Hot racing coming up in Australia

[fatsprintking]

Froome covered an attack. He didn't work with the Avanti rider, just followed. Sky should have simply rode tempo if they were not wanting to open the possibility of a Froome win - by letting him cover the break with a strong time trailer, there was always going to be a chance Froome would stay away. Pat Shaw is the road captain of Avanti, no doubt the whole sky tactics were part of the discussion occurring on the climb.

 

[Vasilis]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/herald-sun-tour-2016/stage-4/results

Does anyone know why is it repeatedly said that Wiggins won in 2008? This is like the 3rd or 4th time I read that. AFAIK, Wiggins won in 2009, while Froome was 4th in 2008 behind Stuart O'Grady.

 

[May0maniac]

Well, it's Kennaugh...

 

[wwabbit]

Re:

Froome covered an attack. He didn't work with the Avanti rider, just followed. Sky should have simply rode tempo if they were not wanting to open the possibility of a Froome win - by letting him cover the break with a strong time trailer, there was always going to be a chance Froome would stay away. Pat Shaw is the road captain of Avanti, no doubt the whole sky tactics were part of the discussion occurring on the climb.

Sky's tactics were all wrong if their intention was to make sure Kennaugh wins.
Their tactics were spot on if their intention was to get the 1-2 in GC (didn't matter which order), KOM, Stage win and Team GC.

 

[Wattie]

What strikes me as a bit ridiculous and distasteful is Sky chasing the KoM title with Froome. This was a small race at the start of the season against largely second tier teams; why did Sky feel the need to mop up a minor competition in such a race? Will having the KoM in this race even be noticed on Froome's palmares come the end of his career? Surely they could have allowed the non GC titles to be contested by local or lower tier teams and riders for whom it would be a significant win. And the net result of all that was Froome over-taking Kennaugh, which also seems a bit unnecessary: given their strength surely they could have controlled things to ensure Kennaugh took the GC. What does winning this stage and race overall really add for Froome who is a double TdF winner?

 

[Jancouver]

I don't get what's wrong with Kennaugh protecting his 2nd place He was supposed to win this race after all.Froome should have left this one to Kennaugh.

Why? Cycling is the most selfish sport attracting narcissistic egomaniacs where only one can win and have all the glory.

Guys like Froome, Cav, Armstrong etc dont give a crap about anyone else and other than the occasional stage win handed to others, they will always look to get the overall GC glory.

... therefore, I do agree with the "selfish c..t" comment as that can be said about the majority of the peloton.

 

[HelloDolly]

I don't get what's wrong with Kennaugh protecting his 2nd place He was supposed to win this race after all.Froome should have left this one to Kennaugh.

Why? Cycling is the most selfish sport attracting narcissistic egomaniacs where only one can win and have all the glory.

Guys like Froome, Cav, Armstrong etc dont give a crap about anyone else and other than the occasional stage win handed to others, they will always look to get the overall GC glory.

... therefore, I do agree with the "selfish c..t" comment as that can be said about the majority of the peloton.

That maybe true but the rhetoric is that it a team sport and a win it is a team win...Its one the true contradictions of the sport for me....You help someone to win the Tour and lets face it teams are very important these days in wining a grand tour ...just look at what Porte has done for Froome for instance (there are many other examples ) but all anyone hears about is the winner... the winner gets all the acclaim and the helper may get a by word but nothing in their palmares and no glory

I guess to win you have to be selfish and want it more than your rivals who on many occasions are in your own team but all the bull the riders trott out about happy for the team and happy to be riding for so and so to win cannot always be true well not as much as they say it

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

What strikes me as a bit ridiculous and distasteful is Sky chasing the KoM title with Froome. This was a small race at the start of the season against largely second tier teams; why did Sky feel the need to mop up a minor competition in such a race? Will having the KoM in this race even be noticed on Froome's palmares come the end of his career? Surely they could have allowed the non GC titles to be contested by local or lower tier teams and riders for whom it would be a significant win. And the net result of all that was Froome over-taking Kennaugh, which also seems a bit unnecessary: given their strength surely they could have controlled things to ensure Kennaugh took the GC. What does winning this stage and race overall really add for Froome who is a double TdF winner?

Agree ...they could have left something for the local teams...this after all was an appearance by Froome who would have been paid to race (my guess). I mean any top ider could go to a load of lesser races and win them all ..but why would you do that unless someone paid you

 

[Wattie]

I don't get what's wrong with Kennaugh protecting his 2nd place He was supposed to win this race after all.Froome should have left this one to Kennaugh.

Why? Cycling is the most selfish sport attracting narcissistic egomaniacs where only one can win and have all the glory.

Guys like Froome, Cav, Armstrong etc dont give a crap about anyone else and other than the occasional stage win handed to others, they will always look to get the overall GC glory.

... therefore, I do agree with the "selfish c..t" comment as that can be said about the majority of the peloton.

I would love you to name the professional sport that isn't selfish. The notion that cycling is the most selfish sport strikes me as absurd hyperbole. What makes it more selfish than Golf, Tennis, and so on? In some ways it is one of the least selfish sports because most of the riders do it without any real chance of winning themselves. You quote the names of Froome, Cav, Armstrong (all anglophone I notice), but omit to mention the hundreds of other riders who ride unselfishly in support of those people. You are quite right about the extravagant narcissism of those you mention because there is none of that in other sports and it far outstrips the self-effacing and humble behaviour of Christiano Ronaldo (who has opened a museum dedicated to himself and a pays a hairdresser to check the hair on his image in a madrid wax museum every week).

 

[Jancouver]

I don't get what's wrong with Kennaugh protecting his 2nd place He was supposed to win this race after all.Froome should have left this one to Kennaugh.

Why? Cycling is the most selfish sport attracting narcissistic egomaniacs where only one can win and have all the glory.

Guys like Froome, Cav, Armstrong etc dont give a crap about anyone else and other than the occasional stage win handed to others, they will always look to get the overall GC glory.

... therefore, I do agree with the "selfish c..t" comment as that can be said about the majority of the peloton.

I would love you to name the professional sport that isn't selfish. The notion that cycling is the most selfish sport strikes me as absurd hyperbole. What makes it more selfish than Golf, Tennis, and so on? In some ways it is one of the least selfish sports because most of the riders do it without any real chance of winning themselves. You quote the names of Froome, Cav, Armstrong (all anglophone I notice), but omit to mention the hundreds of other riders who ride unselfishly in support of those people. You are quite right about the extravagant narcissism of those you mention because there is none of that in other sports and it far outstrips the self-effacing and humble behaviour of Christiano Ronaldo (who has opened a museum dedicated to himself and a pays a hairdresser to check the hair on his image in a madrid wax museum every week).

Golf and tennis are not a "team" sports. I dont follow soccer but it is definitely less selfish than cycling.

Go on any weekend club ride and I can assure that half of the riders won't even say hi regardless of your "speed". Its amazing what kind of "garbage" personalities cycling attracts.

While there are exceptions to the rule, the majority of cyclist are egomaniacs. Even around here, dont you dare to say something negative about some riders or events.

 

[Wattie]

I don't get what's wrong with Kennaugh protecting his 2nd place He was supposed to win this race after all.Froome should have left this one to Kennaugh.

Why? Cycling is the most selfish sport attracting narcissistic egomaniacs where only one can win and have all the glory.

Guys like Froome, Cav, Armstrong etc dont give a crap about anyone else and other than the occasional stage win handed to others, they will always look to get the overall GC glory.

... therefore, I do agree with the "selfish c..t" comment as that can be said about the majority of the peloton.

I would love you to name the professional sport that isn't selfish. The notion that cycling is the most selfish sport strikes me as absurd hyperbole. What makes it more selfish than Golf, Tennis, and so on? In some ways it is one of the least selfish sports because most of the riders do it without any real chance of winning themselves. You quote the names of Froome, Cav, Armstrong (all anglophone I notice), but omit to mention the hundreds of other riders who ride unselfishly in support of those people. You are quite right about the extravagant narcissism of those you mention because there is none of that in other sports and it far outstrips the self-effacing and humble behaviour of Christiano Ronaldo (who has opened a museum dedicated to himself and a pays a hairdresser to check the hair on his image in a madrid wax museum every week).

Golf and tennis are not a "team" sports. I dont follow soccer but it is definitely less selfish than cycling.

Go on any weekend club ride and I can assure that half of the riders won't even say hi regardless of your "speed". Its amazing what kind of "garbage" personalities cycling attracts.

While there are exceptions to the rule, the majority of cyclist are egomaniacs. Even around here, dont you dare to say something negative about some riders or events.

Well I find that in all walks of life there are selfish and egotistical people and then there are generous and kind ones and everything else in between. To single cycling out (and you didn't say team sport - you said sport) is just over the top rhetoric. You don't follow soccer but its "definitely less selfish than cycling": on what evidence? One might be tempted to use the word garbage about the personality of someone who makes massive generalisations about the personalities of entire groups of people, but I don't know you and so will refrain from doing so. For the record I have found in the clubs I have ridden with that the ratio of rude and selfish people to other types is about the same as in my place of work and in the rest of life in general. One might argue that to reach the top in most activities people need to be selfish and egotistical (after all you identified three of the most successful figures in recent cycling history - not domestiques), hence perhaps a preponderance of such traits in the highly successful in all fields - company CEOs, Headteachers, Govt Ministers, Pop Stars, Orchestra Conductors etc etc. To single out cycling as somehow more likely to be filled with such people is to use your word "garbage".

 

[samhocking]

Kennaugh finished 15 seconds down on second placed Howson, has admitted all week Froome is stronger. Would you want to win a race only because your team mate gifted you the win? Where's the value in that as a rider, even if you will help that rider win later in the season at bigger races. As a DS, you have to race with the tactics that best gets you the win and that's what Sky did. Trying to win a race by letting the weaker GC leader win it, is just a stupid, illogical way to approach winning a race. Sure morally it would be nice for PK to win, but the reality is Sky want to win just like any other team.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Froome covered an attack. He didn't work with the Avanti rider, just followed. Sky should have simply rode tempo if they were not wanting to open the possibility of a Froome win - by letting him cover the break with a strong time trailer, there was always going to be a chance Froome would stay away. Pat Shaw is the road captain of Avanti, no doubt the whole sky tactics were part of the discussion occurring on the climb.

Sky's tactics were all wrong if their intention was to make sure Kennaugh wins.
Their tactics were spot on if their intention was to get the 1-2 in GC (didn't matter which order), KOM, Stage win and Team GC.

Exactly, and most of the locals/organisers were pretty happy that Froome won and Sky came to race. Job done and they move on to the next race.

 

[rote_laterne]

First step to not win the Tour unless Kennaugh is sent to Austria again.

 

[coinneach]

Re:

First step to not win the Tour unless Kennaugh is sent to Austria again.

One can but hope!
But seriously, has froome and sky not got form on this, with Porte and Thomas loosing out in similar circumstances?

It wouldn't be so funny if froome hadn't complained of not being allowed to race Wiggins in the tour, mano a mano.

BTW I am a fan of Kennaughs, he won the British champs more often than Froome has competed in it.

 

[The Hegelian]

Sky + Froome usually have me turning the TDF off sometime into the 2nd week.....but it's good for a race like the Suntour to have a current TDF winner on the top step.

I reckon it should be Australia's premier stage race. It has a long'ish history, and some high quality winners in the past. Should be a few days longer and go through the Alpine country like it used to - then it could be a kind of Australian Dauphine. This would save us all the whinging about the TDU too.....

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Kennaugh finished 15 seconds down on second placed Howson, has admitted all week Froome is stronger. Would you want to win a race only because your team mate gifted you the win? Where's the value in that as a rider, even if you will help that rider win later in the season at bigger races. As a DS, you have to race with the tactics that best gets you the win and that's what Sky did. Trying to win a race by letting the weaker GC leader win it, is just a stupid, illogical way to approach winning a race. Sure morally it would be nice for PK to win, but the reality is Sky want to win just like any other team.

'
I don't necessarily disagree with your post, but (food for thoughts): after winning the title in '78, Hinault began putting himself at the service of his teammates at the French RR championship. Every year, he'd turn into the super domestique, chase breakaways all day, lead out if need be...and although I'm not (by far) his greatest fan, I have always admired that. For the guy who busts his b@lls year round for a leader and therefore never goes ftw, it's a nice reward.

 

[Night Rider]

Re:

Well, it's Kennaugh...

Yep, and this would be the most accurate summation

We have what I’d say a hot head in Pat Shaw and they have a hot head in Peter Kennaugh and at the end of day when two hot heads start tackling each other, you don’t get a good response from either.

- Avanti Isowhey boss

 

[pastronef]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/magnificent-jayco-herald-sun-tour-for-race-director-john-trevorrow/

Herald Sun Tour organisers more than happy

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Re: Re:

Well, it's Kennaugh...

Yep, and this would be the most accurate summation

We have what I’d say a hot head in Pat Shaw and they have a hot head in Peter Kennaugh and at the end of day when two hot heads start tackling each other, you don’t get a good response from either.

- Avanti Isowhey boss

“Whinger of the Week” award goes to that Pete Kennaugh, but most of us in the peloton have already have known this for a long time. He has a massive yappy mouth, but when an Aussie sledger like Pat Shaw has a crack at him, Pete has a cry about it. Imagine if he met a real Aussie mongrel, who would straight take his block off. Grow a set, Pete. And quit acting like your *** doesn’t stink.

TheSecret Pro

 

[Cannibal72]

Re: Re:

Well, it's Kennaugh...

Yep, and this would be the most accurate summation

We have what I’d say a hot head in Pat Shaw and they have a hot head in Peter Kennaugh and at the end of day when two hot heads start tackling each other, you don’t get a good response from either.

- Avanti Isowhey boss

“Whinger of the Week” award goes to that Pete Kennaugh, but most of us in the peloton have already have known this for a long time. He has a massive yappy mouth, but when an Aussie sledger like Pat Shaw has a crack at him, Pete has a cry about it. Imagine if he met a real Aussie mongrel, who would straight take his block off. Grow a set, Pete. And quit acting like your **** doesn’t stink.

TheSecret Pro

While the Pathetic Panderer of the Week award goes to the Australian pro writing for an Australian magazine about an Australian domestic moron. Grow up, 'secret pro', and write something worth reading for once.

 

[yaco]

Who says the Secret Pro is an Aussie rider ?

 

[Ricco']

There was some talks here about Hesjedal being the secret pro before last year's Tour, cause he was one of the few who filled the clues.

Guess what, Hesjedal was present at Down Under and at the Cadel Evans race like TSP mentions.

 

[MatParker117]

Apparently it's Greg Henderson

 

[jens_attacks]

Yes but not only him
Imo there is at least one more