The Tour Down Under Just Got Interesting

[Ferminal]

“The one thing [Drapac] neglects to consider or acknowledge is [that the] Tour Down Under is a tourism event,”

Okay so it's not a cycling race... that typifies the whole approach from Turtur and the Government.

 

[hughmoore]

“The one thing [Drapac] neglects to consider or acknowledge is [that the] Tour Down Under is a tourism event,”

Okay so it's not a cycling race... that typifies the whole approach from Turtur and the Government.

Finally you understand, like all major events its about entertainment and dollars, just like Melbourne Cup, Football Grand Finals etc.


Regards


Hugh

 

[Ferminal]

Finally you understand, like all major events its about entertainment and dollars, just like Melbourne Cup, Football Grand Finals etc.


Regards


Hugh

No, I understand completely (always have), what I don't understand is when it's mislabeled as a fabulous race.

I've never argued that the SA government is doing the wrong thing by spending millions to promote it as an "event", rather I've argued that such spending is misguided if the underlying aim is to create a great race (which as cycling fans, is that not what we want?).

 

[Anonymous]

Sky Squad

Rogers, Sutton, Henderson, Thomas, Swift, Gerrans, Hayman

 

[blaxland]

So if Cavendish is riding how many stages will he win?My pick is 3xstages.....

 

[auscyclefan94]

Sky Squad

Rogers, Sutton, Henderson, Thomas, Swift, Gerrans, Hayman

this is the only sky squad i like! Remember last year when I PM"D you about Sky winning the TDU Cancer council criterium before you had even seen the race

 

[Anonymous]

this is the only sky squad i like! Remember last year when I PM"D you about Sky winning the TDU Cancer council criterium before you had even seen the race

As lead out trains go its pretty serious. .Depends how seriously Cav takes the race, but Rogers could be a good option.

 

[euanli]

There are some pretty big engines in that squad. I doubt Henderson will be able to mix it up with the top three sprinters, unless he is peaking and they are still building.

Who knows.

 

[auscyclefan94]

There are some pretty big engines in that squad. I doubt Henderson will be able to mix it up with the top three sprinters, unless he is peaking and they are still building.

Who knows.

remember the cancer council classic last year? Sky set an infernal pace in the leadout and henderson had to do very little to take the win. All the other sprinters could not get off the wheel because they would lose position. If Sky can emulate that then anything is possible. Henderson will also be doing a lot of racing before the tdu so I think he will go there with strong form. on the tougher stage to stirling, if the pace was high like last year then I see him taking some time out of the sprinters.

 

[maltiv]

remember the cancer council classic last year? Sky set an infernal pace in the leadout and henderson had to do very little to take the win. All the other sprinters could not get off the wheel because they would lose position. If Sky can emulate that then anything is possible.

Most Sky victories this year came due to an exceptional leadout. I don't think any pro team had more 1-2 finishes in a bunch sprint than Sky had. Henderson relies on an extraordinary leadout in order to get a win, as he doesn't have a very impressive kick, but rather a high top speed. Just look at his victories this year: TDU classic (leadout by Sutton who was second), Ster Elektroer (leadout by Russel Downing who was second), Eneco tour (leadout by EBH who was third)

Sutton and Ben Swift are, in my opinion, approximately as fast as Henderson so either of them could get a stage win too.

 

[El Pistolero]

Most Sky victories this year came due to an exceptional leadout. I don't think any pro team had more 1-2 finishes in a bunch sprint than Sky had. Henderson relies on an extraordinary leadout in order to get a win, as he doesn't have a very impressive kick, but rather a high top speed. Just look at his victories this year: TDU classic (leadout by Sutton who was second), Ster Elektroer (leadout by Russel Downing who was second), Eneco tour (leadout by EBH who was third)

Sutton and Ben Swift are, in my opinion, approximately as fast as Henderson so either of them could get a stage win too.

What about HTC Columbia? Their lead oud train is simply the best.

 

[maltiv]

What about HTC Columbia? Their lead oud train is simply the best.

Obviously.

 

[The Hitch]

What about HTC Columbia? Their lead oud train is simply the best.

Which is a bit unfair because Cav can win most if not all of his sprints without a leadout anyway.

 

[NickBVK]

I think Sky can mix it with Henderson using that lead out train.

We are going to see trains forming halfway through the stage

 

[Anonymous]

Most Sky victories this year came due to an exceptional leadout. I don't think any pro team had more 1-2 finishes in a bunch sprint than Sky had.

Hayman - 9 assists last year
Sutton - 9 assists
Swift - 7 or 8 assists
Thomas - 5 assists

Those four guys were involved in virtually all of sky's wins last year, coupled with Rogers, its not far off, maybe even better than HTC's train on paper.

That said, Greipel got the better of everyone last year. And HTC do have Cav and Renshaw. Then of course you have clever riders like McEwan who will disrupt things. Certainly should be interesting, but Sky with Henderson, Gerrans, Sutton and Hayman all riding in australia in the run up, and Geraint doing track work, should go into the race on form.

Only thing I might have done would have been put in Downing for Gerrans, and you would have Sky's #1 sprint team, but Im guessing that gerrans is there to support Rogers if he gets a chance to jump away.

 

[euanli]

Henderson will also be doing a lot of racing before the tdu so I think he will go there with strong form. on the tougher stage to stirling, if the pace was high like last year then I see him taking some time out of the sprinters.

This is my point. I very much Doubt Farrar, Greipel and Cav will be in peak form. Henderson however would be. McEwen is likely to be at a peak as well I think.

 

[icefire]

Evans won't race TDU 2011

http://planetaciclista.blogspot.com/2010/11/tour-de-francia-y-vuelta-espana.html

I don't know how reliable the source may be. Evans' 2011 season said to start at Tirreno-Adriatico. He'll skip the Giro too.

 

[ingsve]

http://planetaciclista.blogspot.com/2010/11/tour-de-francia-y-vuelta-espana.html

I don't know how reliable the source may be. Evans' 2011 season said to start at Tirreno-Adriatico. He'll skip the Giro too.

This is pretty much confirmed by Kristoff who also mentioned that Evans was aiming for the Vuelta rather than the Giro next year.

 

[ingsve]

Only thing I might have done would have been put in Downing for Gerrans, and you would have Sky's #1 sprint team, but Im guessing that gerrans is there to support Rogers if he gets a chance to jump away.

Well, Gerrans has won the race himself before as well so if he's on form then anything is possible I'd say.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Well, Gerrans has won the race himself before as well so if he's on form then anything is possible I'd say.

Gerrans has won the tdu from breakaways which got 20 minutes up the road.

http://planetaciclista.blogspot.com/2010/11/tour-de-francia-y-vuelta-espana.html

I don't know how reliable the source may be. Evans' 2011 season said to start at Tirreno-Adriatico. He'll skip the Giro too.

yep, won't be racing overly much this year. From what I have heard his program will be like this

Tirreno Adriatico
Vuelta al Pais Vasco
Ardennes Classics
(break)
Dauphine
Tour
Vuelta
some autumn one day races

 

[blaxland]

Gerrans has won the tdu from breakaways which got 20 minutes up the road.


yep, won't be racing overly much this year. From what I have heard his program will be like this

Tirreno Adriatico
Vuelta al Pais Vasco
Ardennes Classics
(break)
Dauphine
Tour
Vuelta
some autumn one day races

Thats a good decision made by Cadel no Giro means he is a lot fresher come TDF time.But i think his best bet this season is one day races and the vuelta.Would like t see him double up and Win Fleche/Wallone again this year.

 

[auscyclefan94]

So here it says boonen will be riding in the tdu. Now we get this article Chicchi and Ciolek to lead Quick Step team in Santos Tour Down Under


Francesco Chicchi (Italy)
Gerald Ciolek (Germany)
Julien Vermote (Belgium)
Marco Bandiera (Italy)
Addy Engels (Netherlands)
Francesco Reda (Italy)
Davide Malacarne (Italy)

 

[blaxland]

When will the teams be named that are participating in the TDU 2011?I really hope that Pegasus gets a start,and maybe Mc ewan can get a stage win?

 

[whittashau]

So here it says boonen will be riding in the tdu. Now we get this article Chicchi and Ciolek to lead Quick Step team in Santos Tour Down Under


Francesco Chicchi (Italy)
Gerald Ciolek (Germany)
Julien Vermote (Belgium)
Marco Bandiera (Italy)
Addy Engels (Netherlands)
Francesco Reda (Italy)
Davide Malacarne (Italy)

Chicchi is a better sprinter than Boonen nowadays anyway

 

[ISDfan]

Lampre-ISD will be on Tour Down Under too .