, it rates very well... we will see how the cycling goes on Nine

 

[will10]

Im sick of the dumb cricket comparisons. It costs money to go to the cricket and even so the first 2 days were sold out and the third was not far off even though the game was almost over. Im happy so many watched the race... but what else are people going to do in Adelaide on a Sunday night?!

The real value of cricket is TV, it rates very well... we will see how the cycling goes on Nine

Who gives a damn? There's a cricket thread in the non-cycling bit right? Go there. This is a cycling forum.

 

[FreeWheelin]

Im not the one who brought it up... Im just pointing out dumb logic.

 

[Old School]

Nice win by Greipel...first of many this year I believe.

Good to see Haussler up there too. Finally recovering from that horrific crash with Cav.

 

[auscyclefan94]

According to Tutur the ratings were double on Channel9 than they were on SBS. for the Down Under Classic.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

According to Tutur the ratings were double on Channel9 than they were on SBS. for the Down Under Classic.

SBS didn't come off a year where an aussie won the tour tho.

 

[c&cfan]

Nice win by Greipel...first of many this year I believe.

Good to see Haussler up there too. Finally recovering from that horrific crash with Cav.

many? how many tdu are there? maybe one GT win between giro and tour. we already have better sprinters (cav isn't "a" sprinter.. he is "the" sprinter. EBH, kittle, sagan, guardini will all beat him, for example).

ps: great win greipel. you are in great shape so early.MSR?

 

[El Pistolero]

many? how many tdu are there? maybe one GT win between giro and tour. we already have better sprinters (cav isn't "a" sprinter.. he is "the" sprinter. EBH, kittle, sagan, guardini will all beat him, for example).

ps: great win greipel. you are in great shape so early.MSR?

Lol. Yeah, these guys are really better sprinters

Greipel had more then 20 victories in 2009 and 2010, hence the start of many.