S*** small races 2020 - January - *Spoilers*



Caleb Ewan takes the Schwalbe Classic in Adelaide, traditional warm-up for the similarly s*** and small Tour Down Under. A 2-3 for Cofidis.



Started this thread on a by month basis by specialgueststar request
https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/13103525/small-races-thread-by-month




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Comments

  • They don't come any s***tier or smaller than this baby.
    Still, if anybody fancies a watch, it's here on demand from the increasingly useful GCN Racing.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR9nJj6hYis
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Was trying to see if there was any coverage of the TDU. Can't see it on eurosport anywhere, will GCN be streaming it live?
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 4,993
    thebigman said:

    Was trying to see if there was any coverage of the TDU. Can't see it on eurosport anywhere, will GCN be streaming it live?

    Think so -
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz5H2aGojGs
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,712
    edited January 2020
    Wont be long before they are charging a fee all that decent 'cross and now road cycling on there.
  • Just tried to post all the relevant info on the TDU and found my post removed to be "approved".
    Wtf is this now?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Well, anyhow the Tour Down Under starts in the wee small hours and with nothing much for months I'll give it an undeserved boost by posting the................er..............profiles.

    Stage 1: Tanunda - Tanunda


    Stage 2: Woodside - Stirling


    Stage 3: Unley - Paracombe


    Stage 4: Norwood - Murray Bridge

    Stage 5: Glenelg - Victor Harbor


    Stage 6: Mclaren Vale - Willunga Hill



    For live race coverage in the UK, look no further than Freesports, who are showing all stages as they happen, then during the week, repeating just after breakfast time. There will also be half hour highlights each evening.

    Live times here:
    https://www.freesports.tv/lives.html

    Eurosport also carrying the highlights package, I believe.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Well, anyhow the Tour Down Under starts in the wee small hours and with nothing much for months I'll give it an undeserved boost by posting the................er..............profiles.

    Stage 1: Tanunda - Tanunda


    Stage 2: Woodside - Stirling


    Stage 3: Unley - Paracombe


    Stage 4: Norwood - Murray Bridge

    Stage 5: Glenelg - Victor Harbor


    Stage 6: Mclaren Vale - Willunga Hill



    For live race coverage in the UK, look no further than Freesports, who are showing all stages as they happen, then during the week, repeating just after breakfast time. There will also be half hour highlights each evening.

    Live times here:
    https://www.freesports.tv/lives.html

    Eurosport also carrying the highlights package, I believe.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Just tried to post all the relevant info on the TDU and found my post removed to be "approved".
    Wtf is this now?

    Sorry, sometimes posts are flagged erroneously for approval. We've approved it now.
    Assistant Editor for BikeRadar.com. Keep up to date with my latest work here.
  • Jack_Luke said:

    Just tried to post all the relevant info on the TDU and found my post removed to be "approved".
    Wtf is this now?

    Sorry, sometimes posts are flagged erroneously for approval. We've approved it now.
    And when you do it seems I get two for the price of one. o:)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,200
    So... 12 stages this year then.... ;)
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  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Sam Bennett apparently has taken stage 1

    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    TDU coverage really p1ssed me off last night. First eurosport have dropped it for some reason despite promoting it at the end of last season and the likes of cycling weekly advertising last weekend that every stage would be broadcast live on eurosport, then after some searching I find it on free sports, great I thought.... until they cut to an advert for the final km so the sprint finish was only seen by a reply when coverage resumed.

    :s
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    edited January 2020
    redvision said:

    TDU coverage really p1ssed me off last night. First eurosport have dropped it for some reason despite promoting it at the end of last season and the likes of cycling weekly advertising last weekend that every stage would be broadcast live on eurosport, then after some searching I find it on free sports, great I thought.... until they cut to an advert for the final km so the sprint finish was only seen by a reply when coverage resumed.

    :s

    Cycling Weekly has obviously done a deal with Eurosport as they regularly have a "where to watch the race" article and it only ever lists Eurosport, never anybody else.
    So, as they don't appear to have any coverage, it appears to be a clear case of misrepresentation.
    Not much better from Eurosport when it comes to San Juan on the weekend. Stage 1 is live on tv, then nothing of stage 2, except on the player. Since it's been bumped for the Berlin 6 days, I suspect it will be the same throughout the week.


    Just watched the Freesports fiasco, taking an ad break at 2kms to go and when they get back it's all over and replay time. Shockingly bad.

    So, at the risk of seeming like a gcn racing fanbois, I recommend watching them, either like or on demand whenever you fancy. No ad breaks to make the last 90 minutes a waste of one's time.

    Stage1 coverage:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz5H2aGojGs
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    That sprint illustrates my objections to national jerseys. Neither the winner nor his lead out man had regular team kit. A guy in white wins, behind a guy in red celebrates. For someone new to the sport it must make it difficult to follow what is going on
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Freesports could be so awesome with just a bit more financing.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,200
    GCN is geobocked, btw. Not a solution for those of us outside the UK.

    Obviously, the solution, like most years, is to not bother with the TdU at all, as the real racing doesn't start until the Omloop.
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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    edited January 2020

    GCN is geobocked, btw. Not a solution for those of us outside the UK.

    Obviously, the solution, like most years, is to not bother with the TdU at all, as the real racing doesn't start until the Omloop.

    According the the race website, it should be live on TV 2 for you.

    https://tourdownunder.com.au/watch/broadcast/international-broadcast

    And it is:

    https://tvtid.tv2.dk/kanal/tv2-sport
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 4,993
    Caleb takes a less-than-enthralling sprint for stage 2

    Last 500m:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7ehhdGN4os
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    only one winner there. Impey is a class act in terms of early season form. favourite for the TDU?
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    Mad_Malx said:

    Caleb takes a less-than-enthralling sprint for stage 2

    The sprint was no contest but the 6km or so before, up the final climb, was brilliant. Full gas, ridiculously high pace, and several crashes.


  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    edited January 2020
    redvision said:

    Mad_Malx said:

    Caleb takes a less-than-enthralling sprint for stage 2

    The sprint was no contest but the 6km or so before, up the final climb, was brilliant. Full gas, ridiculously high pace, and several crashes.


    Bardet had a mechanical as we saw. Ended up losing two and a half minutes.
    The big crash was pretty disastrous.
    Ben Hermans had to abandon the race. As did Rafa Valls and probably (have to wait and see) Simon Yates, from a knee injury. Also Chris Harper and Ryan Gibbons tasted Aussie tarmac.

    Unconfirmed, but possible candidates to have been on the deck, due to their arrival times: Pavel Sivakov, Dylan van Baarle, Chris Lawless, André Greipel and Elia Viviani.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Longshot
    Longshot Posts: 940
    Eurosport are showing the TDU. Next week, after it's finished!
    You can fool some of the people all of the time. Concentrate on those people.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,224
    If only stage race stages were really short and really flat but with a massive hill at the end - and had no other riders - then I reckon Ritchie Porte would be right up there.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,230
    Froome's favourite training partner wins training race.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    Terrible to hear about the death of Xavier Prince after an accident at the Tour of the Antilles. My thoughts are with his family and Team Storm at this difficult time
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Apparently someone had filed his brake blocks down, if only he had been riding discs. >:)
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    edited January 2020
    webboo said:

    Apparently someone had filed his brake blocks down, if only he had been riding discs. >:)



    It's sad to see omerta still so strong in the West Indian peloton. I might have to ask the anti-dopers of social media what they know about FG4592.

    Edit: it turns out FG4592 is a real drug. Fair play.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    I thought it was amazing that they had ped’s and gps tracking but no numbers on their jerseys or following team cars.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    Nice win by Nizzolo and a rare win for the team. Viviani nowhere again
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    The day Porte and Impey retire can't come soon enough for the TDU. The race narrative is the same year after year after year.

    Thankfully the CX season is coming to the business end so we can enjoy that instead.