Most Boring WorldTour Race (In General, Not This Year)?

[Libertine Seguros]

If you pushed me I would say it should be 2.HC, but I couldn't give less of a **** about race ratings. I'd prefer to watch Le Samyn over Vattenfall. Tro Bro Leon over Scheldeprijs, Roma Maxima over Quebec.

You haven't addressed my point about the difference between boring and big names. Have you seen the teams doing the Cadel Evans race and even the Herald Sun Tour these days? If they are doing them they would do the Tour Down Under, at least Orica would, don't exaggerate.

Some of those teams are doing the Cadel Evans race and the Herald Sun Tour because they're in Australia for the TDU, so they may as well get some more race days in the good weather while they can. If they didn't have to do the TDU, some of them might not do any of the races, but the other Australian race organizers have - quite rightly - seized the opportunity to create a mini-season that attracts teams to do a bit more racing while they're down there; if it were just for those races, a lot of WT teams mightn't bother (especially jetting halfway around the world for a one-day race without the history as opposed to the 2010 Worlds, since obviously the Worlds are a big thing), but if you have to send your resources to Australia for the TDU it makes sense to make the most of it. The same goes for the US stage races in August clustering together; putting the flyaway races together makes sense.

It comes down to what you want from a race. Anybody who wants a genuine climbing challenge in January goes to San Luís. But a lot of riders don't want that at that point in their preparations so the TDU is better for them.

The TDU's problem for many people for many years was that the route was uninspired; they didn't even need to toughen the race, just do a better job of using the few obstacles they included. Maybe a short TT on the final day instead of an 80km crit. I have had disagreements on the subject before, but I honestly don't believe an 80km crit belongs in the World Tour. It's not like the end of the TDF/Vuelta parades where teams need to congratulate themselves for making it to the end. Hell, the TDU would be an ideal kind of race to trial a skiing-style pursuit format over a short stage, since the gaps on GC tend to be comparatively small, however the UCI frown on split-stages in WT races. The course is, however, improving, with the move to a HTF on Willunga Hill and a couple of additional hills close to finishes, an extra lap of the Stirling circuit and so on. The race hasn't become a really difficult race but it has made it more competitive and, while it's clear big guns don't really have too much of a reason to care except for the Aussies, it does at least make it a lot more interesting to pay attention than in the days of Allan Davis winning the GC.

 

[nhowson]

Some of those teams are doing the Cadel Evans race and the Herald Sun Tour because they're in Australia for the TDU, so they may as well get some more race days in the good weather while they can. If they didn't have to do the TDU, some of them might not do any of the races, but the other Australian race organizers have - quite rightly - seized the opportunity to create a mini-season that attracts teams to do a bit more racing while they're down there; if it were just for those races, a lot of WT teams mightn't bother (especially jetting halfway around the world for a one-day race without the history as opposed to the 2010 Worlds, since obviously the Worlds are a big thing), but if you have to send your resources to Australia for the TDU it makes sense to make the most of it. The same goes for the US stage races in August clustering together; putting the flyaway races together makes sense.

It comes down to what you want from a race. Anybody who wants a genuine climbing challenge in January goes to San Luís. But a lot of riders don't want that at that point in their preparations so the TDU is better for them.

The TDU's problem for many people for many years was that the route was uninspired; they didn't even need to toughen the race, just do a better job of using the few obstacles they included. Maybe a short TT on the final day instead of an 80km crit. I have had disagreements on the subject before, but I honestly don't believe an 80km crit belongs in the World Tour. It's not like the end of the TDF/Vuelta parades where teams need to congratulate themselves for making it to the end. Hell, the TDU would be an ideal kind of race to trial a skiing-style pursuit format over a short stage, since the gaps on GC tend to be comparatively small, however the UCI frown on split-stages in WT races. The course is, however, improving, with the move to a HTF on Willunga Hill and a couple of additional hills close to finishes, an extra lap of the Stirling circuit and so on. The race hasn't become a really difficult race but it has made it more competitive and, while it's clear big guns don't really have too much of a reason to care except for the Aussies, it does at least make it a lot more interesting to pay attention than in the days of Allan Davis winning the GC.

Good point on the clustering of races, I hadn't thought of that.

Concerning the crit, I think the one at the beginning should stay but I'm less sure of the last one definitely. They're trying to make it more interesting this year by including Montefiore Hill, which has very brief grades ~7%. Whether it does much, we'll see.

 

[nhowson]

Yeah, just like in 1999, when the TDU started as a 2.4-category race (the second lowest, on a par with, ahem, Clasico RCN or the GP de Beauce). GS I teams present that year: Telekom, Saeco, Once, Crédit Agricole, Casino, Lampre...

Every year before it was a WT event at least some teams came down.

 

[Flyjin]

Very strange results here. Eeneco is a very professional organised event with real spirit& lots of fans near by the nice small hills

 

[theyoungest]

Very strange results here. Eeneco is a very professional organised event with real spirit& lots of fans near by the nice small hills

It's a poll from 2011. Eneco has undergone a massive improvement since then, and is now one of the more entertaining races.

 

[Escarabajo]

Yeah, just like in 1999, when the TDU started as a 2.4-category race (the second lowest, on a par with, ahem, Clasico RCN or the GP de Beauce). GS I teams present that year: Telekom, Saeco, Once, Crédit Agricole, Casino, Lampre...

Those teams needed a vacation!!

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Those teams needed a vacation!!

I can understand them well. If I were a pro I would go to the TDU every year. Nice weather, civilized roads, cuddling with 'Roos and Koalas - what's not to like about that?

 

[Jancouver]

I can understand them well. If I were a pro I would go to the TDU every year. Nice weather, civilized roads, cuddling with 'Roos and Koalas - what's not to like about that?

what's not to like about that?

How about a multi day travel times, jet lag, extreme heat, etc

... and based on this guy, Australia is the worst place for cyclist

http://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...ircled-the-globe/story-fnndib5x-1227148325250

 

[Jagartrott]

what's not to like about that?

How about a multi day travel times, jet lag, extreme heat, etc

... and based on this guy, Australia is the worst place for cyclist

http://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...ircled-the-globe/story-fnndib5x-1227148325250

Some of the comments underneath that piece are sick.

 

[argyllflyer]

Due to its place in the calendar (either clashing with or as it is now, immediately post-Tour) I have to go for Tour de Pologne. Stupid inflatables everywhere also and almost every stage seems to be a dull circuit. Even when they took it to Italy to mountains, a lack of interest from locals took a lot away from the spectacle. Rubbish race.

 

[Suspicious]

TDU. Major snoozefest. Shouldn't even be in the WT.

 

[42x16ss]

Because its poorly attended, early season race in Australia and only few Aussies care about this race. Most of the top riders are not interested in traveling that far this early in the season and for most riders this is just a training ride.

After all, we all know that they made this a WT race, to make the participation mandatory, otherwise no WT team (other than Orica) would show up.

Hmmm, how sure are you there? Here's a list of some of the teams from the 1999 TDU - the first edition:

Saeco
Telekom
Credit Agricole
ONCE
Casino
Lampre
JackJones

Along with these cr@ppy riders:

Sastre
Zabel
Vino
Backstedt
Skibby
O'Grady
Aldag
Mori
Kirsipuu
Commesso
Hammond

Half decent crowd for a first year race in a country where cycling is a fringe sport no? Also, look over the start lists for the TDU over the years and you will see a surprising amount of big names who start their season there pretty much every year.

Sure Adelaide is hot but you will find that most of the riders don't get there until a day or two before the race, they are training in the region around Bright, Victoria and will stay at altitude at the ski resort in Falls Creek, which is at around 1750m above sea level (and a lot cooler). It's a 2.5 hour drive to Melbourne airport then a 1 hour flight to Adelaide, not that bad.

I was there for several days last week and there were pros turning up already, including the majority of the Drapac squad, several Avanti riders, locally based guys like Koen de Kort and Simon Clarke and even two IAM guys I ran into on the way out to Mt Buffalo. The Lampre team also stayed there last year and are booked in to arrive again any day now.

The race itself - the organisers have obviously recognised that it was a snoozefest when the likes of Davis and Griepel were able to win the GC but if you look back over the last 3 editions, there's been some reasonably good racing too, such as the Gerrans/Valverde duel in 2012, Thomas/Slagter in 2013 and the fight between Porte, Ulissi, Gerrans and Evans last year. Like the Eneco Tour it's improved quite a bit, although I do agree it had to.

 

[Jancouver]

Hmmm, how sure are you there? Here's a list of some of the teams from the 1999 TDU - the first edition:

Saeco
Telekom
Credit Agricole
ONCE
Casino
Lampre
JackJones

Along with these cr@ppy riders:

Sastre
Zabel
Vino
Backstedt
Skibby
O'Grady
Aldag
Mori
Kirsipuu
Commesso
Hammond

Half decent crowd for a first year race in a country where cycling is a fringe sport no? Also, look over the start lists for the TDU over the years and you will see a surprising amount of big names who start their season there pretty much every year.

Sure Adelaide is hot but you will find that most of the riders don't get there until a day or two before the race, they are training in the region around Bright, Victoria and will stay at altitude at the ski resort in Falls Creek, which is at around 1750m above sea level (and a lot cooler). It's a 2.5 hour drive to Melbourne airport then a 1 hour flight to Adelaide, not that bad.

I was there for several days last week and there were pros turning up already, including the majority of the Drapac squad, several Avanti riders, locally based guys like Koen de Kort and Simon Clarke and even two IAM guys I ran into on the way out to Mt Buffalo. The Lampre team also stayed there last year and are booked in to arrive again any day now.

The race itself - the organisers have obviously recognised that it was a snoozefest when the likes of Davis and Griepel were able to win the GC but if you look back over the last 3 editions, there's been some reasonably good racing too, such as the Gerrans/Valverde duel in 2012, Thomas/Slagter in 2013 and the fight between Porte, Ulissi, Gerrans and Evans last year. Like the Eneco Tour it's improved quite a bit, although I do agree it had to.

Look, I have nothing against Australia. All I'm saying is that this is not a WT race and it is sad and almost unfair that the rider who will win one 150km stage on Wilunga Hill will most likely win the whole race and will score more WT points (and CQ points) than the winner of Paris - Roubaix etc.

Its almost amateurish race with stages between 90km and 150km. Even the official website is pathetic and they cant even list stages like very real race would do:

http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/race-routes.htm

2015 Race Routes
Find out all about the race routes, including maps and point to point information.

People's Choice Classic

Hostworks Stage 1

Stage 2

Thomas Foods Stage 3

Bupa Stage 4

BikeExchange Stage 5

Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage 6

Its a joke race. Always has been and always will be and I hope that one day they will take it off the WT calendar ...

Sorry ... just how I feel about this race.

 

[nhowson]

Look, I have nothing against Australia. All I'm saying is that this is not a WT race and it is sad and almost unfair that the rider who will win one 150km stage on Wilunga Hill will most likely win the whole race and will score more WT points (and CQ points) than the winner of Paris - Roubaix etc.

Its almost amateurish race with stages between 90km and 150km. Even the official website is pathetic and they cant even list stages like very real race would do:

http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/race-routes.htm

2015 Race Routes
Find out all about the race routes, including maps and point to point information.

People's Choice Classic

Hostworks Stage 1

Stage 2

Thomas Foods Stage 3

Bupa Stage 4

BikeExchange Stage 5

Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage 6

Its a joke race. Always has been and always will be and I hope that one day they will take it off the WT calendar ...

Sorry ... just how I feel about this race.

At least admit that you were factually incorrect in asserting that no big teams would go etc.

Oh no they are trying to make money in a sport where mist events lose it!

 

[42x16ss]

Look, I have nothing against Australia. All I'm saying is that this is not a WT race and it is sad and almost unfair that the rider who will win one 150km stage on Wilunga Hill will most likely win the whole race and will score more WT points (and CQ points) than the winner of Paris - Roubaix etc.

Its almost amateurish race with stages between 90km and 150km. Even the official website is pathetic and they cant even list stages like very real race would do:

http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/race-routes.htm

2015 Race Routes
Find out all about the race routes, including maps and point to point information.

People's Choice Classic

Hostworks Stage 1

Stage 2

Thomas Foods Stage 3

Bupa Stage 4

BikeExchange Stage 5

Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage 6

Its a joke race. Always has been and always will be and I hope that one day they will take it off the WT calendar ...

Sorry ... just how I feel about this race.

How far would you have the riders race at this time of the year, in heat like Adelaide? I know that I for one, would prefer for the race to be held 4-6 weeks later, with an extra 20-40 kms on each stage (or better yet, be held in the Victorian Alps, where it's even possible to have 2-3 Cat 1-2 MTFs) but there's two undisputable facts:

1. The riders like racing the TDU. They like the short stages, the lack of transfers and the chance to get away from the cold Euro conditions. Look over the start lists from year to year - a surprising amount of riders keep coming back again and again. Some high profile riders even bring their families for a week or two while they prepare for a holiday in the sun. The race organisers even take the riders feedback into account when planning the race

2. The racing has improved. Sure it's not the Giro d'Italia but it's better than the middle week of the TDF and some other WT races like Poland and Beijing. Gone are the days of the sprinter who can get over Wilunga fastest taking the GC and the last 3 editions have all had decent fights for the overall.

IMO it's like the WT's prologue. Good to see which teams have gelled over the off season and for establishing a pecking order heading into the early Spring Classics and Tirreno-Adriatico/Paris-Nice. I dismissed it until a few years ago but the last few years I see it as a good precursor to the season proper.

 

[Jagartrott]

It does not make sense to be riding there in prime summer season, with 40 °C temperatures, and then doing races in Europe, where temperatures can be 30-35 ° lower.

 

[Jancouver]

How far would you have the riders race at this time of the year, in heat like Adelaide? I know that I for one, would prefer for the race to be held 4-6 weeks later, with an extra 20-40 kms on each stage (or better yet, be held in the Victorian Alps, where it's even possible to have 2-3 Cat 1-2 MTFs) but there's two undisputable facts:

1. The riders like racing the TDU. They like the short stages, the lack of transfers and the chance to get away from the cold Euro conditions. Look over the start lists from year to year - a surprising amount of riders keep coming back again and again. Some high profile riders even bring their families for a week or two while they prepare for a holiday in the sun. The race organisers even take the riders feedback into account when planning the race

2. The racing has improved. Sure it's not the Giro d'Italia but it's better than the middle week of the TDF and some other WT races like Poland and Beijing. Gone are the days of the sprinter who can get over Wilunga fastest taking the GC and the last 3 editions have all had decent fights for the overall.

IMO it's like the WT's prologue. Good to see which teams have gelled over the off season and for establishing a pecking order heading into the early Spring Classics and Tirreno-Adriatico/Paris-Nice. I dismissed it until a few years ago but the last few years I see it as a good precursor to the season proper.

How far would you have the riders race at this time of the year, in heat like Adelaide?
How far? 0km!
As you can see even the weather is not suitable for bike racing!

1. The riders like racing TDU?
Are you kidding me? Or are you just talking about Australian riders? They dont like the race thats why they dont show up.

2. Yes, it is no longer boring sprintfest where Greipel takes all the stages. Now, it is a boring one stage, one hill race.

WT Prologue?
Where is Spartacus, Tony Martin, Wiggins, Froome, Contador, Sagan, Boonen and other top riders to participate in this WT Prologue?

Please be honest with yourself and admit that this race is a total joke. This year it will be all about one, almost retired rider, who will battle for the overall will. Gimmi a break!

 

[Roude Leiw]

How far would you have the riders race at this time of the year, in heat like Adelaide?
How far? 0km!
As you can see even the weather is not suitable for bike racing!

1. The riders like racing TDU?
Are you kidding me? Or are you just talking about Australian riders? They dont like the race thats why they dont show up.

2. Yes, it is no longer boring sprintfest where Greipel takes all the stages. Now, it is a boring one stage, one hill race.

WT Prologue?
Where is Spartacus, Tony Martin, Wiggins, Froome, Contador, Sagan, Boonen and other top riders to participate in this WT Prologue?

Please be honest with yourself and admit that this race is a total joke. This year it will be all about one, almost retired rider, who will battle for the overall will. Gimmi a break!

I think you are a bit harsh, i like the prologue of the WT as mentioned higher. Considering especially that there are races like Tour of Peking, now dead, to compete against as most boring....

Overall it is early season, so expectations to racing should not be too high, people are looking for form and fitness under race conditions. It is not that different than certain races in the US in this respect, even if those do not have WT status

 

[42x16ss]

How far would you have the riders race at this time of the year, in heat like Adelaide?
How far? 0km!
As you can see even the weather is not suitable for bike racing!

1. The riders like racing TDU?
Are you kidding me? Or are you just talking about Australian riders? They dont like the race thats why they dont show up.

The foreign riders hate the TDU so much that the list of those who keep coming back regularly has included:

Vino
Zabel
Kirsipuu
Paolini
LL Sanchez
Voigt
Van Summeren
Greipel
Hondo
Elmiger
Gilbert
Tafi
Botcharov
Rojas
Hinault
Valverde

At the time of the poll, it wasn't worthy of WT status, but if you make the effort to follow it this year you'll see it has improved quite a lot and is a worthy race in its own right.

 

[Pricey_sky]

I quite like the TDU, it's nice to watch competitive bike racing in the middle of January and it plugs the gap until the European season really kicks off a month or so later.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The foreign riders hate the TDU so much that the list of those who keep coming back regularly has included:

Vino
Zabel
Kirsipuu
Paolini
LL Sanchez
Voigt
Van Summeren
Greipel
Hondo
Elmiger
Gilbert
Tafi
Botcharov
Rojas
Hinault
Valverde

At the time of the poll, it wasn't worthy of WT status, but if you make the effort to follow it this year you'll see it has improved quite a lot and is a worthy race in its own right.

The issue is less about how many top riders ride the TDU, and more about how many top riders ride it with the intention of making a difference. That's always been part of the problem the TDU has had; until the instigation of the HTF at Old Willunga Hill they could point to a decent field... of riders who mostly sat in the péloton logging their kilometres. In 2010 we got the Evans-Valverde-LuLu-Sagan break, and that was a real shock because of seeing riders of class actually working hard in the race.

In a way it's a microcosm of the California problem, with the Tour of California people pointing out they had a lot of big names showing up, but many were Classics specialists who were coming off a peak or riders peaking for the Tour who were early in their form cycle, so few were there at any real strength. If you want to see entertaining climbing racing in January, San Luís is where to go. The TDU would not see any hostility if there were different categories within short stage races within the World Tour, i.e. if races like it, Eneco and Poland (despite its long history) did not pay the same points as prestigious and historic events like Paris-Nice, Suisse and País Vasco. With the death of the execrable Beijing race, it re-assumes its role as least relevant/important World Tour race, given that it's so far removed from the rest of the calendar, i.e. races like Poland and Eneco can at least be used as part of the warmup for the Vuelta or the Worlds.

 

[Archibald]

wow, such vitirol for the TDU Summer Training Camp and Junior Team Member Trials Event.
And here's me thinking that the windy dead flat desert race just after it was the most boring - an ITT and then some sprints... but wait, there's cross winds and echelons

 

[Pricey_sky]

wow, such vitirol for the TDU Summer Training Camp and Junior Team Member Trials Event.
And here's me thinking that the windy dead flat desert race just after it was the most boring - an ITT and then some sprints... but wait, there's cross winds and echelons

The thread is most boring WT race, the race I'm guessing your on about is Qatar which is 2.HC.

 

[Netserk]

wow, such vitirol for the TDU Summer Training Camp and Junior Team Member Trials Event.
And here's me thinking that the windy dead flat desert race just after it was the most boring - an ITT and then some sprints... but wait, there's cross winds and echelons

Qatar is a nice little race. Not many races that almost annually are decided by crosswinds. Not to mention that Boonen is the winningest rider in the race, which automatically makes it a great race.

 

[The Hegelian]

TDU for me as well.

For all the reasons mentioned + the scenery is dire: everything is basically brown and lifeless in lieu of the baking summer. In fact, a lot of the route has been shrouded in bushfires over the last week. Not the place for a bike race.

If Australia is to have one big WT race, it should be the Herald-Sun Tour: has a long history, has produced some quality winners and has excellent (and beautiful) parcours (including some genuine alpine climbs).

TDU (like Beijing) is the perfect example of the ill conceived quest to globalise the sport by looking at balance sheets rather than reason.