Hot racing coming up in Australia

[Alexandre B.]

Simon Gerrans arch-nemesis is taking the wind.

Video of the last 10k: https://youtu.be/T4QU1n-yPnI?t=55m46s

 

[The Hegelian]

Great ride by Bora. And nice to see McCarthy break through for a win - he's been knocking on the door for quite a while.

 

[greenedge]

Re: Re:

Is final kms on YouTube?
Also how about Impey for MSR?

I am certain MS will ride for Trentin and Ewan.

I wonder over Trentin's recovery from his crash though? I see it as more realistic for him to be in better form for the other classics after. Impey (if he can retain this form) could be able to follow the attacks that I don't think Ewan can at this stage.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Is final kms on YouTube?
Also how about Impey for MSR?

I am certain MS will ride for Trentin and Ewan.

I wonder over Trentin's recovery from his crash though? I see it as more realistic for him to be in better form for the other classics after. Impey (if he can retain this form) could be able to follow the attacks that I don't think Ewan can at this stage.

Trentin is riding Valenciana which starts on Wednesday - MS usually targets sprint wins at this race, while the climbers are in training - Ultimately if there is a large bunch kick at the end of MSR and Ewan is there he will be the chosen one.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re: Re:

Interesting that Viviani finished 2nd and yet on the Stirling stage win in the TDU by Ewan he finished 6th - Would have been interesting to see how Ewan would have gone if he rode the race.

It was a good ride by Lambrecht to finish in the lead group in his first WT race - He's a promising rider.

Ewan is a better uphill sprinter but Viviani can survive harder climbs.

I think Viviani has a great chance in MSR this year unless Sagan decides to give it a go on Poggio again.

I think you're right about Viviani's chances in MSR. He's one of my favorites for that race. QuickStep has a great team for the race: Viviani, Gaviria and Alaphilippe could all win.

I do think Bora and Sky will put the hammer down already on Cipresa and Peter and Kwiatko with Moscon will go for it again on Pogio. I do not think Viviani and Gaviria can compete there. On the other hand, Alaphilippe will have a free ride (with Gaviria excuse). I do hope Gilbert will not be there, he would be the black horse in that group.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Congrats McCarthy. Finally learned to not shunt everyone else into the walls in a sprint.

 

[Wilba60]

Re:

Is final kms on YouTube?
Also how about Impey for MSR?

Impey was good and was in the final bunch of a dozen that kicked away after the final climb. He had Chavez with him who did a huge amount of work on the front and also pushed the small pack up another quick climb nearer the finish. The finish at Geelong is a very fast run in downhill and it didn't really suit Impey or Gerrans quite as much as both would probably enjoy a harder uphill finish. MS also had a rider(Meyer)in the Viviani group and not sure what he was doing behind as the cameras didn't cover that group but he was probably marking anyone attempting to reach the front group.

It was one of the more exciting finishes I have seen in a while with the front group riding hard but also with some cat and mouse with the charging second group. That was some finish by Viviani, would have liked to see a helicopter shot of that as he must have flown through the remnants of the front group.

 

[Wilba60]

From a tactics perspective, I wonder if Meyer was told to just follow Viviani in the final couple of kilometres? Maybe easier said than done but it would have made sense as he was such a big danger.

 

[The Hegelian]

Was talking a little earlier in the thread about Impey/what races he could plausibly target if he was given the license.

MSR: no way. Simply because it is won either by the best of the best puncheurs destroying the Poggio and holding on, or by any number of elite sprinters in a reduced bunch sprint.

Can you see Impey riding away on the Poggio with Sagan and Kwia (and also: then what)?

Or out sprinting Gaviria, Matthews, Viviani etc?

Maybe if he was in good form, Amstel Gold would be possible.

 

[manafana]

Impey to take some more TDS stages, he just doesnt quiet deliver, so its hard see him targeting big races and winning, hes more a back up option

 

[The Hegelian]

Can't remember him winning there.....Albasini on the other hand.....

 

[WheelofGear]

In MS, it's good to have to types of riders. The jumper on your team (Sagan, Kwai, GVA, Gilbert, Alaphilippe) and the sprinter (Gaviria, Kristoff, Matthews, Bouhanni, Viviani).

A guy like Trentin is super-reflexible beacuse he can do both. He more than often wins stages from breakaways or late attacks like his Paris-Tours victories. But I'm not sure he can stay with those five on Poggio. Impey definitely can't.

In fact, I think those 5 are the only ones who capable of riding away on Poggio. Do I miss someone? I think the hill is too flat for Wellens.

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

In MS, it's good to have to types of riders. The jumper on your team (Sagan, Kwai, GVA, Gilbert, Alaphilippe) and the sprinter (Gaviria, Kristoff, Matthews, Bouhanni, Viviani).

A guy like Trentin is super-reflexible beacuse he can do both. He more than often wins stages from breakaways or late attacks like his Paris-Tours victories. But I'm not sure he can stay with those five on Poggio. Impey definitely can't.

In fact, I think those 5 are the only ones who capable of riding away on Poggio. Do I miss someone? I think the hill is too flat for Wellens.

Maybe Valverde? But that’s a big maybe.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

In MS, it's good to have to types of riders. The jumper on your team (Sagan, Kwai, GVA, Gilbert, Alaphilippe) and the sprinter (Gaviria, Kristoff, Matthews, Bouhanni, Viviani).

A guy like Trentin is super-reflexible beacuse he can do both. He more than often wins stages from breakaways or late attacks like his Paris-Tours victories. But I'm not sure he can stay with those five on Poggio. Impey definitely can't.

In fact, I think those 5 are the only ones who capable of riding away on Poggio. Do I miss someone? I think the hill is too flat for Wellens.

Maybe Valverde? But that’s a big maybe.

I think Poggio is too flat for Valverde as well.

Moscon has the potential, I think. That's the only one I can think of.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

In MS, it's good to have to types of riders. The jumper on your team (Sagan, Kwai, GVA, Gilbert, Alaphilippe) and the sprinter (Gaviria, Kristoff, Matthews, Bouhanni, Viviani).

A guy like Trentin is super-reflexible beacuse he can do both. He more than often wins stages from breakaways or late attacks like his Paris-Tours victories. But I'm not sure he can stay with those five on Poggio. Impey definitely can't.

In fact, I think those 5 are the only ones who capable of riding away on Poggio. Do I miss someone? I think the hill is too flat for Wellens.

Candidates: Moscon, Stybar, Vanmarcke, Trentin, Benoot..

 

[Netserk]

Bling is more likely than Greg (and Gilbert is too old for Poggio).

 

[yaco]

Don't over-analyse the situation - Impey will be a support rider in MSR - Ewan will be the protected rider if he gets to the finish and Trentin and Impey will be plan B - Impey can win a stage in a race like Pais Vasco or similar or even a GT if extremely lucky - LBL is too hard while on a good day he could make the final selection of AG - The two Canadian races are good targets - MS this year are riding TOC so depending on profiles a stage could be a possibility.

 

[The Hegelian]

Re:

Bling is more likely than Greg (and Gilbert is too old for Poggio).

Yeah, remember last year Dumoulin did a massive pull from near the bottom to half-way'ish trying to set Matthews up, so Sunweb think he's likely. It put him in a beautiful position to watch Sagan and Kwia ride away!....but I think he's got it in him.

 

[WheelofGear]

Bling should be able to do a Gerrans 12'. He is great at following wheels.

Just like Sagan do all the work and take the victory.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Bling is more likely than Greg (and Gilbert is too old for Poggio).

Yeah, remember last year Dumoulin did a massive pull from near the bottom to half-way'ish trying to set Matthews up, so Sunweb think he's likely. It put him in a beautiful position to watch Sagan and Kwia ride away!....but I think he's got it in him.

Matthews seems to be climbing better but has lost a little in the sprint but it would not surprise me to see him win a good one day race this season. He's been racking up podiums in some good races. Maybe he still isn't as strong as some of the others at the end of a hard race. MSR has to be one of his best chances along with Amstel.

 

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

Bling is more likely than Greg (and Gilbert is too old for Poggio).

Yeah, remember last year Dumoulin did a massive pull from near the bottom to half-way'ish trying to set Matthews up, so Sunweb think he's likely. It put him in a beautiful position to watch Sagan and Kwia ride away!....but I think he's got it in him.

Matthews seems to be climbing better but has lost a little in the sprint but it would not surprise me to see him win a good one day race this season. He's been racking up podiums in some good races. Maybe he still isn't as strong as some of the others at the end of a hard race. MSR has to be one of his best chances along with Amstel.

If they are riding Amstel like last year, he has no chance to win it. He is not a "real" rider like GVA, Kwai, Gilbert or Sagan. He is basically just a Kittel who can survive hills.

I actually think he has a better chance in Liege which is always raced more conservatively and boring. And he is not a worse climber than Gerrans. He is the second coming of Gerrans.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

So what is a "real" rider then? Let me guess: riders you like?

 

[WheelofGear]

Re:

So what is a "real" rider then? Let me guess: riders you like?

Riders who don't suck wheels 95% of the time.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

So what is a "real" rider then? Let me guess: riders you like?

Riders who don't suck wheels 95% of the time.

Guess you didn't watch last years Tour

 

[yaco]

Herald Sun Tour starts with the men's prologue of 1.6km - Should be a battle in two between Clancy and Edmondson - AVV should win the Women's prologue.