Tour Down Under **Spoilers**

RichN95.

Just as a snowdrop heralds the coming of spring, so photo a pro rider with a marsupial heralds the coming of a new cycling season.



I don't think they let them hold the koalas since one of One Direction had a chyamidya scare after one p1ssed on him

Anyway, I digress. We start with the People's Classic Criterium - adding to the rule that anything with 'Classic' in the title isn't a classic. That starts at 8.45am UK time on Sunday.

Then it's on to the main event which starts in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

As always, the key stage is Wilunga Hill (stage 5)


Favourites:

15/8 Porte
5/1 Henao
7/1 Chaves
11/1 Gerrans
14/1 Dennis, Woods, Sagan
20/1 Ulissi
25/1 Thomas

cruff

** Spoiler **

It's all a bit pants

Pross

Must be the first time there's ever been 3 Welshmen in a World Tour race?

yourpaceormine

Any idea which obscure johnny foreigner the Aussie tifosi are rooting for this year?

RichN95.

Having another look at it - that TT profile surely can't be right. In fact it isn't right. Otherwise there's a 200m ride in 400m - that's a 50% climb

wombly_knees

It is definitely wrong. Here's the hillock from a local event.

It's also a road stage with 20 laps around that course. Makes Gerrans' odds quite attractive. Hopefully will be telecast on Australia + again for those of us outside Eurosport and ch9 land.

Mad_Malx

Feature in the ToryGraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/0/to ... standings/

thegibdog

Criterium now live on Bike channel. Complete with Phil & Paul...

TdU highlights are going to be daily at 3-5.30pm and 9-10pm from Tuesday. Sounds like the 3pm highlights will be delayed coverage if they're 2.5hrs long.

mechanism

Also here (in blur-o-vision) http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/01/13/16/41/tour-down-under-2017-live-stream

thegibdog

It's pretty rapid this criterium - the 15 second lead the 2 in the break have equates to 250 metres according to Paul.

thegibdog

Pross wrote:

Must be the first time there's ever been 3 Welshmen in a World Tour race?

Owain Doull didn't ride in the criterium today due to illness, they're hoping he'll be ok for Tuesday though.

thegibdog

Ewan takes the sprint, distancing Sagan fairly impressively, with Bennett closing fast to take 2nd.

ocdupalais

Sagan only the 2nd fastest sprinter in his team.
He's finished.

takethehighroad

He's a terrible lead out man.

Bennett would have won if Sagan did a decent lead out instead of spending his time looking over his shoulder

ridgerider

Perhaps Bennett wasn't communicating his needs very clearly. Perhaps that scenario wasn't part of any pre-race planning.

ryan_w-2

Bennett was SO strong. If he hadn't been caught up, he would have easily taken that sprint finish.

Richmond Racer 2

wombly knees wrote:

It is definitely wrong. Here's the hillock from a local event.

It's also a road stage with 20 laps around that course. Makes Gerrans' odds quite attractive. Hopefully will be telecast on Australia + again for those of us outside Eurosport and ch9 land.

Nooooooo

'Mon the Sagz

joelsim

yourpaceormine wrote:

Any idea which obscure johnny foreigner the Aussie tifosi are rooting for this year?

Not entirely sure he's obscure.

wombly_knees

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

It is definitely wrong. Here's the hillock from a local event.

It's also a road stage with 20 laps around that course. Makes Gerrans' odds quite attractive. Hopefully will be telecast on Australia + again for those of us outside Eurosport and ch9 land.

Nooooooo

'Mon the Sagz

Would much rather Porte given he's been a big of a bridesmaid in this race for a few years.

specialgueststar

got the top 10?

wombly_knees

1 EWAN, Caleb (ORICA - SCOTT)
(AUS)
01:03:41
2 BENNETT, Sam (BORA - hansgrohe)
(IRL)
mt
3 SAGAN, Peter (BORA - hansgrohe)
(SVK)
mt
4 BONIFAZIO, Niccolo (Bahrain - Merida)
(ITA)
mt
5 THEUNS, Edward (Trek - Segafredo)
(BEL)
mt
6 RENSHAW, Mark (Team Dimension Data)
(AUS)
mt
7 DE BIE, Sean (Lotto Soudal)
(BEL)
mt
8 PLANCKAERT, Baptiste (Team Katusha-Alpecin)
(BEL)
mt
9 BEVIN, Patrick (Cannondale-Drapac Professional Cycling Team)
(NZL)
mt
10 SUTTERLIN, Jasha (Movistar Team)
(GER)
mt

Mad_Malx

Caleb Ewan (AUS) - ORICA - SCOTT
Sam Bennett (IRL) - BORA - hansgrohe
Peter Sagan (SVK) - BORA - hansgrohe
Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA) - Bahrain - Merida
Edward Theuns (BEL) - Trek - Segafredo
Mark Renshaw (AUS) - Team Dimension Data
Sean De Bie (BEL) - Lotto Soudal
Baptiste Planckaert (BEL) - Team Katusha-Alpecin
Patrick Bevin (NZL) - Cannondale-Drapac Professional Cycling Team
Jasha Sutterlin (GER) - Movistar Team all at same time

Edit: sorry Wombly, I didn't turn the page.

Stannard DNF and Doull DNS

At this time of the year I'm greatful for any racing to follow.

Shadowrider

Nothing on Stannard not finishing but Doull complaining of stomach issues, expected to start on Tuesday.

Richmond Racer 2

wombly knees wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

It is definitely wrong. Here's the hillock from a local event.

It's also a road stage with 20 laps around that course. Makes Gerrans' odds quite attractive. Hopefully will be telecast on Australia + again for those of us outside Eurosport and ch9 land.

Nooooooo

'Mon the Sagz

Would much rather Porte given he's been a big of a bridesmaid in this race for a few years.

Yeah, but my post was more about what's realistic. This race is stacked against someone like Porte cos of all the bleeding interim sprints & bonus secs malarkey. With the added issue that Willunga Hill isn't difficult enough to get all the time back from Gerrans and he hangs on just enough. Porte can't change that but Sagz can cos unlike Porte he can challenge Gerrans on the bonus secs front.

thchris1958

Kenny Ellissonde is training in Australia with Chris Froome (gold coast i think) and had to take a plane for Adelaide. to replace Doull maybe

wombly_knees

May be more realistic, but I would prefer a Gerrans win over Sagan just for the reaction on this board...

Fwiw, whitey mate reckons the route is slightly too tough for Gerrans and is between Chaves and Porte. I haven't looked closely at it.

Vino'sGhost

What channel is this on??? Is it sky sports again?

Richmond Racer 2

wombly knees wrote:

May be more realistic, but I would prefer a Gerrans win over Sagan just for the reaction on this board...

Fwiw, whitey mate reckons the route is slightly too tough for Gerrans and is between Chaves and Porte. I haven't looked closely at it.

So it might move on from being the Simon Gerrans Tour Down Under?

Just taken a look at st 2. Hope Sergio Henao goes well on it

thegibdog

Shadowrider wrote:

Nothing on Stannard not finishing but Doull complaining of stomach issues, expected to start on Tuesday.

Stannard was on the front with 2 or 3 laps to go, I assume he just stopped once he pulled off.

thegibdog

Vino'sGhost wrote:

What channel is this on??? Is it sky sports again?

As mentioned above Bike channel have the rights in the UK but are showing delayed coverage / highlights, although it looks like live coverage is available online at http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/01/13/16/4 ... ive-stream

hommelbier

thegibdog wrote:

Vino'sGhost wrote:

What channel is this on??? Is it sky sports again?

As mentioned above Bike channel have the rights in the UK but are showing delayed coverage / highlights, although it looks like live coverage is available online at http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/01/13/16/4 ... ive-stream

For those able to receive it, there is also delayed coverage on French channel L'Equipe21, about 12CET/11UK.