Later on tonight, a second rate Australian rider

[Waterloo Sunrise]

will get as many ranking points as the 5th place rider in the Tour.

What a wonderful system we have.

Whilst i'm on the general topic of UCI idiocy, who designs their website? It's like they're actively trying to hide the fatuous rankings they produce.

 

[ak-zaaf]

will get as many ranking points as the 5th place rider in the Tour.

What a wonderful system we have.

Whilst i'm on the general topic of UCI idiocy, who designs their website? It's like they're actively trying to hide the fatuous rankings they produce.

The World Tour only exists so the UCI can sell the best teams to second rate race organizers. Just ignore it.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

The World Tour only exists so the UCI can sell the best teams to second rate race organizers. Just ignore it.

I would if the arcane rules didn't result in Britain getting 3 riders at the worlds, because everyone is now on the 'pro-tour' so we're below madeupistan in the artificially seperated continental rankings.

 

[ultimobici]

will get as many ranking points as the 5th place rider in the Tour.

What a wonderful system we have.

Whilst i'm on the general topic of UCI idiocy, who designs their website? It's like they're actively trying to hide the fatuous rankings they produce.

Whilst I may agree with your point about the points weighting, Cameron Meyer is far from second rate. He is a multiple World Champion on the track. Not really second rate especially for a 22 year old.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Whilst I may agree with your point about the points weighting, Cameron Meyer is far from second rate. He is a multiple World Champion on the track. Not really second rate especially for a 22 year old.

No particular offense meant (although I'm not averse to getting a rise out of Evansfan), I just don't believe we should call everyone excellent.

This is professional road racing, and non of the possible winners have achieved half of what is necessary to be first rate - the term becomes meaningless if applied to more than 20 people in a given field.

 

[washedup]

Cameron Meyer is a stellar rider. He has ridden a smart race, and that is that. We should all be very happy that a well timed move has translated into a good ol' fashioned win.


Would you rather see some chemically engineered machine tear the race apart day in and day out creating a "win" while squashing dreams?

Back in my day, I used to dream about getting into the right move.... one that I could capitalize on. Why? Because that is bike racing. It isn't about how big or hard a race is... it is about how you play your cards.

As for the points, a great thing. There is no reason why one race (which has a history of being the dopiest) should be the all powerful event. And if you know anything about AUS, you know it is like the Belgium of the southern hemisphere. Why not allow their bike race to be worthwhile.


But yes, I think we can all agree that the UCI is an organisation full of selfish jack wads.

 

[theyoungest]

Whilst I may agree with your point about the points weighting, Cameron Meyer is far from second rate. He is a multiple World Champion on the track. Not really second rate especially for a 22 year old.

Would you consider him capable of winning any other race on the WorldTour calendar? I know I wouldn't. Not yet, at least.

 

[El Pistolero]

Cameron Meyer is a stellar rider. He has ridden a smart race, and that is that. We should all be very happy that a well timed move has translated into a good ol' fashioned win.


Would you rather see some chemically engineered machine tear the race apart day in and day out creating a "win" while squashing dreams?

Back in my day, I used to dream about getting into the right move.... one that I could capitalize on. Why? Because that is bike racing. It isn't about how big or hard a race is... it is about how you play your cards.

As for the points, a great thing. There is no reason why one race (which has a history of being the dopiest) should be the all powerful event. And if you know anything about AUS, you know it is like the Belgium of the southern hemisphere. Why not allow their bike race to be worthwhile.


But yes, I think we can all agree that the UCI is an organisation full of selfish jack wads.

How exactly is Belgium like Australia? I can't think of a Western country more different in about anything.

I wouldn't call Meyer a stellar road cyclist just yet by the way.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Cameron Meyer is a stellar rider. He has ridden a smart race, and that is that. We should all be very happy that a well timed move has translated into a good ol' fashioned win.


Would you rather see some chemically engineered machine tear the race apart day in and day out creating a "win" while squashing dreams?

Back in my day, I used to dream about getting into the right move.... one that I could capitalize on. Why? Because that is bike racing. It isn't about how big or hard a race is... it is about how you play your cards.

As for the points, a great thing. There is no reason why one race (which has a history of being the dopiest) should be the all powerful event. And if you know anything about AUS, you know it is like the Belgium of the southern hemisphere. Why not allow their bike race to be worthwhile.


But yes, I think we can all agree that the UCI is an organisation full of selfish jack wads.

Can we not make this a nationalist thread where people try to insist black is white out of patriotism.

It is patently laughable for a race which is purely used as base miles by any genuinely good riders with a hope of winning major races later in the year (honourable exceptions to the odd genuinely decent Australian sprinter), to be accorded such a weight in the process of picking world championship points.

I'm all in favour of breakaways winning occasionally and so on within a stage race, but when a GC is decided by a 20 second breakaway, it tells you all you need to know about the futility of the race.

 

[Sanitiser]

What does being Australian have to do with anything?

And I'd blame the TDU rather than the rider that simply wins it.

 

[The Hitch]

Agreed with this thread. Wel kind of. I dont think its all bad to give riders a lot of points for winning. I can understand getting as many points for WINNING Romandie or Pais Vasco as for wheelsucking at the tour (well the last 5th place anyway)

But the TDU really has produced a second rate winner. It doenst matter what nationality he is, just that he is no road racing champion. Not yet anyway.

The problem is that the Tour Down under, a very poor quality race is given pt status.

Atm Tour of Turkey>>>> TDU.

Turkey should be given TDUs place. Or threatened to at least. Maybe then Australia will be able to put up a decent race.

What about Oman. Its a better race, has better parcors has better riders and they actualy go for it. Its also at the start of the season so you cant use that argument, and its just as much globalising the sport as Australia. So the petty little "lets just race in europe" sarcasm trolling wouldnt work either.

the tdu as a pt race is wrong.

 

[Anonymous]

very interesting the other night to see dave brailsford go on about how much time he spends looking at cq ranking, and even giving the link out for it.

If 1 team boss follows cq, youve got to imagine a fair few otheres do as well. Obviously cq counts for nothing as far as invites go, but its clearly a better representation

 

[Mambo95]

Two points (largely going back to the OP):

1. Cameron Meyer is certainly not 'second rate'. At the age of 23 he is a four time World Champion on the track and a two time national TT champion. He's got a big future.

2. There seems to be a feeling that all stage races should be tailored to climbers. Why? It's good to mix things up and have a variety of races. There should be a couple of races for the opportunists & sprinters.

 

[Mellow Velo]

very interesting the other night to see dave brailsford go on about how much time he spends looking at cq ranking, and even giving the link out for it.

If 1 team boss follows cq, youve got to imagine a fair few otheres do as well. Obviously cq counts for nothing as far as invites go, but its clearly a better representation

Well who in their right minds would follow the UCI ranking system?

 

[The Hitch]

Two points (largely going back to the OP):

1. Cameron Meyer is certainly not 'second rate'. At the age of 23 he is a four time World Champion on the track and a two time national TT champion. He's got a big future.

2. There seems to be a feeling that all stage races should be tailored to climbers. Why? It's good to mix things up and have a variety of races. There should be a couple of races for the opportunists & sprinters.

Compared to all the other PT stage race champions, Meyer just isnt in ther league. Its as simple as that.

And races dont need to be for climbers. Canc won Oman last year, and TDS and Tirreno in 08.

But the idea of stage races is that you have some stages for sprinters, some stages for climbers. Prefferably a tt as well. Best all round rider wins.

You dont have any stage races with 7 mtfs, why should there be a race with 7 sprints.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Would you consider him capable of winning any other race on the WorldTour calendar? I know I wouldn't. Not yet, at least.

I think he is a very good track rider but many riders who have won track WC's are not great road cyclists. Road cycling is at a different level than track.

You can't compare winning the RR WC with winning a Points race WC on the track?

He is a good rider with potential but people saying he will be the next big thing in australia and that he will be our next GT rider is a little over the top. The guy has done nothing to prove that he is climber.

 

[roundabout]

Nah, fair dues to Meyer and his break companions, probably the first time a break was able to stay on a non-Willunga stage since TDU went PT/WT and he didn't lose time the next day

The point score is a bit on the generous side though compared to how this race is treated by the majority of the riders

 

[ferryman]

Can we not make this a nationalist thread where people try to insist black is white out of patriotism.

Second rate Aussies, madeupistan, there is only one nationalist idiot on this thread that I've read so far.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Second rate Aussies, madeupistan, there is only one nationalist idiot on this thread that I've read so far.

Sorry but I would call myself patriotic, not nationalist. Nationalist is something that should be despised.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Plans for Summit Finish at TDU

About ****ing time!

 

[maltiv]

Compared to all the other PT stage race champions, Meyer just isnt in ther league. Its as simple as that.

I'd say he's in Daniel Martin's league, or at least pretty close.

I'm surprised that some people are actually disappointed that the race might be won by a daring attack rather than by a wheelsucking sprinter.

 

[brianf7]

What does being Australian have to do with anything?

And I'd blame the TDU rather than the rider that simply wins it.

What dose being Australian have to do . it is Summer in Oz and if Australian cyclist are not at peak for the Australian Road champs they should be .

Note absence of some top riders Evans. O'Gradey etc from the championships. they dont want to get their but kicked by young riders they are set goals for later.
All that form will go and then they have to come back later in the year.
So what dose being Australian have to do with it means we live up side down to europe while you freez we bake in the heat.

We didnt race much road in Summer a few years ago it was track season but John Trovorrow started the australian summer of cycling in 1994 and its kicked in to something big.
is that a good thing ????? Well I dont like turning up for bike races with 10 layers of kit on so it has to be better.

 

[ingsve]

I'd say he's in Daniel Martin's league, or at least pretty close.

They are hard to compare since they are so totally diffrent as riders. Martin is a lightweight climber and Meyer is a heavier TTer who hasn't really shown he can climb for real yet. I would still say that overall Dan Martin has shown a lot better results than Meyer on the road.

 

[Mambo95]

Compared to all the other PT stage race champions, Meyer just isnt in ther league. Its as simple as that.

He's just turned 23 FFS. Few riders achieve big wins before that age. This may be the first big win of a great champion. Only time will tell.

Had it been Allan Davis cleaning up, I'd agree with you. But Meyer deserves to be seen as a potentially big talent.

 

[The Hitch]

He's just turned 23 FFS. Few riders achieve big wins before that age. This may be the first big win of a great champion. Only time will tell.

Had it been Allan Davis cleaning up, I'd agree with you. But Meyer deserves to be seen as a potentially big talent.

Why do so many people act as if potential = greatness in the here and now.

You see it with the Gesink and JVDB debates as well.

Potential is just that, potential.

I dont care if in the future he will be a winner of all 5 monuments, all 3 grand tours, then retires from cycling to break the marathon world record, and wins 10 olympic golds in 10 different events.

That is TOTALY irelevant to his current form.

Currently he is not as good as Alberto Contador, Frank Schleck, Janez Brajkovic, Chris Horner, Daniel Martin, Tony Martin, Alejandro Valverde/ Simon Spillack or Michele Scarponi.

He won the TDU on his current form - a second rate rider. his potential has nothing to do with it, so pointing out that he has potential is a poor attempt to gloss over the fact that the winner of this latest PT race does not quite meet the high standards of other PT race winners.

I'd say he's in Daniel Martin's league, or at least pretty close.

lol. yeah
and pigs fly