Men's Road Race *SPOILER*

secretsqirrel

northernneil wrote:

anyone else hear the massive boo's from the crowd when vino went out alone just before last lap ?

fantastic ..........

Checked Eurosport and BBC recording. Noisey crowd, but couldn't hear any booing? :roll:

frenchfighter

I'm guessing they had Gerrans as leader given his performance in the Ardennes earlier in the year but then I'd have my money on Cadel any day and I dislike Gerrans.

teagar

frenchfighter wrote:

I'm guessing they had Gerrans as leader given his performance in the Ardennes earlier in the year but then I'd have my money on Cadel any day and I dislike Gerrans.

They did.

Didn't anyone read my earlier post?!?!

afx237vi

teagar wrote:

Kléber wrote:

A good quote from Jean-Francois Bernard, he said something like "Evans is so unused to winning, he didn't know how to take his hands off the handlebars when he came near the finish line". A bit mean but it would have been nice to see Cadel saluting the crowd

Might be to do with the fact he wasn't happy with the aussie team who he felt left him in the lurch.

How was he left in the lurch? The term "team leader" means nothing in reality. When Sulzberger and O'Grady pulled that gap back they were helping Evans just as much as they were helping Gerrans.

It's not as if Evans was told to get on bottle-duty.

Kléber

hammerite wrote:

Kléber wrote:

A good quote from Jean-Francois Bernard, he said something like "Evans is so unused to winning, he didn't know how to take his hands off the handlebars when he came near the finish line". A bit mean but it would have been nice to see Cadel saluting the crowd

To be fair, after nearly 7 hours of racing, including the eyeballs out effort for the last 5km he probably didn't have much left to get both hands off the handlebars! Not the best way to start your reign as World champ by falling off because you are too knacked to stay up right!

I know, I was just relaying the quote from "Jeff". He did a great ride and deserves to wear the rainbow bands next year. I hope he rejigs things a bit and aims to take Paris-Nice and LBL next spring, before re-emerging for the Dauphiné and Tour.

frenchfighter

Timoid. wrote:

Absolutely delighted for Evans. Might silence some of his critics for a while

Definitely. He is now 2nd in the CQ Rankings (400 pointsfor the win vs 600 for the TdF overall which is a bit odd)

He has also raced 83 days this year which is definitely towards the higher end especially for similar riders.

EDIT: He is actaully 3rd as Contador has been knocked off the top spot by Valverde

teagar

afx237vi wrote:

teagar wrote:

Kléber wrote:

A good quote from Jean-Francois Bernard, he said something like "Evans is so unused to winning, he didn't know how to take his hands off the handlebars when he came near the finish line". A bit mean but it would have been nice to see Cadel saluting the crowd

Might be to do with the fact he wasn't happy with the aussie team who he felt left him in the lurch.

How was he left in the lurch? The term "team leader" means nothing in reality. When Sulzberger and O'Grady pulled that gap back they were helping Evans just as much as they were helping Gerrans.

It's not as if Evans was told to get on bottle-duty.

He wasn't given a team to boss around - to help him get into the position. Everyone was riding for Gerrans and from the sound of the interview he didn't like it.

He even said something along the lines of "thanks to me I won" , i.e. not the team.

afx237vi

teagar wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

How was he left in the lurch? The term "team leader" means nothing in reality. When Sulzberger and O'Grady pulled that gap back they were helping Evans just as much as they were helping Gerrans.

It's not as if Evans was told to get on bottle-duty.

He wasn't given a team to boss around - to help him get into the position. Everyone was riding for Gerrans and from the sound of the interview he didn't like it.

He even said something along the lines of "thanks to me I won" , i.e. not the team.

Eh... typical Cadel charm, then. The Australian team is not exactly on a par with the Azzuri or the Spaniards in terms of strength. What more did he want them to do? He should be thanking his lucky stars that his team-mates pulled that group back to a more manageable distance.

mididoctors

SecretSqirrel wrote:

northernneil wrote:

anyone else hear the massive boo's from the crowd when vino went out alone just before last lap ?

fantastic ..........

Checked Eurosport and BBC recording. Noisey crowd, but couldn't hear any booing? :roll:

except harmon "pleading" with the other riders to close him down

mididoctors

could Rodriquez have on if garate and barredo hadn't chased for sammy and valverde?

kobolnev and him were the two strongest guys in that break

moray_gub

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

P.S. Hugh Porter's rider calling is laughable

"I think that's Gerrans there" as Evans is flashed on screen and "This could be Wilman from Norway" at the start of the final lap were my personal favourites

My fav Porter faux pax was when he descrbibed J Rodriguez as a great sprinter

moray_gub

frenchfighter wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Who I want to win: Gilbert, Evans, Cunego, EBH or Gesink.

Thank you very much. He was raced tirelessly this season from start to finish. He was even pulling on the front at times today. He deserves respect and I am glad he can have the recognition all next year. Unlike some World Champions, with Cadel we will see the strip at the frontt of the big races. Congratulations on a non prestigous win.

There i've changed that for you.

moray_gub

iainf72 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Immature goader. All the recent ones were. Like I said, this one was going to be different and I was proved right.

Blimey, I'm immature.

Like I said, the last couple of laps of the Worlds are always good value.

Iain you immature goader you................like being savaged by a dead sheep

Le Commentateur

Kléber wrote:

A good quote from Jean-Francois Bernard, he said something like "Evans is so unused to winning, he didn't know how to take his hands off the handlebars when he came near the finish line". A bit mean but it would have been nice to see Cadel saluting the crowd

But looking at the replay he did. Just not in a grandstanding kind of way.

All those years of following wheels and coming second was just a bluff.

Apart from the final 4km the most impressive moment for me was how all the known 'names' were, three laps fromthe finish, at 2 minutes down being writen off by David B•llocks and Sean, yet within half a lap they were slicing their way through weary end of the breakaway. It's a shame the TV camera work wasn't able to properly capture this important change in the character of the race.

Le Commentateur

NapoleonD wrote:

In fact, that was possibly the best one day race of the year!

It took 16 laps before it interesting though. I did actually nod off for an hour at one point -- no worries, nothing had changed.

Le Commentateur

teagar wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

No more namby pamby World's circuits please.

Quite.

Shame about Melbourne!

But what's the mid-day temperatures down there at this time of year. And maybe they won't bother to close the roads, just to add sopme spice. AFAIK it's one of those places where people go out riding at the crack of dawn to avoid those two factors.

Le Commentateur

Ms Tree wrote:

I've loved it this week when Sean has had to do some fill in while Harmon has a 'natural break' - I can picture him looking like a rabbit in the headlights!

He's like a grandfather who's been asked to mind the baby for five minutes. He's getting better every year though.

Le Commentateur

teagar wrote:

Just heard from the Sporza interview with Evans that the Aussie director picked Gerrans as the team leader, and that Evans was given free reign to do what he wanted if he made the final selection.

He had no team for him.

!!!

So, a familiar working environment then. Perhaps if he actually had an entire team at his services he might have bottled it -- well, maybe that's maybe how the DS saw it and so called it right.

stagehopper

Heard a lot about this being the toughest course in years. Was it really that much tougher than Varese?

Harry182

Congratulations, Cadel!!

I don't reckon it was the most exciting race but -- great attacks by Cancellera, Spain and Italy looked as impressive as expected, good to see Brechel in the mix and, of course, a great result!

teagar

stagehopper wrote:

Heard a lot about this being the toughest course in years. Was it really that much tougher than Varese?

Definitely.

pottssteve

I'm not a fan of Evans but you have to admire that ride. Then he goes all odd again... :roll:

Chapeau to Harmon for his "off mic" comments - can you imagine them NOT showing an F1 podium or doling out the trohy at the Wimbledon finals? I've changed my sig. as a tribute... Great work, David and Sean.

top_bhoy

Harry182 wrote:

Congratulations, Cadel!!

I don't reckon it was the most exciting race but -- great attacks by Cancellera, Spain and Italy looked as impressive as expected, good to see Brechel in the mix and, of course, a great result!

Afetr Cancelleras antics towards Cadel at this years TdF, I'm happy Cadel done him over!! Its no more than Cadel deserves after the stick, some of it clearly unwarranted, he has received from the media and many on this site.

Firecrakka

pottssteve wrote:

I'm not a fan of Evans.

And I doubt he is a fan of yours... :P

Well done Cadel.... Plenty of people will be eating humble pie.

pottssteve

Firecrakka wrote:

pottssteve wrote:

I'm not a fan of Evans.

And I doubt he is a fan of yours... :P

Well done Cadel.... Plenty of people will be eating humble pie.

Ha Ha Ha,
It's true. Ever since I trod on his dog he's stopped returning my calls.....

Mind you, my full quote was, "I'm not a fan of Evans but you have to admire that ride."

What I meant was I hadn't liked his style of riding. It was frustrating to see him always thereabouts but never able or seemingly willing to take it that bit further. However, as has been discussed elsewhere he hasn't had as much team support as he would maybe have liked. His podium places in the TdF and Vuelta were generally thought to be his career highlights, so this must be a fantastic moment for him and rightfully two fingers to doubters like me.

I just didn't realise you Aussies were so touchy...

Steve

blazing_saddles

Moray Gub wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Immature goader. All the recent ones were. Like I said, this one was going to be different and I was proved right.

Blimey, I'm immature.

Like I said, the last couple of laps of the Worlds are always good value.

Iain you immature goader you................like being savaged by a dead sheep

Lightweight, MG, Lightweight.

Has to be said, FF, did put in that disclaimer phrase for this year.
Have a feeling Berto's missed the boat, given the next two editions.
He'll now have to watch Cadel swaggering around, at the tours, which, I've no doubt he will!

In the cold light of morning, that was still the best days racing of the entire year.
Fiercely hot and a terrific high.
Whereas the Tour is alawys a bit of an anti-climax, come the Paris procession.

disgruntledgoat

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Moray Gub wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Immature goader. All the recent ones were. Like I said, this one was going to be different and I was proved right.

Blimey, I'm immature.

Like I said, the last couple of laps of the Worlds are always good value.

Iain you immature goader you................like being savaged by a dead sheep

Lightweight, MG, Lightweight.

Has to be said, FF, did put in that disclaimer phrase for this year.
Have a feeling Berto's missed the boat, given the next two editions.
He'll now have to watch Cadel swaggering around, at the tours, which, I've no doubt he will!

In the cold light of morning, that was still the best days racing of the entire year.
Fiercely hot and a terrific high.
Whereas the Tour is alawys a bit of an anti-climax, come the Paris procession.

+ Several sir, plus several.

Best race since Roubaix for me...

iainf72

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Has to be said, FF, did put in that disclaimer phrase for this year.

That is true but in the last 5 years how many excellent Worlds have we had? Quite a few I would suggest.

pottssteve

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Moray Gub wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Immature goader. All the recent ones were. Like I said, this one was going to be different and I was proved right.

Blimey, I'm immature.

Like I said, the last couple of laps of the Worlds are always good value.

Iain you immature goader you................like being savaged by a dead sheep

Lightweight, MG, Lightweight.

Has to be said, FF, did put in that disclaimer phrase for this year.
Have a feeling Berto's missed the boat, given the next two editions.
He'll now have to watch Cadel swaggering around, at the tours, which, I've no doubt he will!

In the cold light of morning, that was still the best days racing of the entire year.
Fiercely hot and a terrific high.
Whereas the Tour is alawys a bit of an anti-climax, come the Paris procession.

+ Several sir, plus several.

Best race since Roubaix for me...[/quote]

Indeed, Roubaix, Milan San Remo and this have all floated my boat this season...

disgruntledgoat

iainf72 wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Has to be said, FF, did put in that disclaimer phrase for this year.

That is true but in the last 5 years how many excellent Worlds have we had? Quite a few I would suggest.

I would suggest the only dull worlds we've had in the last few seasons was 2002 at Zolder, everybody knew what was going to happen. But then we got to see Cipo in the Rainbow Jersey.