UCI World Championships 2010, Geelong: Early Thread

[William H]

The group at Milan-San Remo when Cav won was in the 30s

 

[Spare Tyre]

robbie spent his whole life riding for his country and CA wont give him the respect he deserves by letting him see out his career on home soil

absolutely disgusting decision

I thought most of his racing has been done for professional teams that have paid rather handsomely.

I feel a bit disappointed about it, but I don't agree selection should be made based on whether or not someone might be approaching the end of their career.

 

[hrotha]

I thought most of his racing has been done for professional teams that have paid rather handsomely.

I feel a bit disappointed about it, but I don't agree selection should be made based on whether or not someone might be approaching the end of their career.

Agreed. This is a professional sport. The Australian team has to do their best to win this, it being on their home turf gives them more responsibility to do so. If whoever made the selection doesn't think McEwen is a good choice for this course, it's fine. It's certainly debatable from a sporting point of view (personally I'd have brought him), but many people here are going overboard.

 

[Cobblestoned]

At the end of the day, do you want to honour a cyclist or win the race.

Robbie in the team means one less workhorse to set it up for someone else. Robbie has no chance to win so why take away a powerful rider for someone who will probably pull out half way through and not contribute at all?

Epic thoughts

 

[boardhanger]

At the end of the day, do you want to honour a cyclist or win the race.

Robbie in the team means one less workhorse to set it up for someone else. Robbie has no chance to win so why take away a powerful rider for someone who will probably pull out half way through and not contribute at all?

Do you not think riding at home, in the worlds. near the end of your carreer ain't motivational ideals to target and train for?. Pull out halfway?? This isn't some Dutch crit we're discussing. Not contribute?? As if McEwan is gonna show up at his home worlds and spin about Geelong waving is totaly an oxymoran of his carreer to date. A race like this would bring added motivation and aggression to McEwan. I mean if he got away with a large break 20KM to go which happens most world because of team size/structures wouldn't that force other teams to chase. There is mulitpule reasons why he should be there. Less for why he is not.

 

[Polyarmour]

I believe its a decision based on wanting to rip the bunch to shreds> If McEwan rides we can't push the pace to get rid off the sprinters now instead we will have another rider to set the tempo.

Cavendish and Co will not make it to the line, we will make sure of it.

As much as it pains me I think you're right. Taking Robbie to the Worlds means setting him up for a bunch finish alongside Cav. A better strategy is to take riders who can push the pace and drop Cav somewhere along the way.

 

[Sasquatch]

The course does not suit McEwen. Period.

I wish he was riding so I could make big money saying he won't finish in the top fifty.

If he rode, he would not finish in the top fifty. Mark my words on that. So why would you want him in the team? No amount of motivation is going to make this course suit him. None.

The only sprinters that could go close to winning are Freire and Haussler. No one else makes the cut. Although, I have probably missed one or two.

 

[Ferminal]

Blaxland, Renshaw is a worse climber than mcewen. He will be no way near it. This is a tough course and mcewen was showing good form and if it kept on improving he would of been right up there. Davis I doubt will get selected. Gerrans doesn't have the punch imo to go with gilbert and some of the spainiards and italians.

Haussler or Evans are the only two who can win it for Australia, surely everyone knows that...

 

[search]

Leave Porte out. Let him focus on the time trial where he can go top three.

I just read that he is in the squad for the commonwealth games in Delhi - does that mean that he won't start at the world championships?

 

[taiwan]

German squad, Greipel leads.

Marcus Burghardt (BMC Racing Team)
Bert Grabsch (HTC-Columbia) (road and time trial)
André Greipel (HTC-Columbia)
Danilo Hondo (Lampre)
Christian Knees (Team Milram)
Sebastian Lang (Silence-Lotto)
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) (road and time trial)
Marcel Sieberg (HTC-Columbia)
Fabian Wegmann (Team Milram)

Pretty strong team, lots of watts available, but if I'm right about the course , Wegmann or Burghardt or Hondo may have a better chance of making it to the end.

 

[Luis Ocaña]

Jurgen VDB ruled himself out for the WC, as he won't get his top form back on time. Pretty big loss for Gilbert.

 

[Sasquatch]

I just read that he is in the squad for the commonwealth games in Delhi - does that mean that he won't start at the world championships?

He's definitely doing the time trial. He may do all three yet and do the road race but he's definitely doing the time trial as well as the Commonwealth games. Deserves to do all three but see what the selectors make of it.

 

[roundabout]

Isn't there a rule that riders doing the TT at the Worlds also have to start the road race?

 

[andybb]

The Norwegian team for the WC is rumoured to be Hushovd, Boasson Hagen and Kristoff. Three sprinters... Not that it matters, because I don't think any of them will be the in the first group anyway, but Arvesen has always been in form in the WC and Nordhaug has been strong the entire season in hilly terrain.

 

[irideredthebike]

Australian team announced

http://www.cycling.org.au/?Page=38945

You can cross Heinrich Haussler off your lists of favourites.

 

[taiwan]

http://www.cycling.org.au/?Page=38945

You can cross Heinrich Haussler off your lists of favourites.

Which sucks

 

[Polyarmour]

I think Cadel, Allan Davis, Matthew Goss and Michael Rogers have done enough this year to be there. The others you could flip a coin really. Maybe Haussler doesn't have the form? I'm beginning to think Robbie's omission is a mistake.

 

[blaxland]

No Haussler O.K....I guess that means Gerrans and Davis would be Team Leaders?Right?With this sqaud the Aussies should bag a medal,just what colour?

 

[Jamsque]

I'm assuming that the exclusion of Robbie McEwen and Heinrich Haussler means that the Aussies are going all-out for Cadel to win with an attack. If they are expecting to win a bunch sprint at the Worlds with Allan Davis then they are crazy.

 

[theyoungest]

I'm assuming that the exclusion of Robbie McEwen and Heinrich Haussler means that the Aussies are going all-out for Cadel to win with an attack. If they are expecting to win a bunch sprint at the Worlds with Allan Davis then they are crazy.

I think Goss is the more likely choice for the bunch sprint. At least I hope that's the plan, for the Aussies' sake.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think Goss is the more likely choice for the bunch sprint. At least I hope that's the plan, for the Aussies' sake.

Or maybe Cadel in a sprint? I like the idea!

 

[auscyclefan94]

No Haussler O.K....I guess that means Gerrans and Davis would be Team Leaders?Right?With this sqaud the Aussies should bag a medal,just what colour?

They must be but I think it is absurd. I don't see gerrans winning from a group of 40 or a small grop of 5-10. He won't be able to go solo purely down to ability. Davis won't make it to the finish. Goss can sprint and climb quite a bit but I doubt his ability on this course with this class field. For me that leaves Cadel who will be coming off a very bad arm with only 3 races going into the worlds. As much as I'd love to see a cadel victory by going solo, the course is not tough enough for him and he won't have the form.

 

[Barrus]

Or maybe Cadel in a sprint? I like the idea!

Wouldn't be the first time he tried, remember in the Giro. That was really fun to see, would like him to try that again

 

[hrotha]

Yeah but it's not like they can do much else. Haussler wouldn't be in form anyway and McEwen is probably not faster than Goss. I would have brought him because he has the experience and the toughness and what not, mind you.

What I don't know is why they bring Porte for the TT but not for the road race. If they're betting on a Cadel race, Porte should be one of their top helpers/outsiders.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Interesting rogers is doing the tt. I guess Cadel has not done many tt's this year and has done alright but maybe not up to the mark. Porte could medal in the tt.
EDIT: Haussler has said he ruled himself out of worlds due to knee.