Hot racing coming up in Australia

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-down-under/2018/startlist

All teams confirmed. The question is now.. who will get 2nd after Porte? Wanna bet on a top 10?

I'd say:

1. Porte
2. Dennis
3. Ulissi
4. McCarthy
5. Ion
6. Bernal
7. Oomen
8. Haas
9. Valgren
10. Bennett

Is Dennis gonna try for the GC?

1. Porte
2. McCarthy
3. Haas
4. Ulissi
5. Bernal
6. Ion
7. Dennis
8. Fernandez
9. Bennett
10. Pozzovivo

5-10 could be so many different riders.

I don't know but I think he is going to finish at the podium without even targeting it.

 

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

Can't wait for the Jancouver week.

ehehehe, me too, let´s hope Richie wins again for his joy

It's quite possible...that's what one-trick-ponies do...winning the one (mandatory) small hill training ride.

The big boys are laughing at this little midget riding his little pony bike over the little Willunga hill

Bang ... Jancouver week is here .... are you happy now?

 

[stefank]

Re: Re:

Can't wait for the Jancouver week.

ehehehe, me too, let´s hope Richie wins again for his joy

It's quite possible...that's what one-trick-ponies do...winning the one small hill training ride.

The big boys are laughing at this little midget riding his little pony bike over the little Willunga hill

Bang ... Jancouver week is here .... are you happy now?

As certain as death and taxes!

 

[Netserk]

Bonus seconds will decide GC (besides Porte who is the only one who can gain real time on Willunga). McCarthy or Ulissi as best of the rest.

 

[Robert5091]

Ladies race looks more interesting then mens -
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/extended-womens-tour-down-under-route-presented-for-2018/
http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Bonus seconds will decide GC (besides Porte who is the only one who can gain real time on Willunga). McCarthy or Ulissi as best of the rest.

Ulissi post ban is not the same rider. Possibly win a stage.

 

[Netserk]

In 2016 he was better than ever before. So if he is not the same as before, he is better.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Bonus seconds will decide GC (besides Porte who is the only one who can gain real time on Willunga). McCarthy or Ulissi as best of the rest.

I agree. Also Haas seems to be in pretty good shape. I’d personally add him as well.

 

[pastronef]

Re: Re:

Can't wait for the Jancouver week.

ehehehe, me too, let´s hope Richie wins again for his joy

It's quite possible...that's what one-trick-ponies do...winning the one small hill training ride.

The big boys are laughing at this little midget riding his little pony bike over the little Willunga hill

Bang ... Jancouver week is here .... are you happy now?

As certain as death and taxes!

eheheh

 

[Jancouver]

With all seriousness, Isn't this year start list even weaker than ever before? Really, all I see is the little midget and a few Aussies but no “real” contenders.

Perhaps the mandatory vacation is getting old ...

 

[WheelofGear]

Re:

With all seriousness, Isnt this year start list even weaker than ever before? Really, all I see is the little midget and a few aussies but no “real” contenenders.

Perhaps the mandatory vacation is getting old ...

Yeah. No serious contenders and without Corkscrew (the only climb I've seen Porte suffering on).. it's going to be a one-man show.

Woods and Henao dropped him on Corkscrew in 2016 and got within the 10 min mark on Willunga Hill but they are not there.

There is no chance on earth that non-climbers like Haas and McCarthy are being able to hang on to Porte. They will lose at least 20 seconds.

In theory, the only rider strong enough to get close to Porte is Ion Izagirre but I'm not sure about his form in January.

 

[yaco]

Re:

UniSA announced now

Scott Bowden (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Zak Dempster (Israel Cycling Academy)
Nathan Earle (Israel Cycling Academy)
Alex Porter (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Timothy Roe (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Steele von Hoff (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Sam Welsford (Australian Cycling Academy)

Such an underwhelming squad - Realise there is not the depth of young riders like in 2017, but surely someone like Monk could have got a run.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re: Re:

UniSA announced now

Scott Bowden (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Zak Dempster (Israel Cycling Academy)
Nathan Earle (Israel Cycling Academy)
Alex Porter (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Timothy Roe (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Steele von Hoff (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Sam Welsford (Australian Cycling Academy)

Such an underwhelming squad - Realise there is not the depth of young riders like in 2017, but surely someone like Monk could have got a run.

I think having riders from a development squad or a competing team in a national selection is banned.

 

[Tugboat]

Re: Re:

UniSA announced now

Scott Bowden (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Zak Dempster (Israel Cycling Academy)
Nathan Earle (Israel Cycling Academy)
Alex Porter (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Timothy Roe (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Steele von Hoff (Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo)
Sam Welsford (Australian Cycling Academy)

Such an underwhelming squad - Realise there is not the depth of young riders like in 2017, but surely someone like Monk could have got a run.

I think having riders from a development squad or a competing team in a national selection is banned.

Cyrus Monk (and others) missed selection due a UCI rule change that came into effect on 1 January requiring any athlete participating in a WorldTour event to have been participant in the registered testing pool (as opposed to the domestic testing pool) for a period of time prior to the event (> 6 weeks I think).

Monk had actively queried Cycling Australia by email as to what his anti-doping obligations in 2017 however they failed to communicate this quite significant rule change despite knowing about it since early in the year. This lack of communication not only screwed over Monk, but also a number of other Continental team riders who would have been pushing for selection.

Bit of background in these articles... http://www.ridemedia.com.au/features/unisa-team-2018-confirmed/

http://www.ridemedia.com.au/features/no-chance-herfoss-race-tour/

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

With all seriousness, Isn't this year start list even weaker than ever before? Really, all I see is the little midget and a few Aussies but no “real” contenders.

Perhaps the mandatory vacation is getting old ...

For outright contenders, yes. Decent sprint field though, along with a fair few punchy guys who can sprint.

Valverde should have made his comeback here, he’d clean up easily and have a nice headstart in the WT.

 

[dusty red roads]

Ooopsy!!!! (includes video)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-11/hay-truck-crashes-tour-down-under-finish-line/9320758

 

[Robert5091]

The Edmondsons doing well ...

 

[42x16ss]

What finish line?

http://abc.net.au/news/2018-01-11/hay-truck-crashes-tour-down-under-finish-line/9320758?pfmredir=sm

 

[yaco]

Disappointing non-action by CA cost Monk and Harper the chance to ride the TDU - Doubt CA is an effective body.

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Disappointing non-action by CA cost Monk and Harper the chance to ride the TDU - Doubt CA is an effective body.

They aren’t. Look what they’ve done to the track team for worlds, along with the women’s RR team last year.

 

[greenedge]

My predicted top 10 for the TDU:
Porte
Bennet
Haas
Canty
Kennaugh
Latour
Mas
G.Izagirre
Howson
Lambrecht

Ruling out Dennis and Gerrans as I think they will have to do a lot of work.Other picks who could make the top 10 are Soler and Costa.

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

My predicted top 10 for the TDU:
Porte
Bennet
Haas
Canty
Kennaugh
Latour
Mas
G.Izagirre
Howson
Lambrecht

Ruling out Dennis and Gerrans as I think they will have to do a lot of work.Other picks who could make the top 10 are Soler and Costa.

No McCarthy? He looks even better than last year

 

[claude cat]

On a somewhat related note, Freddy Ovett (Caja Rural) , another ex runner, smashed Melbourne's iconic 1:20 KOM by 40 seconds (previously held by Brendon Canty).
12:20, OMG!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1351109546/

 

[greenedge]

I made it a toss-up between him and Kennaugh for that spot and I think Kennaugh could have leadership if only because he's a better climber in general (but will probably prove to be wrong).

 

[yaco]

An interesting podcast by Dan Benson with Matt White and others from MS before the TDU - Seems like Impey will be the GC rider and target top 10, while of course the main focus will be on Ewan in the sprints - Implied that MS will deliver an Quick Step scenario in the TDF, which probably means more support for Ewan than A.Yates - Probably not a bad idea seeing Yates is good at following wheels - So Yates will probably have only one or two mountain types - White also stated that Mezgec is the last rider for Ewan, so he'll be at the TDF - Stressed about versatile riders and the TTT so expect the Bauer,Impey, Durbridge type riders to feature prominently in the final squad.