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Robbie McEwan - Cycling Australia

Jan 30, 2010
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I just read that Robbie McEwan is not in the Aussie team for the Worlds. This decision is beyond belief, he is currently in great form, in the twilight of his career, and the Worlds are in Australia. They owe it to him to let him ride.
 
Mar 18, 2009
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choco 2 said:
I just read that Robbie McEwan is not in the Aussie team for the Worlds. This decision is beyond belief, he is currently in great form, in the twilight of his career, and the Worlds are in Australia. They owe it to him to let him ride.

Welcome choco. Have to agree with you that it is a bummer not to invite Robbie. I guess they want to select guys that performed more consistent over the past year
 
Jun 23, 2010
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Huh?? That's shocking !! I only heard that just now. I just assumed he was in. I mean the yanks are sending Farrar. Brits Cav etc etc. There is a possibilty he can still get in, right?.
 
Aug 4, 2009
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That is Cycling australia for you they dont have any idea what they are doing

The organisers are still looking for volounteers at this late stage and wonder why .
Robbie has been a great ambasadore for Australian cyclists and that is how they repay him.

He is probably the only chance Australia has at the worlds.
 
Jun 23, 2010
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brianf7 said:
That is Cycling australia for you they dont have any idea what they are doing

The organisers are still looking for volounteers at this late stage and wonder why .
Robbie has been a great ambasadore for Australian cyclists and that is how they repay him.

He is probably the only chance Australia has at the worlds.

Out of 9 places I could fit Robbie in. Is this internal politics??
 
Aug 18, 2009
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ridley said:
Welcome choco. Have to agree with you that it is a bummer not to invite Robbie. I guess they want to select guys that performed more consistent over the past year

Like Gerrans, or Davis, or Haussler even.
 

flicker

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Aug 17, 2009
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100 quid says not a course for sprinters. I saw McQuewen ride it on the vid. What is the issue here? Aussies want to win. Gotta have someone who can breakaway. Cancellara Gilbert for victory. There are a lot of great Aussies who can win, use em!
 
Aug 18, 2009
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flicker said:
100 quid says not a course for sprinters. I saw M c E w e n ride it on the vid. What is the issue here? Aussies want to win. Gotta have someone who can breakaway. Cancellara Gilbert for victory. There are a lot of great Aussies who can win, use em!

Who are the Aussies that can win?
 

flicker

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Aug 17, 2009
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taiwan said:
Who are the Aussies that can win?

Mick Rodgers, Cadel, Haussler, O Grady probably 3 others. Great cycling country great athletes , smart.
I know Robbie is great, a sentimental favorite but not a chance in hadies he would be there in the end. Same with Farrar, Ciolx, Nibali, Frodo Griepel,etc.
 
flicker said:
Mick Rodgers, Cadel, Haussler, O Grady probably 3 others. Great cycling country great athletes , smart.
I know Robbie is great, a sentimental favorite but not a chance in hadies he would be there in the end. Same with Farrar, Ciolx, Nibali, Frodo Griepel,etc.

Agree and add Gerrans and Docker to that list...Haussler would be my favourite though.
 
Aug 18, 2009
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flicker said:
Mick Rodgers, Cadel, Haussler, O Grady probably 3 others. Great cycling country great athletes , smart.
I know Robbie is great, a sentimental favorite but not a chance in hadies he would be there in the end. Same with Farrar, Ciolx, Nibali, Frodo Griepel,etc.

Well, you could count out Rogers, Evans and O'Grady, there's space for McEwen even with them though. Nibali?
 

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Aug 17, 2009
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taiwan said:
Well, you could count out Rogers, Evans and O'Grady, there's space for McEwen even with them though. Nibali?
I know Griepel Manx guy Farrar will be there in body only. Sorry Nibali wrong gy do the leakyguy guys have another sprinter? Why put sprinters on that course anyway.? The weather will be terrible and most everyone will be tired.
 
May 6, 2009
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flicker said:
I know Griepel Manx guy Farrar will be there in body only. Sorry Nibali wrong gy do the leakyguy guys have another sprinter? Why put sprinters on that course anyway.? The weather will be terrible and most everyone will be tired.

Are you thinking of Bennati?
 
Sep 16, 2009
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You select a team that can win and is good to win. Robbie would never have featured in the top fifty. Neither will Farrar, Cavendish etc.

Tough luck for Robbie but this is a severe race, not a tea party.
 
Aug 4, 2009
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We had wind up to 56 killometers an hour out on the course this morning and that was the best riding day this week. It looks like this weather is in for another month at least.

When you get down to the 25 sprocket and you think the bike is going in reverse it is windy

Great for the farmers and crops but not for cyclists freezing winds straight from Antarctica. Nothing in between.

So whatever happens the riders will arrive at the finish very tired.

It will be the big strong guys who will do well. its not for climbers

Having said all that Robbie can hide in any group.
 
Jun 23, 2010
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brianf7 said:
We had wind up to 56 killometers an hour out on the course this morning and that was the best riding day this week. It looks like this weather is in for another month at least.

When you get down to the 25 sprocket and you think the bike is going in reverse it is windy

Great for the farmers and crops but not for cyclists freezing winds straight from Antarctica. Nothing in between.

So whatever happens the riders will arrive at the finish very tired.

It will be the big strong guys who will do well. its not for climbers

Having said all that Robbie can hide in any group.

After looking at the map and seeing it coastal. I reckon the wind could play a huge part in it. Thanks for the weather status down there. This plays into the Belgiuqe et Hollands teams.
 
Aug 4, 2009
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Its the ride out from Melbourne from Werribee to Geelong that has most wind
it flat and open plain we get north westerly winds in winter and spring But it can rarly also get North Easterly and that will give then 50 kmh up the bum.
It will then be a case of hang in and pray as they get up super speeds.

Ounce on the circuit it is a lot quieter and sheltered but that hill up to the finish can have a big tail wind from the bay.

Riders from Europe will need to get used to the weather we also get a lot of pollen from canola feilds that can cause breathing troubles in spring the Wattle pollen also plays havoc if your not used to it.

other isues like ultra violet and swooping magpies etc all make this a different race.
 
Why should Haussler be an automatic selection ? He has not had much racing lately. I am still not convinced that the course is a good one for sprinters though. The pro's and directors that have seen the course think it's harder than most realise and at the finish it could favour strong guys like O'Grady, Cancellara, Chavanel type riders more than sprinters. But if the Aussies were going to include a sprinter it would have to be McEwen. Renshaw has already said he will be working for others if selected and McEwen's current form is good.
 
Let's be serious, McEwen is never going to make a final selection on the day, he didn't even make the sprint in Hamburg! Robbie has been a great finisher on days for sprinters, but he's not a sprinting all-rounder, or a man who can put in a fast finish from a select group.

In the provisional squad, there is Davis, Goss, Haussler, Renshaw, McEwen and Sutton as "sprinters". Haussler is a faster sprinter, Davis and Goss are better over difficult terrain whilst Renshaw is basically a sprinter's Super Dom. Sutton is not quite good enough as a teammate or a sprinter to be considered for selection.

Whilst I have enormous amounts of respect for Robbie's career and his achievements, as well as his efforts this season, there is no way I could see him picked ahead of the other four. Any selection would simply be a token selection and a "home farewell", but it's clear Cycling Australia have not gone down that avenue.
 

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