Hot racing coming up in Australia

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Jun 20, 2015
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As I have been given the Devil's elbow to the face and ribs for over praising, some say fanatical love for Isaac Del Toro..TDU was his first race as a pro, on his first day he was victorious in Australia!!
That said UAE has decided to start him at Alula vs TDU and he is penciled in for Giro instead of Vuelta like last year.. I think many of the Arab events are really better than expected.. Australia is only thing in conflict or coordination.. It is a shame that they can't be spread out a little more so all are viable early season possibilities..I think all the races w a one week format are excellent for pro racing.. For purists maybe not, but for a week you still give fans that spectacle of massive bunch flying by..3 week races guys finishing @30+ minutes back talking about their wives and family

I have Del Toro as the favorite for the Alula Tour.
 
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Jun 20, 2015
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The Crit circuit for the National Criterium championship is dodgydy at 1.2km with 6 corners and a slight downhill run. It's disappointing the womens RR is only 109kms when they could have added more laps to make it 136 or 149kms. My highlight will be the battle between Plapp and Vine in the men's ITT.
 
The Crit circuit for the National Criterium championship is dodgydy at 1.2km with 6 corners and a slight downhill run. It's disappointing the womens RR is only 109kms when they could have added more laps to make it 136 or 149kms. My highlight will be the battle between Plapp and Vine in the men's ITT.
110 kilometers for a criterium is very long, that doesn't make any sense.
 
May 23, 2009
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The Crit circuit for the National Criterium championship is dodgydy at 1.2km with 6 corners and a slight downhill run. It's disappointing the womens RR is only 109kms when they could have added more laps to make it 136 or 149kms. My highlight will be the battle between Plapp and Vine in the men's ITT.
The criterium only has about 5m of elevation per lap over 2 sections. It's basically false flat. IMO it will be better watching than the hot dog used in Ballarat.

My issue is with that pathetic RR circuit
 
Jun 20, 2015
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The criterium only has about 5m of elevation per lap over 2 sections. It's basically false flat. IMO it will be better watching than the hot dog used in Ballarat.

My issue is with that pathetic RR circuit

Except the hot dog circuit was safer. My key event will be the ITT battle between Plapp and Vine.
 
Sep 16, 2009
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Durbridge will need to improve because he's been a million miles off the frontrunners in ITT's for the last three years.

He was three seconds behind in 2023 and didnt ride it in 2024.

Considering his focus the last three months has been the time trial with many miles on that course, compared to the other two who havent spent as much on their time trial bike or course focused, he is a bigger chance than what people realise.
 
Jun 20, 2015
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He was three seconds behind in 2023 and didnt ride it in 2024.

Considering his focus the last three months has been the time trial with many miles on that course, compared to the other two who havent spent as much on their time trial bike or course focused, he is a bigger chance than what people realise.

Plapp's singular focus is the ITT as he doubts he can win the RR. Durbridge could turn back the clock but it would be a shock if he won.
 
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Sep 16, 2009
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Plapp's singular focus is the ITT as he doubts he can win the RR. Durbridge could turn back the clock but it would be a shock if he won.

Really? Has Plapp said that somewhere? Interesting. If Plapp doesnt think he can win the roadrace then who do jayco think will?
 
Nov 12, 2024
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Really? Has Plapp said that somewhere? Interesting. If Plapp doesnt think he can win the roadrace then who do jayco think will?
Harper maybe? O'Brien won't beat Welsford in a sprint and he's their quickest (but might be able to get Welsford in the crit with the technical nature of the course) but yeah, hard to see if it isn't Plapp
 
Sep 16, 2009
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Harper maybe? O'Brien won't beat Welsford in a sprint and he's their quickest (but might be able to get Welsford in the crit with the technical nature of the course) but yeah, hard to see if it isn't Plapp

I dont think anyone can stop Welsford from winning the RR. Hindley will kill himself and Welsford will be strong enough to go with moves late.
 
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Jun 20, 2015
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Really? Has Plapp said that somewhere? Interesting. If Plapp doesnt think he can win the roadrace then who do jayco think will?

The course is not hard enough unless Plapp and Harper can repeat their 2024 heroics. My dark horse is Stannard.
 
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Dec 28, 2010
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I presume Ewan is not riding? Shouldn't that mean that Jayco will try their best to create chaos from far out? Surely Hindley can't control the entire race for Welsford. Or is the course so easy that it's hard to even establish a dangerous breakaway?
 
Oct 15, 2017
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I presume Ewan is not riding? Shouldn't that mean that Jayco will try their best to create chaos from far out? Surely Hindley can't control the entire race for Welsford. Or is the course so easy that it's hard to even establish a dangerous breakaway?
Is it a different course than usual? Very rarely does it end in a big sprint. I could only find smaller group and solos for the win.

Ewan has never won the RR. 2nd once behind Haussler.
 
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Feb 9, 2013
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If I had time I’d start a new thread for the 2025 Tour Down Under. But I don’t. I guess I can put up with “hot racing coming up in Australia ” for another year 🥸
I'll start a thread unless someone beats me to it, I kinda consider myself the 'last resort' person for starting race threads. (Last year it was the CRO Race and the Tour of Guangxi.)

(Don't worry RhD, I won't create a poll first like I did with the Tour of Guangxi. ;))
 
Feb 9, 2013
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We have a thread.
This is the thread.
I searched for a Tour Down Under race thread and the last one was evidently back in 2016? Jeebuz... what happened after that?

If people don't want a separate race thread that's fine (I'd find it odd), but I'll have to make a poll so I know not to create a Tour Down Under thread. :p
 

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