Cycling 2009

[Bluebeard]

Astana, Saxo and Columbia will need to be at their best on this course

Sounds like it so far. I heard that the Bouygues crash was fair carnage. Looking forward to seeing that at home tonight!

[Dodge]

Ok seeing as some will be watching highlights, I'll spoiler it.

SPOILER: Astana win by 18 seconds from Garmin. Saxo ended up putting in a great ride and only lost 40 seconds to Astana. Cancellara holds onto yellow by less than a second. I'd guess Armstrong is gutted

[Stuttgart88]

What a brilliant start to this year's tour. Gutted that Martin isn't in it but there's been so much drama and so many sub-plots already it's been fascinating.

Cavendish is a machine and his team are doing a great job for him. I like him a bit more than I did last year but wish another sprinter would be in a position to take him on.

I know Liggett can be a bit Murray Walker-esque but the ITV4 highlights production is superb. It's the TV highlight of the summer for me & even my wife agrees. Her previously disinterested mate is also now hooked. She now rings every evening asking for an explanation of some of the many tactical nuances that come up!

[Bluebeard]

Good to hear, Stutts, another convert! My other half is starting to enjoy it more - yesterday's crashes appealled to her. It has been enjoyable, though I am kind of in fear that it will end up being all about one sprinting team and one GC team. Still, it has been good thus far. Do I recall that you and the Mrs. did the Etape last year?

The Tour de France magazine vid is about Nicolas Roche and his da today - they sound uncannily alike.


Check out the classy looking Irish Champ's jersey!

[Bluebeard]

Details for the Tour of Ireland's first stage has been announced. It's reduced to only three stages this year owing to funding, which is a pity. However, the good news is that the first stage is going to Waterford again, from Powerscourt via Mount Leinster - sounds very similar to last year's first stage thus far. They have not released details of the others yet, the press release up on irishcycling has the usual "In the coming days" guff.

Astana and Columbia are touted as the first big name teams, and Cavendish and Armstrong are supposed to be riding it. The Sean Kelly An Post team should be there, presumably with an Irish National Team to boot. Dunno about any other local teams since Pezula closed shop though - I have a feeling that there is some UCI rule that means the Dan Morrisseys and Banbridge CCs will not be let participate.

From what I have seen on officical websites and reports from riders on cycling news sites, Joker Bianchi, BMC Racing, CSK Navigiare, Halfords Bikehut and Rapha Condor are going to be there. Team Type 1 have it listed, but for the wrong week, and the Tour of Utah is on the week in question, so that may be a non runner. I'd hope we'll see Garmin back too. I'd expect at least two or three decent continental teams like the Rabobank Continental team or and probably Pinarello Candi TV from Britain, but no word on their sites as yet.


LATER EDITS:
I was just thinking about it, and I hope that they might try squeeze in a two stage day - say a short TT in the morning, followed by a short-ish stage in the afternoon. I remember they did it in the Nissan once at least. If they did something like Carrick on Suir to Clonmel as a TT - about 20km - then in the afternoon, Clonmel to Cork, finish atop Patrick's hill after two or three laps -that would really fill out the race a bit.

They are talking about it going back to being a 5 day race next year, which I hope it does, as a 3 day would die on its feet, seeing as it is off on a small Island far from the centre of continental racing. It could be time to re think the broader strategy. I think that the place in the calendar is the optimum, realistically, there is not a better spot. However, it would be an idea to ry to capitalise on the fact that the teams are over for the week - I would love to see something like the GP of Ireland back, as a ranking international criterium, the weekend before the race itself. Perhaps it could rotate between the major cities and towns, taking place perhaps in a city not hosting a finish. Failing that, I recall that the three crits after Roche's win were in Dublin, Cork and Wexford - Wexford is where most of the team buses and trucks are likely to land in Ireland, so perhaps a permanent fixture there? I think of the Tour Down Under and The Tour of Qatar - which both have big crits the weekend before to capitalise on riders travelling so far to take part in the main event.

[Macy]

A big disappointment on the number of days. I doubt I'll get a local sprint this time, but might try and get down to Powerscourt instead.

On le tour, a great couple of days racing. Great to see the race being blown apart on flat stages.

[Dodge]

A big disappointment on the number of days. I doubt I'll get a local sprint this time, but might try and get down to Powerscourt instead.

Good to read though that they hope to bring it back up to 5. Considering the amount of races dropping out, its good to have any race

On le tour, a great couple of days racing. Great to see the race being blown apart on flat stages.

I'm absolutely dying for the next couple of stages. Think today's finish could see 1 or 2 breakaway, and maybe even an attack by lance for that 1 second

I backed Roche to win the stage @ 100/1 as I think he'd like that short sharp hill up Montjuic

[Bluebeard]

I backed Roche to win the stage @ 100/1 as I think he'd like that short sharp hill up Montjuic

I'd love to see you make money today

[Dodge]

Terrific finish to today's stage

SPOILER: Roche had a go, but got reeled back in. In a battle between the tough man sprinters Hushovd beat Frieire. The lead group was whittled down to 40 or so but I think all the GC boys were up there. Roche eventually finished 12th

[Bluebeard]

Today's still going on - listening to Kelly and Eurosport online, sounds absolutely fantastic: deffo for watching tonight. Sounds like one to show an interested novice. I'll just spoil that it is not a sprint finish won by Cavendish

[Bluebeard]

So, first rest day. What do people think of the first week?

Personally, I quite enjoyed it: plenty of good attacking cycling coming from all different angles, a couple of exciting and successful breaks, and Nicolas Roche doing reasonably well.

[Dodge]

Strange sort of week. Delighted that plenty of attacks were made but only Contador made any time in the mountains on the GC boys. In fairness both Evans and Andy Schleck tried the stage didn't suit. Next couple of days look flatter than the usual intermediate stages too.

Roche rode hard at the start of the stage on Saturday and sacrificed himself for the team. It was great to see him lead the peeleton up the Tourmelet though yesterday in his Irish jersey. I read that the couple of days in yellow for the team have secured funding for the entire year which can only be a good thing for Roche. In his Indo column today he states that he got shot by something before yesterdays' stage too!

[Macy]

Interesting first week, some great stuff on some of the flat stages. The Pyrenean stages were a bit of a let down, but I guess it does keep the race alive rather than someone minutes up riding defensively for the rest of the race.

Really interesting to see Wiggins up there through the mountains. That's two on Garmin (one of the totally committed clean teams) that have really made breakthroughs in the last two tours, and good for Dan Martin to have those people in the team (Although I guess Wiggins is probably now in line to lead Sky next year).

[Dodge]

Apparently Wiggins is staying with garmin. SOme of the Sky signings have started to leak out, but no GC contendor as of yet

[Macy]

Apparently Wiggins is staying with garmin.

I posted that before I'd read the feature on cyclingnews with him saying how happy he is at Garmin

SOme of the Sky signings have started to leak out, but no GC contendor as of yet

Any link, just out of interest? The early rumours were Millar (who part owns Garmin, so it'd be a strange one), Wiggins, Cummings and Thomas, but I've seen a few names linked (lots of aussies for the supposed brit team from what I've seen!)

[Dodge]

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=1063

later pages have the more "secure" leaks

Horrible forum. There's a plain white "print" feature if the colours don't suit

[Macy]

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=1063

later pages have the more "secure" leaks

Ta. I'm already not warming to the team, but I guess it'll be packed with English speakers, and ultimately could include some of the Irish guys...

[Dodge]

I remember Ciaran power got his break with the Linda Mccartney team. I'd be gutted to see Martin join them...

[Macy]

I'd be gutted to see Martin join them...

I wouldn't see any advantage to leaving Garmin to go there, plus they'd pile on the pressure (again) for him to declare for Britain.

[Bluebeard]

Phil Deignan was lionked to them a lot a good bit back, probably largely down to Sky wanting to capitalise on the Irish Market. Similarly, I don't see any advantage in that move to him.