2025 Summer of Cycling

[eth-dog]

Land Rover Lite don't do sprints. They do, however, have a long history of turning sprinters into workhorses.

Agree it's lucky for Caleb, though I doubt it will result in him getting any race wins (or even being allowed to race for wins).

Wonder who Jayco will grab to replace him?

Doubt there's anyone worth it tbh

 

[Orange Agent]

Land Rover Lite don't do sprints. They do, however, have a long history of turning sprinters into workhorses.

Agree it's lucky for Caleb, though I doubt it will result in him getting any race wins (or even being allowed to race for wins).

Wonder who Jayco will grab to replace him?

Fergus Browning should have a WT contract.

 

[eth-dog]

Fergus Browning should have a WT contract.

Yep. Well if he wins the new thing they're doing down here he automatically gets a contract with Jayco AlUla anyway

 

[yaco55]

Land Rover Lite don't do sprints. They do, however, have a long history of turning sprinters into workhorses.

Agree it's lucky for Caleb, though I doubt it will result in him getting any race wins (or even being allowed to race for wins).

Wonder who Jayco will grab to replace him?

Jayco are interested in Kooij.

 

[Vader]

Jayco are interested in Kooij.

Good get if they can nab him. Definite upgrade on Caleb.

 

[eth-dog]

I'd be looking at Welsford too. If he can't crack a GT this year at RBBH he'd be a great fit for Jayco as a second sprinter.

 

[eth-dog]

Good race but I wish there was a 7th stage still. Another ITT and changing one of the sprint stages to a GC day would be great

 

[eth-dog]

Surf Coast classic today (women) and tomorrow (men). Mini preview of the Cadel on the weekend

 

[Vader]

Watching the Cadel Evans race - are they doing the Bellarine Peninsula loop in the opposite direction to last year? This year they're going clockwise, with the short leg across the peninsula first, then Barwon Heads, then the beach on the riders' left. I could have sworn the riders had the beach on their right last year, with the short leg across the peninsula coming just before they hit the Geelong loop.

 

[two blue tiger]

Big Maxy Gawn auditioning for his role post footy as a sports commentator. Just about knows more than Phil Liggett and Matt Keenan.

 

[eth-dog]

Great win by Mauro. Attacked at the right time. Glad Jayco finally won one

 

[two blue tiger]

Great win by Mauro. Attacked at the right time. Glad Jayco finally won one

Yep - saw the opportunity and took it. Great and courageous win.

 

[largebus]

Good win in furnace-like conditions.

 

[Orange Agent]

Watching the Cadel Evans race - are they doing the Bellarine Peninsula loop in the opposite direction to last year? This year they're going clockwise, with the short leg across the peninsula first, then Barwon Heads, then the beach on the riders' left. I could have sworn the riders had the beach on their right last year, with the short leg across the peninsula coming just before they hit the Geelong loop.

I think they went back to the original route for this year.

 

[Orange Agent]

I'm wondering if Harper has been given free reign in the races so far this year because his tactics here and at the TDU weren't overly helpful to the team IMO. Liggett's take that he set this win up for Schmid makes no sense to me and his attack on Willunga left Plapp isolated for the final ascent. Seems to be a bit of shift in how he has previously raced.

 

[Vader]

I'm wondering if Harper has been given free reign in the races so far this year because his tactics here and at the TDU weren't overly helpful to the team IMO. Liggett's take that he set this win up for Schmid makes no sense to me and his attack on Willunga left Plapp isolated for the final ascent. Seems to be a bit of shift in how he has previously raced.

In both races he went a lap early. That can't be a coincidence, and it can't just be Harper going off half-cocked. It has to be an intentional team tactic.

At the end of the day, Plapp just didn't have the legs to conquer Willunga Hill, and the absence of Harper made no difference to that.

Harper's tactics made a big difference to the final lap, which helped Schmidt immensely. By attacking when he did, he reduced the lead bunch to ~30-40 riders, getting rid of a lot of the domestiques. This meant that there were fewer workhorses available to chase down Schmidt, when he went on the final lap.

 

[eth-dog]

In both races he went a lap early. That can't be a coincidence, and it can't just be Harper going off half-cocked. It has to be an intentional team tactic.

At the end of the day, Plapp just didn't have the legs to conquer Willunga Hill, and the absence of Harper made no difference to that.

Harper's tactics made a big difference to the final lap, which helped Schmidt immensely. By attacking when he did, he reduced the lead bunch to ~30-40 riders, getting rid of a lot of the domestiques. This meant that there were fewer workhorses available to chase down Schmidt, when he went on the final lap.

Yep. Was excellent tactics from Harper. He's a good enough rider that they had to burn more tickets than they normally would have had to and allowed Mauro to sit in the wheels at the front and then get off the front when he was caught.

Red Bull's tactics were bizarre though. FFB had to commit himself for Pithie

 

[largebus]

Unrelated but I watch the Cyclocross world champs last night, MVDP had 45 seconds on the field after 5 minutes and just held it for the rest of the race for his 7th title. Dominant but even more boring than Pogi

 

[eth-dog]

Unrelated but I watch the Cyclocross world champs last night, MVDP had 45 seconds on the field after 5 minutes and just held it for the rest of the race for his 7th title. Dominant but even more boring than Pogi

Unfortunately WVA has simply regressed the last couple of years so MVDP is basically unchallenged in the field.

 

[largebus]

Unfortunately WVA has simply regressed the last couple of years so MVDP is basically unchallenged in the field.

Wout started on the 4th row because he had barely raced so was boxed in while MVDP zoomed up the road. Probably didnt make a difference in the end but it would've kept it interesting for a bit longer