TDU race thread

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

They have no one for the classics, so why would they care?

They'll earn a decent amount of points at T-A and P-N.

i think you saw sarcasm where there was none.

like he said, they wouldn't be to concerned. Maybe MSR, but it isn't overly important in regards to car position. Baring disaster.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

i think you saw sarcasm where there was none.

This ^^^^^^^

 

[greenedge]

They have no one for the classics, so why would they care?

Sagan and Nibali for M-SR, maybe Oss/ Viviani or Sagan for G-W.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Roe to miss Santos Tour Down Under - BMC Racing

Shame considering it is his home race. Matthias Frank (aka BAMF) will be replacing him.

 

[El Pistolero]

i think you saw sarcasm where there was none.

like he said, they wouldn't be to concerned. Maybe MSR, but it isn't overly important in regards to car position. Baring disaster.

Nah, brain fart, I didn't read the "not too" part for some reason

 

[greenedge]

Roe to miss Santos Tour Down Under - BMC Racing

Shame considering it is his home race. Matthias Frank (aka BAMF) will be replacing him.

Thats' sad for Roe. However he has to get a GT into him to develop his potential. Other years he has been too young but this is the year he should do a GT.

Frank and Ballan will make a good attacking combo.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Thats' sad for Roe. However he has to get a GT into him to develop his potential. Other years he has been too young but this is the year he should do a GT.

Frank and Ballan will make a good attacking combo.

If Ballan has good form then he will could do well in Stirling and possibly Wilunga. Frank may not have good form though the guys racing in January have stayed in Denia for an extra few days so he may be good enough to do something.

In other news, ABC Grandstand have said they are covering the Tour Down Under next year which is good news.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Startlist is looking quite weak in comparison to other years.

 

[theyoungest]

Startlist is looking quite weak in comparison to other years.

Because Evans isn't on it?

Freire, Boasson Hagen, Greipel, Goss, LL Sanchez, Petacchi, Bennati, Haussler, Ballan, Van Avermaet... not bad for a preparation race.

 

[just some guy]

Because Evans isn't on it?

Freire, Boasson Hagen, Greipel, Goss, LL Sanchez, Petacchi, Bennati, Haussler, Ballan, Van Avermaet... not bad for a preparation race.

I was thinking the Opposite to ACF - there will be a stronger line up with harder racing

 

[auscyclefan94]

Because Evans isn't on it?

Freire, Boasson Hagen, Greipel, Goss, LL Sanchez, Petacchi, Bennati, Haussler, Ballan, Van Avermaet... not bad for a preparation race.

Cavendish, Evans, Armstrong, Farrar, Valverde and many of the other top aussies who would usually be riding won't be because of GreenEdge. Admittedly when you put it the way you have it doesn't look that bad.

 

[craig1985]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have the grand announcement for everybody's favourite team, Euskaltel Euskadi and their seven man line-up to which one of them will take line honours on Wilunga Hill, or have a 120 attempts at doing so: Romain Sicard, Gorka Izagirre, Victor Cabedo, Pablo Urtasun, Rubén Pérez, Adrián Sáez de Arregui and Ricardo García.

I'm a little surprised Mikel Astarloza isn't racing.

 

[Ferminal]

Cavendish, Evans, Armstrong, Farrar, Valverde and many of the other top aussies who would usually be riding won't be because of GreenEdge. Admittedly when you put it the way you have it doesn't look that bad.

With the route change every strong puncheur is now a serious GC contender, whereas before they were mainly just speculative stage hunters. But guys like Goss and Matthews still have a chance. Most teams have a top sprinter and a Wilunga contender (Sky just have Eddy ).

Maybe not the big mainstream names of past years, but the racing depth is better imo. Of course not many will actually show up in form, but that is the same every year.

 

[Anonymous]

With the route change every strong puncheur is now a serious GC contender, whereas before they were mainly just speculative stage hunters. But guys like Goss and Matthews still have a chance. Most teams have a top sprinter and a Wilunga contender (Sky just have Eddy ).

And vuelta stage winner CJ Sutton... Allegedly Mick Rogers is team leader, Eddy is just there for the ride.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cabedo will get in a break, I can almost guarantee it. I don't know what Gorka's doing there, he's better suited to bad weather and cold.

 

[Swede1]

I think whoever wins Willunga will simply be the rider that is actually in shape. I predict someone like Thomas De Gendt or Ben Hermans will win. For the sprints Greipel will absolutely crush everyone. He might even win in Sterling. Another possibility for Willunga is Gorka Izagirre.

 

[craig1985]

The last two years Vichot and Madrazo have received a lot of support, I'll be interested in who the guy will be next year. Probably a guy from EE as the requirement is a guy that doesn't speak English (or not that well, which would rule out a somebody from Holland or Belgium) and wouldn't get a lot of recognition from the peloton or the media.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Because Evans isn't on it?

Freire, Boasson Hagen, Greipel, Goss, LL Sanchez, Petacchi, Bennati, Haussler, Ballan, Van Avermaet... not bad for a preparation race.

yeah. TDU get's a good line up considering what it is

 

[auscyclefan94]

Omega Pharma Quickstep: Ciolek, Brammeier, Pauwels, Fenn, Steegmans, Trentin and Vermote

 

[craig1985]

The Equipe Cycliste FDJ - BIG MAT team for the 2012 Santos Tour Down Under will be led by Team Manager, Yvon Madiot (FRA) and include riders: Sandy Casar (FRA), William Bonnet (FRA), Arnaud Courteille (FRA), Frederic Guesdon (FRA), Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR), Jeremy Roy (FRA), Jussi Veikkanen (FIN).

http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/69F270DC20DB41929DB468C6FFD92AF4.htm

 

[Tuarts]

No Vichot

 

[greenedge]

I would love for Fenn to do a good lead out for either Steegmans/ Ciolek. He has real talent. If it was not for OPQS hang as many good sprinters as GE he would lead their sprinting ambitions.

I predict Goss to win at least 2 sprints and Greipel only one. EBH/ Sutton, Haussler, Petacchi and Ciolek the other one. Matthews to do another repeat of his stage at Stirling.

I predict an Aussie to win the overall or LLS or Ballan. Casar could also do well.
I last year followed De Gendt and LTD as my foreigners though they are Belgian/ Dutch.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The Equipe Cycliste FDJ - BIG MAT team for the 2012 Santos Tour Down Under will be led by Team Manager, Yvon Madiot (FRA) and include riders: Sandy Casar (FRA), William Bonnet (FRA), Arnaud Courteille (FRA), Frederic Guesdon (FRA), Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR), Jeremy Roy (FRA), Jussi Veikkanen (FIN).

http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/69F270DC20DB41929DB468C6FFD92AF4.htm

Huta is coming to Down Under!

 

[greenedge]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mou...-under-as-greenedge-announce-all-star-line-up

The big announcement. You guys can all go check the homepage.

 

[krebs303]

I am looking forward to the season beginning. I know some disagree that this is the start of the season. But we really need some new discussions in the forum. Just hoping for some coverage online.