[Green Edge] Shayne Bannan, Gerry Ryan and an Aussie Pro Team for 2012?

[Ferminal]

Durbridge may well be capable of a podium in the TT, there is some string competition though. I also hope he gets to ride Roubaix this year just for the experience.

Roubaix is on the same weekend as the Track Worlds. I'm not sure of his program, maybe he will get to Qatar/Oman (are GE invited?), but will be at home for most of the time. Should get a little bit of racing in before starting preparations for London. Then getting as much road in as possible in prep for the Worlds ITT/TTT.

Of course he might not even be in the track squad of 5 for London, so that would change his season a little. If that were the case it would be interesting to see if he could take Porte's spot in the road squad away from him. Porte looks like he's going to be decent in RRs this year so I'd stick with him unless Durbridge looks like a medal chance in the ITT.

 

[will10]

Roubaix is on the same weekend as the Track Worlds. I'm not sure of his program, maybe he will get to Qatar/Oman (are GE invited?), but will be at home for most of the time. Should get a little bit of racing in before starting preparations for London. Then getting as much road in as possible in prep for the Worlds ITT/TTT.

Of course he might not even be in the track squad of 5 for London, so that would change his season a little. If that were the case it would be interesting to see if he could take Porte's spot in the road squad away from him. Porte looks like he's going to be decent in RRs this year so I'd stick with him unless Durbridge looks like a medal chance in the ITT.

I would say the chances of Durbridge riding Roubaix are very slim. Look for him to have a similar program to Geraint Thomas - few stage races - track Worlds - all or nothing for London

 

[Tuarts]

You could always start your own club and call it "I have been so successful in life, business and my sporting career that I can now bag anything and everything that I can find"
Membership application would have to have a covenant that you are not to find the good in anything you see
Better check my spelling and grammar is correct and can submit.
Oh yes....well done to the winners of the Nationals, Spratt and Gerrans. Damn have probably banned myself from the new club. Oh well!

Ah yes because I was highlighting everything I thought about the venture? I don't mind the membership, if I had a lot of disposable income I could throw at one I might think about it but I would never kid myself that it is little more that being a "sponsor" with few frills.

 

[Wilba60]

Tuarts, that tongue in cheek jibe was really aimed at the one sided knockers. I enjoy your comments, they are balanced with positives, suggestions and some negatives.
Anyone who has started a new project or opened a new venture will know how difficult it is, so lets hope the pretty good brains trust from GE have a good year and more importantly we keep an Australian based team in the World Tour.

Just wondering why Brett Lancaster was the only Aussie rider from GE not to start....is he injured? or did I miss his name in the starting list?

 

[greenedge]

I'm not sure of his program, maybe he will get to Qatar/Oman (are GE invited?), but will be at home for most of the time. Should get a little bit of racing in before starting preparations for London. Then getting as much road in as possible in prep for the Worlds ITT/TTT.

Of course he might not even be in the track squad of 5 for London, so that would change his season a little. If that were the case it would be interesting to see if he could take Porte's spot in the road squad away from him. Porte looks like he's going to be decent in RRs this year so I'd stick with him unless Durbridge looks like a medal chance in the ITT.

He could win the prologue at Qatar. He will help GE at the TTT in Oman. If Gerrans goes there he could maybe win ( as everyone thinks Ballan can go well there too )

He will be in the track squad i think. Him, Bobridge and Meyer are practically guaranteed.

And yes he is the biggest talent at the moment ( he will challenge Martin in a few years and he could develop into a rider who could win Paris-Roubaix )

GE did well to get the title ( but if they had not heads would have rolled )

 

[42x16ss]

I didn't stop to think about Durbridge riding track this year

I can see him being close to an automatic selection for the Team Pursuit. Any four out of Durbridge, Hepburn, Bobridge, Meyer and Dennis would be very hard to beat.

 

[Ferminal]

Picking the London Five will not be straightforward, although it is a little easier now that Parker is out of the frame (although O'Shea is probably now in it).

 

[simo1733]

He could win the prologue at Qatar. He will help GE at the TTT in Oman. If Gerrans goes there he could maybe win ( as everyone thinks Ballan can go well there too )

He will be in the track squad i think. Him, Bobridge and Meyer are practically guaranteed.

And yes he is the biggest talent at the moment ( he will challenge Martin in a few years and he could develop into a rider who could win Paris-Roubaix )

GE did well to get the title ( but if they had not heads would have rolled )

He sounds like an Aussie version of Taylor Phinney but he doesn't have the same breadth of talent.

 

[Tuarts]

Cross between Tony Martin and Jens Voigt I think is the best way to draw parallels to Durbridge. He's got a huge engine and just by the fact he can dominate TT's will mean he can feature in the GC of a couple of races in a few years time.

 

[42x16ss]

He sounds like an Aussie version of Taylor Phinney but he doesn't have the same breadth of talent.

Durbridge is stronger again in the TT but not as fast a finisher and unproven on cobbles while Phinney has won U23 Roubaix. Can't tell you who the stronger climber is

Phinney is about a year older as well.

 

[greenedge]

But he might be better than Phinney in Phinneys' strongest point.

 

[theyoungest]

He sounds like an Aussie version of Taylor Phinney but he doesn't have the same breadth of talent.

What's Phinney's breadth of talent? He's an okay sprinter, but mostly a time trialist... where Durbridge is already his equal (at least).

The fact that Phinney won Paris-Roubaix U23 really doesn't mean anything.

 

[42x16ss]

Winning U23 Roubaix shows that a rider has at least some talent for the cobbles. Especially at 19 years of age, with the time gap he had. IMO the kid has potential for the classics similar to Geriant Thomas.

 

[simo1733]

What's Phinney's breadth of talent? He's an okay sprinter, but mostly a time trialist... where Durbridge is already his equal (at least).

The fact that Phinney won Paris-Roubaix U23 really doesn't mean anything.

Phinney has won world individual pursuit twice.World kilo silver medal.World u23 TT.U23 Paris Roubaix.4th in Eneco tour. Etc etc etc = breadth of talent.
And he can sprint.

 

[theyoungest]

Phinney has won world individual pursuit twice.World kilo silver medal.World u23 TT.U23 Paris Roubaix.4th in Eneco tour. Etc etc etc = breadth of talent.

Those are displays of his time trial talent, in various forms. He's perhaps a bit more explosive than Durbridge, that's all I take from this.

 

[simo1733]

Those are displays of his time trial talent, in various forms. He's perhaps a bit more explosive than Durbridge, that's all I take from this.

Durbridge is a Bert Grabsh no more.I am more excited by Jack Bobridge and Cam Meyer.
Has Durbridge actually beaten Phinney In TT.Genuine question.

 

[theyoungest]

Durbridge is a Bert Grabsh no more.I am more excited by Jack Bobridge and Cam Meyer.
Has Durbridge actually beaten Phinney In TT.Genuine question.

He rode the same time as Phinney in the U23 worlds TT, but on wet roads. Ergo he should actually have won.

Durbridge actually can climb a little, he's no Grabsch 2.0... I'd be more inclined to say Phinney is.

 

[abbaskip]

I think Bobridge is a closer comparison to Phinney.

Durbridge is more of a pure big engine. Think he'll go well in time trials for years, but not sure if he'll be much but a super domestique....He may turn out good in some of the flatter classics though, who knows. The boy is strong, just not sure what that equates to as an individual rider. Jens Voigt is strong, and has been great for years, but is never an individual superstar.

 

[simo1733]

He rode the same time as Phinney in the U23 worlds TT, but on wet roads. Ergo he should actually have won.

Durbridge actually can climb a little, he's no Grabsch 2.0... I'd be more inclined to say Phinney is.

Is that the u23 where Dowsett was leading untill he crashed.The same Dowsett who beat Durbridge in the Pan flat commonwealth games.

 

[Ferminal]

Is that the u23 where Dowsett was leading untill he crashed.

Dowsett was 30s down on Durbridge at the first check, he crashed on the final turn heading into the long home straight for the 2nd check, IIRC.

 

[theyoungest]

Is that the u23 where Dowsett was leading untill he crashed.The same Dowsett who beat Durbridge in the Pan flat commonwealth games.

Good on Dowsett, beating a first year espoir by 6 seconds in the Commie Games.

 

[sublimit]

Good on Dowsett, beating a first year espoir by 6 seconds in the Commie Games.

An espoir yes but he has already developed into a big powerfull rider, Dowsett is older by a couple of years but is more compact and quite small so I dont think its a fair comparison.

Dave Millar owned everybody that day anyway.

 

[simo1733]

Good on Dowsett, beating a first year espoir by 6 seconds in the Commie Games.

I don't think Durbridge will make the top 3 in the TT even though it is perfect for a gear masher like him, but we will see.I will be happy if he proves me wrong.

 

[theyoungest]

I don't think Durbridge will make the top 3 in the TT even though it is perfect for a gear masher like him, but we will see.I will be happy if he proves me wrong.

Well done, Durbo.

 

[Ferminal]

This raises more questions than answers. Is Durbridge good enough for the London RR? Is he vital to the TP?

Olympics Road Squad: Evans and Goss + 2 of Haussler/O'Grady/Hayman/Renshaw + Rogers/Durbridge/Porte.