Hot racing coming up in Australia

[Velolover2]

This is clearly more of a short, time trialist climb. Dennis was even 4th.

Amazing comeback from Impey. Could even have won the stage if he had started his sprint a second earlier.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Herald Sun Tour in two weeks. Four WT teams in Mitchelton Scott, Trek Segafreddo, EF Education First and Team Sky. Will be a battle between Porte, Woods and Poels.

Sun Tour is a better race, should be a nice battle this year.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

Herald Sun Tour in two weeks. Four WT teams in Mitchelton Scott, Trek Segafreddo, EF Education First and Team Sky. Will be a battle between Porte, Woods and Poels.

Sun Tour is a better race, should be a nice battle this year.

Normally yes. But I see no big climbs in the Snowys or Victorian Alps this year. Stage 4 has 5 ascents of Arthurs Seat (3km @ 7.9%). A little disappointing IMO.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Porte not that good this year, but still 6 times in a row. Thats impressive no matter how you look at him and the race that is TDU

 

[liamito]

Re:

Herald Sun Tour in two weeks. Four WT teams in Mitchelton Scott, Trek Segafreddo, EF Education First and Team Sky. Will be a battle between Porte, Woods and Poels.

Poels will go to Portugal after Cadels Race.

 

[sir fly]

Great start of the season. Although out of focus for wider audience, both the women's and men's race brought plots worth of attention.
Spratty looks like she doesn't even have to prepare for the race anymore. Three in a row... there must be something on the course fitting her to the ground. Mitchelton's girls certainly felt like at home... literary. Also, looking forward to see what Paternoster's targets in the future will be.
And men's race seems like gaining in prestige with every new edition. The balance between the rouleurs and climbers manages to keep the drama all the way to the finish. It must be satisfying for Impey to defend the title. Not an easy task against all "domestic" contenders and ambitious visitors... Well, he's domestic in a way, too, especially now after doubling up.
Really nice introduction to the season. Can't wait to see what's expecting us across the Equator.

 

[Jancouver]

Re:

Great start of the season. Although out of focus for wider audience, both the women's and men's race brought plots worth of attention.
Spratty looks like she doesn't even have to prepare for the race anymore. Three in a row... there must be something on the course fitting her to the ground. Mitchelton's girls certainly felt like at home... literary. Also, looking forward to see what Paternoster's targets in the future will be.

And men's race seems like gaining in prestige with every new edition. The balance between the rouleurs and climbers manages to keep the drama all the way to the finish. It must be satisfying for Impey to defend the title. Not an easy task against all "domestic" contenders and ambitious visitors... Well, he's domestic in a way, too, especially now after doubling up.
Really nice introduction to the season. Can't wait to see what's expecting us across the Equator.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Squire]

Re:

Porte not that good this year, but still 6 times in a row. Thats impressive no matter how you look at him and the race that is TDU

The headwind was stronger than normal. Quite impressive how he still managed to ride Poels off his wheel.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Herald Sun Tour in two weeks. Four WT teams in Mitchelton Scott, Trek Segafreddo, EF Education First and Team Sky. Will be a battle between Porte, Woods and Poels.

Sun Tour is a better race, should be a nice battle this year.

Normally yes. But I see no big climbs in the Snowys or Victorian Alps this year. Stage 4 has 5 ascents of Arthurs Seat (3km @ 7.9%). A little disappointing IMO.

Arthur's Seat stage is challenging and will decide the GC. It seems that more teams have woken up and riding the Sun Tour. Fits in perfectly with the TDU and Cadel Evans race to provide a 2 week block of racing.

 

[Velolover2]

Stage 2 has a much harder climb than Willunga Hill and Arthur's Seat if the gradients are right. It's like Corkscrew but twice as long and a bit steeper. And the last 8 k are mostly downhill.

 

[Emotional Cobble Guy]

Its the first year that I've watched TDU from closeby and wow it has been a great race, super entertaining despite the many crashes

 

[Ferminal]

The Arthur's Seat stage is more climbing too, five ~20km loops of the climb, was three when Froome schooled everyone on the penultimate lap.

 

[Squire]

Re:

The Arthur's Seat stage is more climbing too, five ~20km loops of the climb, was three when Froome schooled everyone on the penultimate lap.

I watched that stage and thought Froome wasn't very sportsmanlike. Latched onto the attack from a conti rider a few kilometres before the last climb and let the conti rider do all the work. Then proceeded to drop him like a stone as soon as the road went upwards. Thought it was a bit embarassing.

 

[roundabout]

Kennaugh was the race leader then, so it wasn't so bad

 

[CTQ]

Re: Re:

The Arthur's Seat stage is more climbing too, five ~20km loops of the climb, was three when Froome schooled everyone on the penultimate lap.

I watched that stage and thought Froome wasn't very sportsmanlike. Latched onto the attack from a conti rider a few kilometres before the last climb and let the conti rider do all the work. Then proceeded to drop him like a stone as soon as the road went upwards. Thought it was a bit embarassing.

the Conti rider was 55 seconds behind Kennaugh, so he should have worked with him ????

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

The Arthur's Seat stage is more climbing too, five ~20km loops of the climb, was three when Froome schooled everyone on the penultimate lap.

I watched that stage and thought Froome wasn't very sportsmanlike. Latched onto the attack from a conti rider a few kilometres before the last climb and let the conti rider do all the work. Then proceeded to drop him like a stone as soon as the road went upwards. Thought it was a bit embarassing.

the Conti rider was 55 seconds behind Kennaugh, so he should have worked with him ????

Froome couldn't even repay the favour for one of his best domestiques, and went on a selfish rampage taking away a career highlight for a Continental rider and a stage race win for a so called teammate.

Is dominating a minor 2.1 race so important when you're a multiple TdF winner?

 

[rick james]

Re:

The Arthur's Seat stage is more climbing too, five ~20km loops of the climb, was three when Froome schooled everyone on the penultimate lap.

 

[Yingge]

Re:

Porte not that good this year, but still 6 times in a row. Thats impressive no matter how you look at him and the race that is TDU

After he retires, they will have to rename it the "Cote de Richie Porte"

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It isn't Australian to name things like the French.

More like 'Crikey it's Richie's Hill' or 'Gday Mate Richie Climb'

 

[CTQ]

Re: Re:

The Arthur's Seat stage is more climbing too, five ~20km loops of the climb, was three when Froome schooled everyone on the penultimate lap.

I watched that stage and thought Froome wasn't very sportsmanlike. Latched onto the attack from a conti rider a few kilometres before the last climb and let the conti rider do all the work. Then proceeded to drop him like a stone as soon as the road went upwards. Thought it was a bit embarassing.

the Conti rider was 55 seconds behind Kennaugh, so he should have worked with him ????

Froome couldn't even repay the favour for one of his best domestiques, and went on a selfish rampage taking away a career highlight for a Continental rider and a stage race win for a so called teammate.

Is dominating a minor 2.1 race so important when you're a multiple TdF winner?

Cooper decided to attack when Froome was tooking points for the KOM and Froome followed him....you should tell to Mitchelton-Scott to not have 3 riders on first 3 positions on the GC like last year...not very kind for Conti riders

 

[Blanco]

Re:

The Porteberg remains the Porteberg...

Why doesn't he race Liege???

He raced twice, both times didn't finished. Richie simply is not a one-day racer.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Fleche would fit him much, much better, but I doubt he would be able to to anything against Martin, Julian and Bala in peak shape. Still he could probably finish top-5 in peak condition.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Fleche would fit him much, much better, but I doubt he would be able to to anything against Martin, Julian and Bala in peak shape. Still he could probably finish top-5 in peak condition.

Good luck in one of the most fierce battles for position of the season.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Fleche would fit him much, much better, but I doubt he would be able to to anything against Martin, Julian and Bala in peak shape. Still he could probably finish top-5 in peak condition.

Good luck in one of the most fierce battles for position of the season.

Very true. Well, he has the psychical capabilites to do it and its not like a rider like Martin is good at positioning either.

 

[Wilba60]

The Cadel Evans road race is next up this Sunday on Australia Day. Timing couldn't be better with the riders avoiding the heat that is coming in on Thursday and Friday. 38C and 41C in Melbourne won't be so bad down in Geelong with 32C and 40C expected. No doubt the sea breezes on Thursday will kick in and keep the temps down. Saturday and Sunday will cool off a bit with Sunday having a very pleasant 27C and light winds. The riders will face a gentle SW wind which will mean a light headwind on the way out and along the coast before a tail wind assist return to Geelong. The finishing stretch should feature mostly side winds and they should be gentle to moderate, although there have been some very strong afternoon sea breezes around in the last couple of weeks. MS have Meyer and Impey well suited to the course, so they could follow up a successful Tour Down Under with a win in Geelong.