Simon Gerrans discussion thread

[Echoes]

Milan San Remo is a great victory no doubt, but he did just sit on Cancellara's wheel over the top of the Poggio. I would take Evans' palmares every day of the week.

Would love to see you keep Cancellara's wheel after 295km of racing.
That was a great victory and a great winner for the Primavera, no doubt.

Shame he did not really get another major win since then, except Quebec. But he still has a few year ahead, I think.

Evans has been a complete rider but lacks a great classic (since the Arrow has been cut short to 200km, thanks Verbrugghen ).

 

[auscyclefan94]

Would love to see you keep Cancellara's wheel after 295km of racing.
That was a great victory and a great winner for the Primavera, no doubt.

Shame he did not really get another major win since then, except Quebec. But he still has a few year ahead, I think.

Evans has been a complete rider but lacks a great classic (since the Arrow has been cut short to 200km, thanks Verbrugghen ).

Of course, but the wind advantage that he had was significant considering that Cancellara gave him a massive leadout. Cancellara gave him that race.

 

[Echoes]

Cancellara tried to tire him out by riding as hard as he could but it did not prevail.

Unlike what many think he made no tactical mistake at all that day. It was the best tactics he could use. That's for the casual cycling 'fans'. Many powerful riders like him did win major races the way he raced that day. But Gerro was too good.

The fact that Nibali was unable to pass him in the sprint is proof that Cancellara was not merely doing the lead-out ...

 

[Erythropoietin]

Now, who will sprint for Orica tomorrow? Gerrans or Impey?

 

[oncehadhair]

It was Zam that made the comparison.


No, you are making things up. I never made such a claims on pretty much you allege that I said. I advise you to edit or delete your factually incorrect post.

Which part is incorrect?

My suggestion that you are a little light with the level of talent Gerrans has?
"I wouldn't say he is the most naturally talented bike rider in the pro peloton"?

Your suggestion that the team voted to support one rider in the world championships?
"Basically at the 2009 World Championships, the team including Gerrans voted on who should be leader of the Australian team"

Not much incorrect there. Is there another auscyclefan posting on your behalf?

Your recollection of the team meeting could be a little flawed maybe? You were there weren't you?

 

[TheBean]

White's quotes today, stating that it was Gerrans idea to allow the jersey to pass form one OGE rider to the other (Himself to Impey) was great to read.

Gerrans said it would be a career difining moment for his team mate, but meant less to himself.

In these past few years we have all read so much about team leadership disutes, in-fighting, and other rumors of a lack of contentment and feuds betwen riders and each other and/or the management.

It's awesome to read that one rider from a team would be so selfless to boost the career of another, as well as the morale of everyone on the bus.

I am quickly becomming a band-wagon fan of OGE and Gerrans. I bet their team dinner table was one of the best parties in France tonight.

 

[Archibald]

The SMH did not have him on the cover though, even of the sport section.

Might be different in Melbourne/ i am overseas, so have no idea what is happening.

I'm in Sydney and there was no real comparison of the level spoken of by ACF94...
Then again, Sydney hates cycling while Melbourne is the self proclaimed "the sporting captial of the world"...

Your recollection of the team meeting could be a little flawed maybe? You were there weren't you?

I too am curious as to the source of this information that he knows happened.


Then again, we could just go back to discussing Gerrans himself...

 

[Zam_Olyas]

It was Zam that made the comparison.


No, you are making things up. I never made such a claims on pretty much you allege that I said. I advise you to edit or delete your factually incorrect post.

I didn't make any comparison, i just stated the fact that he won more monument.And you fell for it again, ferminal taught me that.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cancellara tried to tire him out by riding as hard as he could but it did not prevail.

Unlike what many think he made no tactical mistake at all that day. It was the best tactics he could use. That's for the casual cycling 'fans'. Many powerful riders like him did win major races the way he raced that day. But Gerro was too good.

The fact that Nibali was unable to pass him in the sprint is proof that Cancellara was not merely doing the lead-out ...

Again, Cancellara was silly to do such a thing. He was talking all the wind in his face whil Gerrans had a slipstream. The only one that was going to tire out was Cancellara. Nibali could not come around either of them because both riders are better sprinters than Nibali.

Which part is incorrect?

[snip]
Your recollection of the team meeting could be a little flawed maybe? You were there weren't you?

Firstly, I was not there. That is the first thing you have got correct in this thread.

You said:

Your claim that a team will support one rider in a world championship race doesn't make sense given the nature of a long one day race.

I never said such a thing. I would argue for Australia to not ride for one rider. Australia chose to do so with a team vote.

And even if they voted for just one why shouldn't Gerrans vote for himself (its not like he didn't have some form). MOst athletes at that level have confidence in their ability.

I never claimed otherwise. Incorrect.

Your estimate of Gerran's levels of natural talent are a little miserly IMO.

He is a talented rider who has produced outstanding performances over consistently.

Everyone at this level is talented, I said I did not believe he is the most naturally talented rider going around. I agree he is a good bike rider, but most of his wins have been against breakaway riders or in smaller races at the start of the year. With a Vo2 max of 80, I would not say he is the most naturally talented bike rider in the pro peloton compared to an Evans which has had reading from 88-90.

I didn't make any comparison, i just stated the fact that he won more monument.And you fell for it again, ferminal taught me that.

Glad to know that moderators teach members to troll other members.
You somewhat did in your disjointed English.

I think his monument wins is more than that of Cadels?

 

[eljimberino]

You had a point till your second last sentence.

There was one rider who helped Cadel that day. The rest were working for the teams leader and that was Gerrans. Evans actually waited on the first climb for Gerrans on the final lap. That was when Cancellara blew everyone apart. Cadel almost looked like he wouldn't make it to the front elect group.

In that case Gerrans actually helped Evans win that day. By waiting for Gerrans Evans saved his energy on the ascent and caught up on the descent.

But I challenge you to show footage of Evans waiting for Gerrans while Spartacus attacked.

I think Evans just got caught out a bit and then had to catch up.


In either case not being active in the climb helped Evans. He didn't get involved and could sit on the back during the descent, drink a little and assess the situation.


I also challenge aussiecyclingfan to provide some evidence of the team voting scenario.

 

[auscyclefan94]

In that case Gerrans actually helped Evans win that day. By waiting for Gerrans Evans saved his energy on the ascent and caught up on the descent.

But I challenge you to show footage of Evans waiting for Gerrans while Spartacus attacked.

I think Evans just got caught out a bit and then had to catch up.


In either case not being active in the climb helped Evans. He didn't get involved and could sit on the back during the descent, drink a little and assess the situation.


I also challenge aussiecyclingfan to provide some evidence of the team voting scenario.

Evans has said so that he let Gerro follow the moves and then when he saw that Gerrans did not have it, he went across the gap. You can see it in parts in the footage that Evans lets the wheel go in the second group and Gerrans tries to go with the front group. Evans then has to bridge across. he didn't really sit back considering that Cancellara was going full gas and he was behind. Watch the race, please.

Het Nieuwsblad reported it and I also have an undisclosed source. I won't be telling you who that is. When there is smoke, there is fire in these situations.

 

[oncehadhair]

Firstly, I was not there.

So any report of a vote, decision or 1st hand knowledge of what happened just lost all credibility.

Everyone at this level is talented, I said I did not believe he is the most naturally talented rider going around. I agree he is a good bike rider, but most of his wins have been against breakaway riders or in smaller races at the start of the year. With a Vo2 max of 80, I would not say he is the most naturally talented bike rider in the pro peloton compared to an Evans which has had reading from 88-90.

No good trying to wriggle out of your talent statement. There is more to talent that vo2max.

You need to read your posts before you put them up and try to see what others will read. No use trying to back pedal when you have been caught out.

 

[eljimberino]

If Evans was so magnanimously working for Gerrans why was he letting Gerrans follow the moves? Gerrans should have been following Evans who was following the moves. I have watched the race many times. I don't read it that way. There's no footage of Gerrans struggling because the cameras were following Vino.

The point of all this is that your allegiance to Evans has coloured your perception of Gerrans and the rest of the Aussie team at the time. To conclude, as you do, that Evans won that race by himself that day, is unfounded. Will you admit that?

 

[auscyclefan94]

If Evans was so magnanimously working for Gerrans why was he letting Gerrans follow the moves? Gerrans should have been following Evans who was following the moves. I have watched the race many times. I don't read it that way. There's no footage of Gerrans struggling because the cameras were following Vino.

The point of all this is that your allegiance to Evans has coloured your perception of Gerrans and the rest of the Aussie team at the time. To conclude, as you do, that Evans won that race by himself that day, is unfounded. Will you admit that?

No I will not admit anything of the sort. Evans has said that before, I just can't find the quote. Galic Ho and others have agreed with on this point, those who are not Evans fans. He let Gerrans follow the moves so he did not bring more riders across. It is Cycling 101. There is footage of Gerrans struggling because he was going backwards and falling off the back. Evans came across.

Oncehadhair should note that of course I was not there at the vote and vo2 max is a very important measure of ability. My statements are consistent with what I have always said.

 

[eljimberino]

So Evans won the race by himself that day?

 

[auscyclefan94]

So Evans won the race by himself that day?

I never said that either. The team worked for Gerrans largely and consequentially Evans took advantage of the chasing by Australia.

 

[Jancouver]

It is not a secret that I (and many others) dislike Gerrans for for his cowardly wheel-sucking style and some may call it bad luck (or karma) what happened to him today.

But can somebody explain to me what genius picked this technical and quite dangerous event as his comeback race? Not that I will miss his wheels-sucking presence but just wondering who made that stupid decision. Isnt there enough "easy" races where he can get into the race mode?

 

[movingtarget]

It is not a secret that I (and many others) dislike Gerrans for for his cowardly wheel-sucking style and some may call it bad luck (or karma) what happened to him today.

But can somebody explain to me what genius picked this technical and quite dangerous event as his comeback race? Not that I will miss his wheels-sucking presence but just wondering who made that stupid decision. Isnt there enough "easy" races where he can get into the race mode?

So riders you don't like all deserve broken elbows or so called karma ? He was injured before, it's hardly Paris-Roubaix and he has to get some racing miles in sooner rather than later if he wants to do well in the Ardenne races.

 

[nepetalactone]

So riders you don't like all deserve broken elbows or so called karma ? He was injured before, it's hardly Paris-Roubaix and he has to get some racing miles in sooner rather than later if he wants to do well in the Ardenne races.

Sooner or later? There are 3 major stage races going on this week!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

So no wheelsucking wins in the Ardennes this year. Or it must come from Valverde.

 

[scholar]

I'm also no fan of Gerrans (even if I harbour a certain grudging respect for the fact that he's won two different monuments the way he has), but criticizing him for choosing Striade Bianchi as a comeback race seems a little over-harsh to me. I mean, I presume they'll have made the decision on the grounds that it seemed the best race for his return. Obviously it looks at best an unfortunate decision in hindsight, but he had to start racing again somewhere.

I wish him all the best for an unproblematic and swift recovery.

 

[Netserk]

So no wheelsucking wins in the Ardennes this year. Or it must come from Valverde.

A rider like Gerrans present would only be a good thing for the racing. He's not the one deciding that no one else make any proper attacks, so when they don't, it's totally fair that he can profit from that. If there a group of 10 riders in the final of Liege with him in it, it is far more likely that the others in the group will want to attack than drag him to the line.

Is it boring the way Gerrans wins? Yes, but it's very often others fault that they let him. Very seldom is he capable (or his team) of shutting down a race completely. Gerrans taking the win is what the others deserve as punishment if they can't figure out to make an attack.

 

[scholar]

A rider like Gerrans present would only be a good thing for the racing.

The logic is persuasive -- it ought to be a good thing for the racing -- but sadly it isn't, or isn't always. I mean, I presume you remember last year's LBL? It wasn't disappointing only because Gerrans won.

 

[Netserk]

The logic is persuasive -- it ought to be a good thing for the racing -- but sadly it isn't, or isn't always. I mean, I presume you remember last year's LBL? It wasn't disappointing only because Gerrans won.

That's because they didn't think he could handle it (is my guess). Now they know. I'm glad they got punished for being cowards.

Anyway the only thing that would've been different without him there would've been Valverde winning from a sprint. Massive improvement

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Obviously it looks at best an unfortunate decision in hindsight, but he had to start racing again somewhere.

Some would argue the word "again" is not necessary in that sentence.