Melbourne - track world championship

[Freddythefrog]

Sprint

That was my impression as well. He looked in pain and was trying to do some stretches on the floor, while Kenny was ok on his warm-up bike.

Well if Bauge does get caught out like that, it will be because he has raced against his number 1 rival, been beaten and not learned anything. In which case he will very much deserve to get beaten. However one would need to imbue the whole of the French track sprint team with the brains of a rocking horse to think that they will not do some specific training for exactly that scenario. 4 months away. Plenty of time to add that little bit of extra endurance together with that bigger factor - awareness and expectation.

 

[durhamwasp]

Well if Bauge does get caught out like that, it will be because he has raced against his number 1 rival, been beaten and not learned anything. In which case he will very much deserve to get beaten. However one would need to imbue the whole of the French track sprint team with the brains of a rocking horse to think that they will not do some specific training for exactly that scenario. 4 months away. Plenty of time to add that little bit of extra endurance together with that bigger factor - awareness and expectation.

Yep, it will certainly make the French think, i just don't know whether Bauge is the sort of rider that could take 2 or 3 of those heats in a row (say Kenny did it 1st leg and Bauge won, then did it the 2nd and 3rd legs too)

 

[unsheath]

How do the Aussies have 3 of the 4 best IP riders and still not win the TP. Meyer needs to put his road aspirations on hold and come into the TP team.

He's got all the time in the world to concentrate on stage races.

Interesting to note that Howard was quick to announce his retirement from the track, but nothing from Meyer which to me seams like he's keeping the option open.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

How do the Aussies have 3 of the 4 best IP riders and still not win the TP. Meyer needs to put his road aspirations on hold and come into the TP team.

He's got all the time in the world to concentrate on stage races.

Interesting to note that Howard was quick to announce his retirement from the track, but nothing from Meyer which to me seams like he's keeping the option open.

All the time in the world wouldn't be long enough for Cam Meyer, unless by stages races you mean trying to run up a record on TDU wins.

 

[Ferminal]

All the time in the world wouldn't be long enough for Cam Meyer, unless by stages races you mean trying to run up a record on TDU wins.

How could he win on Wilunga Hill?

 

[abbaskip]

How do the Aussies have 3 of the 4 best IP riders and still not win the TP. Meyer needs to put his road aspirations on hold and come into the TP team.

He's got all the time in the world to concentrate on stage races.

Interesting to note that Howard was quick to announce his retirement from the track, but nothing from Meyer which to me seams like he's keeping the option open.

All the press seems to be that Meyer will come back in. He was having discussions with the coaches after the Worlds to discuss his next step, but they basically confirmed that the reason he was not in the TP for the Worlds was to keep down his hectic schedule.

 

[Jaunty Monty]

How do the Aussies have 3 of the 4 best IP riders and still not win the TP.

Because they are different events? If the TP was a 4x4000 relay then I'm sure the Aussies would win but in the TP each individual spends approx 1k on the front.

Although Pendleton was not as strong as Meares she did beat her fair and square in the last race (and was clearly impeded in the second) so I'm surprised people are writing her off so readily. People also seem to be forgetting that she was leading Krupeckaite 1-0 before the fortuitous relegation. Pendleton has said all along that all her prep is for peaking in August... maybe thats just spin but remember its only a month or so ago she was part of a team that broke the team sprint world record. The eye opener of this weekend was the form of the Germans.

Kennys tactics against Bauge in the second race may have have been better being left until London but by showing he may be vulnerable to the tactic it will be interesting to see if everyone tries the same thing. If I was Bauge I'd be kilo training.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

If I was Bauge I'd be kilo training.

...which will blunt his astonishing top end speed.

I agree with you to a certain extent - it may have been better to wait until the Games themselves for that one. What it has done though is put a doubt into the mind of Bauge and show the others that there is a way to beat him. You can bet that somebody will try the tactic on him before the final. Hopefully Kenny will meet him there to take advantage of the extra energy Bauge will spend chasing hard from the off.

 

[simo1733]

All the press seems to be that Meyer will come back in. He was having discussions with the coaches after the Worlds to discuss his next step, but they basically confirmed that the reason he was not in the TP for the Worlds was to keep down his hectic schedule.

Meyer won't be riding the track in London..TP will still be a great race with a world record at the end though.

 

[abbaskip]

Yep. Big news! Thought he'd be back for sure. Interesting that he says he has achieved what he wanted to, but he hasn't won Olympic Gold?

I would have thought that'd be motivation enough, especially with Australia so close to GB. Will be interesting what happens.

I think it'd be interesting if someone like Renshaw or Goss rode the TP (like O'Grady rode the madison in Athens). They'd be definitely strong enough, both have extremely strong track pedigrees, and you'd think they'd be as fast as the boys riding at the moment. GB have Thomas back, so why not bring those guys back? I think they'd add more to the team than O'Shea (who is clearly the weak link, especially if he is riding the Omnium in London). What ever happened to Dale Parker? He was as good as Hepbern in juniors, and a year younger?

 

[delbified]

If Kenny comes up against Bauge in the olympics he should try that tactic in the first leg, even if Bauge catches him and takes the 1st, he doesnt look the sort of guy that can recover from that effort quickly and could be goosed for legs 2 and 3.

the real issue is that Bauge needs to turn a bigger gear to get his top speed, which leaves him vulnerable from a standing kilo (is that how far they ride?). i agree Kenny (and probably anyone else) should try it again, if only to give Bauge a headache on whether to reduce his gearing and mess with his tactics.

 

[Ferminal]

Dale Parker retired suddenly from all forms at the end of last year, not sure of the reasons but you may be able to find something if you go digging.

O'Shea will be in the team regardless, the four will be picked from the five in the days before, so the final spot in question is Edmonson's. Whoever Australia picks is still going to be fourth best behind the big three.

GB have Thomas back because he's the best they have, and they wouldn't be a chance without him (or Wiggins). It's hardly a trivial decision in any case, to put aside one's road career for effectively a season. For Australia it would be a lot harder because they would be competing for only one position, it wouldn't be great exclusively training the TP for six months only to not make the cut - I think even Meyer knows that.

The current group has broken the national record twice in two meets, they just rode a 3:53. Edmonson is young, O'Shea has only had one season back, they will all improve.

Credit to the team which wins gold by a few tenths on the day, two full-strength lineups, no what ifs.