Tour Down Under - Spoiler

hommelbier
hommelbier Posts: 1,556
edited January 2018 in Pro race
Saturday - the Hors d'oeuvre - The People's Classic.

Video highlights of Saturdays opener not won by Caleb Ewan this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoedfs37sLY
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Comments

  • The video says no injuries in the crash but apparently Kristoffer Halvorsen broke his hand: http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/lates ... sic-365653
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,599
    Can't those ozzies lay barriers in a straight line?
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    I think there's 7 previous winners on the field. That can't happen very often surely?
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    So, the locals aren't going to have it all their own way as two time overall winner Greipel bags the first stage. Sagan is clearly flying while Ewan is either a bit undercooked, with eyes on the Tour or not quite as good as we thought against stronger opposition.
  • Pleased Greipel won today. Hopefully its the beginning of him getting his mojo back

    And Brucie bonus is the darling of the Aussies getting beaten
  • Pleased Greipel won today. Hopefully its the beginning of him getting his mojo back
    Yeah, as you say, hopefully an indicator of a return to form rather than a one off.

    Sagan looking as strong as ever.

    Can’t quite make my mind up over Caleb Ewan. Is he going to become one of the greats or not?

    Bring on the season...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Pleased Greipel won today. Hopefully its the beginning of him getting his mojo back
    Yeah, as you say, hopefully an indicator of a return to form rather than a one off.

    Sagan looking as strong as ever.

    Can’t quite make my mind up over Caleb Ewan. Is he going to become one of the greats or not?

    Bring on the season...

    It must be difficult to sprint like he does in traffic.

    I actively want that position to fail because of how stupid it looks.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Amazingly that was the first non Australian stage winner for three years
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    https://twitter.com/reecehomfray/status ... gr%5Eother

    Greipel not enjoying rooming with Sieberg
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632

    Greipel's comments suggest he's been annoyed about it in the past as well - so not sure why he doesn't just ask to room with someone else - he's got to have a big enough status in the team.

    On the Cycling Podcast Lotto Soudal special early last year, Adam Hansen suggested (when discussing Lars Bak having an issue that also makes him snore loudly) that he (Hansen) didn't mind rooming with Bak as he stays up late programming etc with headphones on and he knows Bak can't help it - but a particular teammate had complained in the past about sharing with Bak....
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,556
    Pleased to see Greipel back winning.

    Not the most exciting race today but at least an opportunity to see and get used to the new team kits. Took a while to recognise the new AG2R colours from above.

    Also enjoyed seeing the kangaroo bouncing through the vineyard.
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,556
    To the disappointment of some, stage 2 was won by Caleb Ewan who also moved into the leaders jersey. Greipel did not bother with today's sprint so may be saving himself for sprint stages more suited to him.

    Stage 2
    1.Caleb Ewan
    2.Daryl Impey st
    3. Jay McCarthy st

    GC
    1. Caleb Ewan
    2. Daryl Impey @10s
    3. Peter Sagan @12s

    Kudos to Steve Morabito who dislocated his shoulder on the run in to the finish but managed with help to pop it back and carry on to cross the finish line.
  • inseine wrote:
    So, the locals aren't going to have it all their own way as two time overall winner Greipel bags the first stage. Sagan is clearly flying while Ewan is either a bit undercooked, with eyes on the Tour or not quite as good as we thought against stronger opposition.

    :D
  • Where are you guys watching this, was on Eurosport last year but that appears to be wall to wall tennis at the moment.
  • Where are you guys watching this, was on Eurosport last year but that appears to be wall to wall tennis at the moment.
    It was scheduled to be on Freesports (Sky 424) but that has been very hit and miss, mostly miss. Not sure if the heat has delayed the coverage, but scheduled coverage tonight was 12:30 on Freesport and Ice Hockey has just started. Yesterday there was nothing as far as I could tell and the day before was an hour late.

    Other than that: Google.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    inseine wrote:
    So, the locals aren't going to have it all their own way as two time overall winner Greipel bags the first stage. Sagan is clearly flying while Ewan is either a bit undercooked, with eyes on the Tour or not quite as good as we thought against stronger opposition.

    :D

    Hé did win 4 (i.e. All the sprint stages) stages and the People's classic last Year. This year; 1 out of 4 wins.
  • and the Vivster with the most impressive win today

    'commminnnngggg through....'
  • Impressive cock up by Mitchelton-Scott or rather Caleb Ewan completely under estimating the opposition.
    If it gets any hotter in Adelaide, the riders ought to trade in their bikes for camels and kit up like Peter O'Toole.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Ewan just showed his lack of experience there really, that was about as perfect a lead out as you could wish for from his team.

    I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is racing in those temperatures :shock:
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    Ewan just showed his lack of experience there really, that was about as perfect a lead out as you could wish for from his team.

    I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is racing in those temperatures :shock:

    Probably easier than doing a turbo in my sub zero garage
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,556
    Where are you guys watching this, was on Eurosport last year but that appears to be wall to wall tennis at the moment.

    I'm watching delayed coverage on French channel L'Equipe21 via a dish and a French TNTSat receiver (FR2/3 and L'Equipe plus Eurosport.de & RAI Sport) - being fairly fluent in French helps.

    Receiver on sale at all good French supermarkets and DIY sheds (incl Carrefour and Leroy Merlin in Calais) and comes with 4 year card (renewable for 15euro via French address).
  • Where are you guys watching this, was on Eurosport last year but that appears to be wall to wall tennis at the moment.
    It was scheduled to be on Freesports (Sky 424) but that has been very hit and miss, mostly miss. Not sure if the heat has delayed the coverage, but scheduled coverage tonight was 12:30 on Freesport and Ice Hockey has just started. Yesterday there was nothing as far as I could tell and the day before was an hour late.

    Other than that: Google.

    Thanks Richard, must admit I didn't know about channel 424, funnily enough when I went to it there was indeed ice hockey on!
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Very impressive from Sagan again. He says he's racing for MaCarthy, and they're 1st and 3rd overall but I'd love to see how he could do tomorrow against Porte.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    I'm especially interested to see how Impey and Bernal get on tomorrow.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    So conclusion from the stage was, it's too hot, and Sagan won?
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    So conclusion from the stage was, it's too hot, and Sagan won?

    Australia is hot, Sagan wins bike race, Pope wears big hat.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    inseine wrote:
    So conclusion from the stage was, it's too hot, and Sagan won?

    Australia is hot, Sagan wins bike race, Pope wears big hat.
    He doesn't often wear the hat. He wasn't wearing it when I saw him.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • inseine wrote:
    So conclusion from the stage was, it's too hot, and Sagan won?

    Australia is hot, Sagan wins bike race, Pope wears big hat.

    40 degrees is 10 degrees hotter than average. So pretty hot even for South Australia in January.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    edited January 2018
    inseine wrote:
    So conclusion from the stage was, it's too hot, and Sagan won?

    Australia is hot, Sagan wins bike race, Pope wears big hat.

    40 degrees is 10 degrees hotter than average. So pretty hot even for South Australia in January.

    Still not the hottest version of the race (though it might end up being). It's usually pretty warm.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,556
    40 degrees in Australia is like 30 degrees over here - it's a much drier heat than in the UK. Humidity is the real killer rather than absolute temperature.