Aussie Nationals (Spoiler)

frenchfighter

As regards coming back in the future and riding the event again before the finally hangs up his wheels, Evan's was non-committal at this point. “Maybe…we will see. I saw the commissaires pretty attentive there when we stopped for calls of nature. Let's see how many fines I get first,” he said, laughing.

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/16169 ... z2qCNZIyqn

greasedscotsman

emadden wrote:

Its all about the neck... or lack of it

Wait a minute, I'm seeing a bit of a pattern here...

Macaloon

frenchfighter wrote:

“Maybe…we will see. I saw the commissaires pretty attentive there when we stopped for calls of nature. Let's see how many fines I get first,” he said, laughing.

I hope that Evans seethes with resentment that the moment the sport became clean enough for him to win, his powers declined sharply, and that he unloads spectacularly in retirement publications, chilling out a touch in the process.

Ed-tron

At the TdF didn't Gerran's 'hand over' the yellow jersey to Daryl Impey to thank him for helping him previously? That seems a cool gesture.

OrGE did have a good buzz about them for the first week of the Tour, especially after the bus thing.

ozzzyosborn206

greasedscotsman wrote:

I don't get it. Gerrans rides to his abilities. He has a better sprint than anyone else in that group, so what do you expect him to do? If a rider is a good climber is it seen as being unsporting to attack on a climb?

This race is a bit like Milan San Remo, he's beaten riders better than he is and I like that. I like it when the underdog wins, especially when he's ridden with his brain rather than his legs. I also like it that so many forum members seem so upset about it!

And it seems like Evans wasn't that bothered anyway...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-s ... onal-title

not sue you can call anyone the riders for OGE an underdog in the Oz Nats, surely the underdog was Evans having no team mates in the race?

greasedscotsman

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

not sue you can call anyone the riders for OGE an underdog in the Oz Nats, surely the underdog was Evans having no team mates in the race?

I meant of the riders in the break. And out of the four riders there at the finish, I wouldn't say a rider who has won the World Champs with very little team support is not the weakest. I guess Gerrans did have Meyer, but used him perfectly. Great tactics rather than who can put down the most watts.

Wheelspinner

Richmond Racer wrote:

Wheelspinner wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

No Neck wins

*sniffs*

Quality contribution, that. Snide and insulting, in just 4 syllables. Done yourself proud.

Thanks. I'll take your feedback on board and process it.

Don't complain then the next time someone derides a women's race because the winner is unattractive, or alternatively because nobody even cares about the result, only which rider has the best T & A of the bunch. "Yeah, great ride, but she's ugly and flat-chested. But did you see that chick in 12th place? I'd do her!"

Your posts on racing generally are well informed, well reasoned and respectful. This one simply wasn't. Sorry for pointing that out.

RichN95.

I was going to post a picture of a lovely Sontaran, but I won't bother now.


(Dr Who joke)

Wheelspinner

I'm surprised nobody has posted Gladstone Small's pic. At least his nickname showed some wit.

Richmond Racer

Above The Cows wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Roulston wins the NZ champs:

Great, he gets to hopefully wear a less hideous jersey.

If I squint really badly he looks a bit like Chinny in that pic. Or is it just me?

Thought so.

Pross

I'm not a fan of Gerrans either but you have to admit he is a superb tactical rider and knows how to win a race when he is up against more talented riders. He looks very muscular in that victory shot, not like a typical pro cyclist at all.

Just glad there's some racing going on again!

ozzzyosborn206

greasedscotsman wrote:

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

not sue you can call anyone the riders for OGE an underdog in the Oz Nats, surely the underdog was Evans having no team mates in the race?

I meant of the riders in the break. And out of the four riders there at the finish, I wouldn't say a rider who has won the World Champs with very little team support is not the weakest. I guess Gerrans did have Meyer, but used him perfectly. Great tactics rather than who can put down the most watts.

Yeah I get what your saying but because the race was more than just the break Evans probably had to burn more candles to get in the position and catch Meyer also Gerrans won MSR more recently than Evans the worlds and could argue he is infact a better one day race than Evans anyway..?

andyp

The quality of Gerrans' palmares demands respect.

I like him, he's one of those riders who perfectly epitomises the famous quote about eating all the food on your rivals plates before eating your own. The really cunning thing about him, is that everyone knows that's what he does, yet he still manages to win major races using the same modus operandi.

FJS

Textbook execution of having 2 riders in a break, one of which the fastest sprinter.

simon_e

andyp wrote:

I like him, he's one of those riders who perfectly epitomises the famous quote about eating all the food on your rivals plates before eating your own. The really cunning thing about him, is that everyone knows that's what he does, yet he still manages to win major races using the same modus operandi.

+1.

I've always liked how he does it and can't decipher why people have such a fierce dislike of him. They even state openly that they don't even know themselves! Weird.

mroli

I don't like his racing style because if a race was full of Gerrans, it would make for the most boring race in the world ever. Respect him, but would rather lots of other racers win...

Having said that - Gerrans said that he was attacking up the hill trying to force the final...

greasedscotsman

mroli wrote:

I don't like his racing style because if a race was full of Gerrans, it would make for the most boring race in the world ever.

Absolutely. A race full of the same type of riders wouldn't be as interesting one with all types of riders.

takethehighroad

In the BikeRadar Big Book of Morality, which is worse?

Gerrans playing to his strengths to win or Evans settling for second?

frenchfighter

andyp wrote:

The quality of Gerrans' palmares demands respect.

I like him, he's one of those riders who perfectly epitomises the famous quote about eating all the food on your rivals plates before eating your own. The really cunning thing about him, is that everyone knows that's what he does, yet he still manages to win major races using the same modus operandi.

He is lucky I wasn't in a bike race with him as I would accidentally sneeze and slam on the brakes. I'm surprised more riders don't bully him...I'm sure he wont be trying to suck Fabian's wheel again anytime soon.

If everyone raced like him watching cycling would be pointless. Every race would end in a sprint.

What a great day this was:

TimB34

Never mind the Gerrans-bashing - isn't this quite an impressive result for Evans?

I seem to remember that before the Giro last year people were pretty much writing him off.

andyp

frenchfighter wrote:

andyp wrote:

The quality of Gerrans' palmares demands respect.

I like him, he's one of those riders who perfectly epitomises the famous quote about eating all the food on your rivals plates before eating your own. The really cunning thing about him, is that everyone knows that's what he does, yet he still manages to win major races using the same modus operandi.

He is lucky I wasn't in a bike race with him as I would accidentally sneeze and slam on the brakes. I'm surprised more riders don't bully him...I'm sure he wont be trying to suck Fabian's wheel again anytime soon.

If everyone raced like him watching cycling would be pointless. Every race would end in a sprint.

Gerrans sprint is good for someone who can climb okay, but against a proper sprinter he's got next to no chance, hence why he goes on the attack and gets in breaks.

As for your first statement, if someone did that to a rider you idolise, we'd have pages and pages of you moaning like an old biddy about it, so why don't you just accept that bike racers have different ways of winning races?

greasedscotsman

frenchfighter wrote:

He is lucky I wasn't in a bike race with him as I would accidentally sneeze and slam on the brakes. I'm surprised more riders don't bully him...I'm sure he wont be trying to suck Fabian's wheel again anytime soon.

Do you have a dog that looks like this?

frenchfighter

top_bhoy

andyp wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

andyp wrote:

The quality of Gerrans' palmares demands respect.

I like him, he's one of those riders who perfectly epitomises the famous quote about eating all the food on your rivals plates before eating your own. The really cunning thing about him, is that everyone knows that's what he does, yet he still manages to win major races using the same modus operandi.

He is lucky I wasn't in a bike race with him as I would accidentally sneeze and slam on the brakes. I'm surprised more riders don't bully him...I'm sure he wont be trying to suck Fabian's wheel again anytime soon.

If everyone raced like him watching cycling would be pointless. Every race would end in a sprint.

Gerrans sprint is good for someone who can climb okay, but against a proper sprinter he's got next to no chance, hence why he goes on the attack and gets in breaks.

As for your first statement, if someone did that to a rider you idolise, we'd have pages and pages of you moaning like an old biddy about it, so why don't you just accept that bike racers have different ways of winning races?

Does winning mountain stages in the TdF and the Giro not suggests that Gerrans is a bit better than an OK climber? Maybe 'good but not one of the greats' would be a more apt description of his climbing abilities.

I can't understand those with an inherent dislike for him. He always seems happy to face the cameras and plays to his cycling strengths. He's not the most talented rider in the peleton but not much more can be asked of a professional who maximises the talents they have got with the determination to win races; important ones too. You don't have a palmares like his being lucky.

andyp

Both his mountain stage wins came from breakaways, rather than being the best climber on the day out of the GC group, so I still think he is best described as being an okay climber. I still rate him though.

Richmond Racer

Well, whatever the argufying over likes and dislikes, the fact that the 3 of them are going so well bodes well for next week

frenchfighter

andyp

Have you cropped the bottom in the interests of public decency?

above_the_cows

frenchfighter wrote:

Did someone step on Cadel's dog?

chrisday

Simon E wrote:

andyp wrote:

I like him, he's one of those riders who perfectly epitomises the famous quote about eating all the food on your rivals plates before eating your own. The really cunning thing about him, is that everyone knows that's what he does, yet he still manages to win major races using the same modus operandi.

+1.

I've always liked how he does it and can't decipher why people have such a fierce dislike of him. They even state openly that they don't even know themselves! Weird.

+1. Like him for no massive reason, just his tenacity, I guess. Curious if either of you gents also similarly "swim against the tide" with Voeckler, whom I despise, seemingly in the face of most cycling fans' opinion. (And to be clear, I'm not on a 'contrary kick' here, just noticed there are these two riders where I'm in opposition to most!).