Geelong 2010: Elite Men's Road Race 262.7km

[ak-zaaf]

Great finish photo

 

[The Hitch]

Not always. Remember two years ago when he won the Maillot Vert, he was on some solo breaks to pick up points, and really wore that jersey proudly. I think he'll do the same here.

Yep your right Thor does do that. Hopefully again next year.

You think a similar field would venture out to Australia for a one day race, and take acclimatisation as serious? If there was no rainbow jersey at the end of today, a lot of people would have given a lot less of "their all". A lot of folk gave it their biggest shot here today, as -heck- they found themselves near the front, able to at least attempt a difference. And wouldn't you try to find a little bit special to convert even a slim chance, for yourself or for your best national hope?

Not in a million years would some of them even contemplate the same attitude if it was for any other Ozzie-bound goal, Nor would team mates be willing to bury themselves quite the same way. Several in the field would peddle happily along, and leave it to a few, more obvious apps for that.

The Canadian races were great, but it was thanks to a very few at the helm that it became thoroughly entertaining. Here we had 50k of near all-out crazy.

Almost old-school.

Yep your right. We wont see anything like what we saw today without the Rainbow jersey on the line. TBH it was more a statement of how well the course went out (though i still think Aussies overexagerated its difficulty). And i do think we could still have a goodish race even without the rainbow jersey on the line.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Great finish photo

He looks delighted and surprised in equal measure.

 

[the student]

well they will always go and look for the rainbow jersey in the bigger races and hushovd does go into breakaways in grand tours to get te sprint points... ( now i see a problem... he cant wear green and rainbow at the same time )

 

[Parrot23]

Was that Australian TV filming the race? Didn't do a good job at tracking developments behind. The peloton appeared out of nowhere, it seemed!

Tough to pick up a sport if you are not constantly filming it. Ditto with CBC at Quebec races (no gap info., etc.)

 

[Izzy eviel]

I'm off to bed. Been fun watching it with all you guys. Great race. Thanks for your help & comments etc, made the race easier for me to follow.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Gilbert knew he had to go in the 1st climb & empty the tank all the way to the finish line to sort of force the pace & get rid of the sprintes....didn't work but lots of balls to try something like that

6km of straight wide roads after short steep climbs doesn't work.
This race was crazy and still there were 20 guys or something there in the end.

Kudos to Australia btw. Gold-Silver-Bronze. Very nice.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Was that Australian TV filming the race? Didn't do a good job at tracking developments behind. The peloton appeared out of nowhere, it seemed!

They missed so many key moments and story lines that I could almost understand some of the confusion in the BBC box. I thought it was dreadful.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Was that Australian TV filming the race? Didn't do a good job at tracking developments behind. The peloton appeared out of nowhere, it seemed!

I assume so.

Pretty poor graphics, to say the least. It was hard to work it all out.

Mind you, now that it's over, I'm starting to think the unexpected return of the peloton every now and then is something rather exciting.

 

[the student]

ow well they will learn from it... caused some wth moments here but it actually made it good fun...

 

[Francois the Postman]

So, no race radios. All in favour say "aye"....

 

[luckyboy]

Great finish photo

He looks delighted and surprised in equal measure.

Haha, he always does.

 

[usedtobefast]

King Thor! well done!

 

[Spare Tyre]

So, no race radios. All in favour say "aye"....

Aye ....

 

[the student]

So, no race radios. All in favour say "aye"....

aye... or give m one way communication... in case of flats crashes etc... just riders to team leader.. not the other way around

 

[hektoren]

Not always. Remember two years ago when he won the Maillot Vert, he was on some solo breaks to pick up points, and really wore that jersey proudly. I think he'll do the same here.

Hushovd is in transition. He's becoming a hard man. He even went so far as thanking having his collarbone shattered last May, as it made him rethink his strategy.
The bunch-sprinter Hushovd is gone, long live the classics rider Hushovd.
Only goes to show that it's nice to have a rider IQ above 100, letting Gilbert go, not loosing your focus when Nibali pulls great wattage two laps from the finish.

Great, BIG win! Congratulations, Thor!

 

[steelciocc]

No Race Radios!

Aye!!!!!!!

 

[craig1985]

I was really impressed to see Gilbert go like that. I mean it was suicidial like to attack from that far out, but if you don't try, then you won't win Not sure if it had anything to do with the lack of radios or not, but I'm sure they coped having to think for themselves.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

So, no race radios. All in favour say "aye"....

Aye!

6km of straight wide roads after short steep climbs doesn't work.

I thought it was pretty exciting the way it was. But agree that perhaps the finish could have been at the top of the second, smaller climb, some 3km from the finish. It would have been a more thinned out group at the finish dying to cross the line.

 

[ak-zaaf]

I was really impressed to see Gilbert go like that. I mean it was suicidial like to attack from that far out, but if you don't try, then you won't win Not sure if it had anything to do with the lack of radios or not, but I'm sure they coped having to think for themselves.

Still wondering why he chased down Leukemans.
It was way too early for that.

 

[goggalor]

I was really impressed to see Gilbert go like that. I mean it was suicidial like to attack from that far out, but if you don't try, then you won't win Not sure if it had anything to do with the lack of radios or not, but I'm sure they coped having to think for themselves.

Gilbert was probably hoping that someone like Evans would join him. I think he was too strong for his own good. And a tad too stupid.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Aye!


I thought it was pretty exciting the way it was. But agree that perhaps the finish could have been at the top of the second, smaller climb, some 3km from the finish. It would have been a more thinned out group at the finish dying to cross the line.

I'm not all about finishes on top of hills, but this was too much. 1 or 2 km after the last hill is usually more exciting than a finish on top of one.
But 6km on wide roads is not helping the attacking riders.

 

[Spare Tyre]

All the UCI suits I saw in town this morning have probably got big smiles on their faces this arvo.

 

[Francois the Postman]

The bunch-sprinter Hushovd is gone, long live the classics rider Hushovd. Only goes to show that it's nice to have a rider IQ above 100, letting Gilbert go, not loosing your focus when Nibali pulls great wattage two laps from the finish.

Sorry, but if he "planned" it this way, he's an idiot, not a race smart genius at all.

Coming back the way they did, from where he was dropped at, did involve a certain amount of good fortune that everyone else played ball too. That took quite a few stars to align.

It's a great win, not dishing that one bit. But hold the accomplishment claims within touching distance of reasonable please.

 

[Tuarts]

Tbh is was a great ride for anyone in the first 21 places. That's the thing about cycling being a team sport and an individual sport, so many stories on the day. Nothing like it.