Tour Down Under Stage 1: Clare - Tanunda - 141km

[Ferminal]

Hopefully you were not attacked by magpies as well.

It's ok, swooping season for maggies is around September.

 

[BroDeal]

It's ok, swooping season for maggies is around September.

Sorry, but the magpie thing just cracks me up, especially the pics of riders with plastic ties on their helmets. I spent a big chunk of time watching Youtube videos of swooping.

 

[BroDeal]

No big surprise on this one. HTC gets it right this time.

 

[Anonymous]

well theres a shock..

 

[PACONi]

Hopefully you were not attacked by magpies as well.

Last time I went for a ride in the country, I got attacked. I felt like I was in the Trench Run trying to find out where Darth was going to attack from next.
Normally, I ignore the *******s, but this one was clearly using the Dark Side. It had an uncanny knack of avoiding the helmet completely and hitting my ear.
Still, it could have been worse. I hear wedge tailed eagles can do some damage when they swoop!

edit : a child born out of wedlock is filtered?? bah humbug!!

 

[auscyclefan94]

well theres a shock..

Bad luck dim...poor sky

 

[BroDeal]

Last time I went for a ride in the country, I got attacked. I felt like I was in the Trench Run trying to find out where Darth was going to attack from next.
Normally, I ignore the *******s, but this one was clearly using the Dark Side. It had an uncanny knack of avoiding the helmet completely and hitting my ear.
Still, it could have been worse. I hear wedge tailed eagles can do some damage when they swoop!

edit : a child born out of wedlock is filtered?? bah humbug!!

Eagles?? They are not the big mofos--like 60 or 70 centimeters high when they stand--that we have here in the states are they? I definitely need video.

Yeah, the filter here is ridiculous.

 

[BroDeal]

Bad luck dim...poor sky

Looks like a lot of disappointment ahead. HTC is going to spend the whole season beating sky like a baby seal.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Looks like a lot of disappointment ahead. HTC is going to spend the whole season beating sky like a baby seal.

nice analogy...

 

[PACONi]

Eagles?? They are not the big mofos--like 60 or 70 centimeters high when they stand--that we have here in the states are they? I definitely need video.

Yeah, the filter here is ridiculous.

Just kidding about the eagles. I think our eagle (we only have one type) is pretty small relativley. But they'd make a mess of you if they did swoop. Normally they hunt kangaroos. I think they have gone through windscreens, but no swooping stories to date, unfortunately.
I reckon swooping eagles would get rid of annoying cafe latte riders pretty quickly.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

so 2 & 3 for belgium today...

 

[unsheath]

Looks like the Hog Juice is working for Steegmans already.

 

[biker jk]

Just kidding about the eagles. I think our eagle (we only have one type) is pretty small relativley. But they'd make a mess of you if they did swoop. Normally they hunt kangaroos. I think they have gone through windscreens, but no swooping stories to date, unfortunately.
I reckon swooping eagles would get rid of annoying cafe latte riders pretty quickly.

The Oz wedge-tailed eagle is one of the largest in the world weighing an average of 4kg (8.8 pounds for youse yanks) with an average wingspan of 2.5 metres (98 inches). They feed on animals such as rabbits and the occasional lost American.

 

[Publicus]

What is this I hear? Allan Davis lost EIGHT minutes today? Whooo Booy! I thought he was out of shape, but goodness gracious. Apparently he got blown out the back of the bump in the road and the rest of the Astana team headed on without him. Tough break. Just hope he doesn't gorge himself on ice cream to make himself feel better.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Looks like the Hog Juice is working for Steegmans already.

That's for the clinic please...

 

[auscyclefan94]

What is this I hear? Allan Davis lost EIGHT minutes today? Whooo Booy! I thought he was out of shape, but goodness gracious. Apparently he got blown out the back of the bump in the road and the rest of the Astana team headed on without him. Tough break. Just hope he doesn't gorge himself on ice cream to make himself feel better.

U think he is an emotional eater?

 

[karlboss]

Australian accents can be a little painful, depending on how strong it is. I travelled for a year and when i came home I really cringed to hear some of my countrymen speak. Most americans have no leg to stand on when comparing bearable accents, if nothing else the volume...is there loads of background noise in the states?

Back to the race...HTC, same again all year?

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think the overall is (including time bonues)
Greipel (HTC)
Steegmans (RS)
Kohler (BMC)
Roelandts (OPL)
Kadri (AG2r)
Roe (UNI SA)
Wyss (BMC)
Henderson (Sky)
Cooke (SAX)
Brown (RAB)
Mcewen (KAT)

I put steegmans ahead of Kohler because they were same on time with time bonuses but steegmans finished ahead of him on the stage.

Even though Greipel wins the day, BMC had a very good day with best young rider, sprints jersey, 4th in the stage for Wyss and had a guy in the brake

 

[Tugboat]

U think he is an emotional eater?

If he's a true blue Aussie he'd be partial to a beer and a pie or two.

 

[stefank]

The pies are optional.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The pies are optional.

not a big pie man myself, rather a sausage roll or a pasty!

interesting with davis he said he was better than last year but he goes backwards when the road went vertical.tutur said he didn't think davis was as fast or as fit as last year looking at him in the crits.

 

[craig1985]

I predict that a rider from Euskatel Euskadi and one from Footon will also be in the day's break.

Well 1/2 ain't bad.

 

[craig1985]

What is this I hear? Allan Davis lost EIGHT minutes today? Whooo Booy! I thought he was out of shape, but goodness gracious. Apparently he got blown out the back of the bump in the road and the rest of the Astana team headed on without him. Tough break. Just hope he doesn't gorge himself on ice cream to make himself feel better.

Because Astana forgot to bring any radio's with them. Steegmans did well to finish second considering he was boxed in right in until the end. If he got a clear run, who knows?

 

[karlboss]

hard to say how steegmans would have gone with a clear run...I'm guessing second. Columbia didn't look great, but greipel did.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Awesome start to the season, especially for Greipel and Columbia. Good to see Sky in the mix.

And great to read a story and see pictures without a certain you-know-who all over them.

Let the season begin!