Geelong 2010: Men's Under 23 Time Trial 31.8km

[Tuarts]

Anyway a good ride from fellow sandgroper Luke Durbridge for a silver medal, his performance might raise the eyebrows of a few teams.

 

[42coppi]

Luke Durbridge

I had the pleasure of being overtaken by Luke at this years Easter Bibra Lake 16km TT. He was exactly twice as fast as my ride and it was like being overtaken by a motor bike with the tyre roar etc.

Quite briliiant mate. Well done.

 

[TRDean]

Not exactly impressive.

If Durbridge rode in dry conditions he'd pretty much have destroyed Phinney by a large margin.
Especially in the downhill and the way to the finish he lost pretty much.
Poor Durbridge.

Notice also Kittel and Oliveira were pretty close
Phinney has still a long way to go to become the all dominating destroyer that some predict him to become.

For now, he is just good, nothing more. Not great, not superb. Not today

I don't know about that...heck, many thought the course was too hilly for him and didn't suit him. What a world we live in when a win isn't enough...to be impressive. He is the U23 World TT champion. Seems like a pretty good ride by him...and a great ride by Durbridge!!

 

[TRDean]

Good to see Ben King back on the ground...

Stupid post of the month here...back on the ground? King was never a favorite to win the TT...

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Couple of you pre-race posters picked Phinney and Kittel to finish in the top 5 or so. Nice job there, and to Phinney, Durbridge and Kittel. Beforehand, I knew about minni-P, but Durbridge though... he might be a huge talent in his own right.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Not exactly impressive.

If Durbridge rode in dry conditions he'd pretty much have destroyed Phinney by a large margin.
Especially in the downhill and the way to the finish he lost pretty much.
Poor Durbridge.

Notice also Kittel and Oliveira were pretty close
Phinney has still a long way to go to become the all dominating destroyer that some predict him to become.

For now, he is just good, nothing more. Not great, not superb. Not today

I think that is a bit harsh. I do think Durbridge would of beaten Phinney if on same conditions but both their riders were impressive.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's the thing I hate about time trials in general

When the strongest rider doesn't win due to the racing conditions. Bleh. (yes, even when the guy who profits is dutch)

 

[Spare Tyre]

I think that is a bit harsh. I do think Durbridge would of beaten Phinney if on same conditions but both their riders were impressive.

Phinney also seems to think Durbridge might have won if he didn't have wet conditions.

 

[theyoungest]

It's the thing I hate about time trials in general

When the strongest rider doesn't win due to the racing conditions. Bleh. (yes, even when the guy who profits is dutch)

Looking at the first split times, Durbridge and Mammini are 1st and 2nd. Very conveniently, one started just after the other. Mammini faded away a little bit to finish 6th. But why should we automatically assume that maybe these guys didn't profit from good wind conditions themselves?

 

[auscyclefan94]

It's the thing I hate about time trials in general

When the strongest rider doesn't win due to the racing conditions. Bleh. (yes, even when the guy who profits is dutch)

Dutch??? - Excuse my ignorance!

Phinney also seems to think Durbridge might have won if he didn't have wet conditions.

Yeah, that was pretty nice comment. He seems like a nice guy.

With melbourne and geelong especially, weather conditions change in a matter of minutes. It is a crazy place down here. It may have slightly changed the results but over the 40 to 45 minute effort the wind would of changed. It will be the same tommorow. I personally hope we have a different time trial champion insted of cancellara unless he is coming to bmc.

 

[theyoungest]

Dutch??? - Excuse my ignorance!

As soon as someone wins something, we're quick to embrace him as one of our own Welcome to the family, Kleermaker Finnie.

 

[auscyclefan94]

As soon as someone wins something, we're quick to embrace him as one of our own Welcome to the family, Kleermaker Finnie.

Hey! That is what australian's do!

 

[TRDean]

Just wanted to state...Kittel will be a Skil rider next season!!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No, you both don't get it.

I was saying I hate it when the strongest guy doesn't win and someone else profits.

Even if it where a dutch guy who would have won because of it (profited) f.e.x Dumoulin starts in 0 wind and the rest in a hurricane.
I wouldn't be happy with the win.

Am I that hard to understand these days

 

[Tuarts]

Couple of you pre-race posters picked Phinney and Kittel to finish in the top 5 or so. Nice job there, and to Phinney, Durbridge and Kittel. Beforehand, I knew about minni-P, but Durbridge though... he might be a huge talent in his own right.

Quick bit of googling revealed, "Turbo Durbo" did have some form. Plus, as a former champion pursuiter, he definitely has the ability for sustained output.

 

[max_powers]

No, you both don't get it.

I was saying I hate it when the strongest guy doesn't win and someone else profits.

Even if it where a dutch guy who would have won because of it (profited) f.e.x Dumoulin starts in 0 wind and the rest in a hurricane.
I wouldn't be happy with the win.

Am I that hard to understand these days

that's the beauty of the sport. yes often the strogest rider doesn't win.

otherwise the TT can be done on idenitical stationary bikes, even mass started.
Bikes could be hi tech, with up/downhills, side to side action.
courses could be well known or random
and all rider and race data can be networked from bike sensors
and the bikes can include generators to be green

but hamsters on a wheel is the TV view.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

In a road race I agree, the beauty of the sport is that the strongest of the day doesn't always win. (loses more often actually)

But in a time trial, I heavily disagree. The strongest should win. It should be the fairest discipline. But sometimes the weather interfears and blows the fun

 

[kurtinsc]

From Phinney's comments, it sounded like if there were a couple hundred more meters of uphill on the main climb, he wouldn't have been able to win. It sounds like the climbs really punished him.

 

[Jamsque]

In a road race I agree, the beauty of the sport is that the strongest of the day doesn't always win. (loses more often actually)

But in a time trial, I heavily disagree. The strongest should win. It should be the fairest discipline. But sometimes the weather interfears and blows the fun

I'm not really one to quote the Bible, but:

Eccclesiastes 9:11
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race went not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Was Durbridge stronger on the day? Maybe. We'll never know. What we DO know is that he didn't win.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

I'm not really one to quote the Bible, but:

Eccclesiastes 9:11
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race went not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Was Durbridge stronger on the day? Maybe. We'll never know. What we DO know is that he didn't win.

Wow, very cultured.

In other words, the best rider is the one who crosses the line first.

 

[Polyarmour]

While riding home in the wet last night I began thinking about this post again. Riding in the wet is so much more difficult it took me another 10 minutes to get home. Yet Durbridge lost by only a fraction of a second over 32km. It seems like an unfair contest. Even the winner graciously conceded that Durbridge probably should have won, yet who is the World Champion?

I wondered whether there are any ways that would enable the TT to be played out on a fairer basis?

I'm not sure why Durbridge and Phinney weren't riding at the same time? That would have helped. But when the times are so close and the conditions so different perhaps they should have ridden again to decide the winner? But in practical terms this might be difficult to administer.

 

[Dettol]

Life is not fair. There's money and recognition involved yes but it's not life and death.

 

[simo1733]

I think that is a bit harsh. I do think Durbridge would of beaten Phinney if on same conditions but both their riders were impressive.

And maybe Dowsett would have beaten Durbridge if he hadn't fallen off.Dowsett is a talented rider but I worry how he will get through a pro tour career as a haemophiliac!

 

[Ferminal]

It's ok they are young... plenty of time for redemption and to set the record straight. They will be fighting each other seniors world titles in a few years.

 

[theyoungest]

While riding home in the wet last night I began thinking about this post again. Riding in the wet is so much more difficult it took me another 10 minutes to get home. Yet Durbridge lost by only a fraction of a second over 32km. It seems like an unfair contest. Even the winner graciously conceded that Durbridge probably should have won, yet who is the World Champion?

I wondered whether there are any ways that would enable the TT to be played out on a fairer basis?

I'm not sure why Durbridge and Phinney weren't riding at the same time? That would have helped. But when the times are so close and the conditions so different perhaps they should have ridden again to decide the winner? But in practical terms this might be difficult to administer.

It happens all the time in time trials... just look at the final Tour TT, Menchov could probably have won it, or at least given Cancellara a fair run for the money, but he was 4 minutes back due to the massive headwind he had to plough through. One thing does strike me: winners make their own luck. So maybe Phinney is a winner.