Australian Cycling News [R]

el-capitano · Jul 22, 2013

What a great 2013 tour by Richie Porte.

CHRIS Froome has described Richie Porte as the second-best general classification rider in the Tour de France as Cadel Evans' horrors continued on a dramatic and historic day on Alpe d'Huez.
Porte heroically ensured Froome maintained iron-fisted control of the race as Evans slumped to 29th overall after losing a gaping 25mins.10sec to stage winner Christophe Riblon.
Porte finished sixth to Frenchman Riblon, shrugging off controversy over being docked 20secs for illegally taking food from a team car inside the final 5km as Froome suffered a sugar low.
The Tasmanian's magnificent ride contrasted vividly with 2011 champion Evans' continuing struggle, leaving the Victorian on the brink of his worst Tour result - and trailing Froome by a massive 46min.16sec.
Riblon (AG2R) provided France with overdue victory on the centenary Tour, claiming the queen stage to cycling's most famous moutain - but it was Porte's selfless ride that allowed Froome to extend his overall lead over Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) to 5.11.
Porte was almost felled on the final climb when struck by a Japanese flag as drunken, unruly spectators ran amok - ignoring the pleas of race officials.
Froome's gratitude was obvious in the final 300m when he waved the ever vigilant Porte through and then wrapped his arm around the Australian when the pair crossed the line.
"Richie Porte has put aside all his ambitions to help me keep the yellow jersey, even though I was struggling right to the finish," Froome said.
"I think he's the second best 'GC' rider in this race. He's had to lay aside his personal ambitions.
"He's the winner of the Paris-Nice this year, he's showed several times this year that if he had an opportunity, he would certainly be on the podium."
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http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2013/07/22/322292_ntsport.html

el-capitano · Jul 22, 2013

And a fond farewell to Stuart O'Grady- what a legend!

His career highlights in the link below:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-23/stuart-o27grady3a-a-glittering-career/4837304

cleansheetbsc · Jul 23, 2013

Now we are really nicheing, a niche sport on another niche sport website.

Austrailian riders only?

Mostly just kidding.

Dead Fingers · Jul 23, 2013

Shouldn't we just merge this one with the doping thread?

I kid, I have no problem with an Aussie thread,

cleansheetbsc · Jul 23, 2013

Dead Fingers said: ↑

I kid, I have no problem with an Aussie thread,
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I do. Shrimp on the barbi, Fosters drinking, Paul Hogan watching, Aussie,Aussie Oy Oy Oy chanting mother-f#ckers.

Dead Fingers · Jul 23, 2013

Paul Hogan...that's a low blow.

KCFutbol · Jul 24, 2013

Dead Fingers said: ↑

Paul Hogan...that's a low blow.
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Low blow, ya' say?

cleansheetbsc · Jul 24, 2013

These were funny when I was 12:

el-capitano · Jul 25, 2013

Dead Fingers said: ↑

Shouldn't we just merge this one with the doping thread?

I kid, I have no problem with an Aussie thread,
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Oh noes!

So much for my legend call........

Australian cycling legend Stuart O'Grady has admitted to using banned blood-booster EPO before the 1998 Tour de France.

"Leading into the Tour I made a decision, I sourced it (EPO) myself, there was no one else involved, it didn't involve the team in any way,' O'Grady told News Limited.
"I just had to drive over the border and buy it at any pharmacy.

"The hardest part of all this is I did it for two weeks before the Tour de France. I used extremely cautious amounts because I'd heard a lot of horror stories and did the absolute minimum of what I hoped would get me through."

"When the Festina Affair happened, I smashed it, got rid of it and that was the last I ever touched it.
"That's the hardest thing to swallow out of all this - it was such a long time ago and one very bad judgement is going to taint a lot of things and people will have a lot of questions.
"You win Olympics, Paris-Roubaix and now all of that is going to be tainted by this action and I wish it could be changed but it can't."
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-25/o27grady-admits-to-doping-before-1998-tour/4841972

el-capitano · Oct 7, 2013

Looks like no Le Tour for Cuddles, lucky he won it before the slide.

Former Tour de France champion Cadel Evans said he is unlikely to compete at the 2014 edition of the race as he concentrates on targeting a win in the Giro d'Italia.

"It's unlikely that I'll start the Tour de France," Evans said following the presentation of the three-week Italian epic, which begins on May 9 in Belfast and ends on June 1 in the Trieste region of Italy.

Evans, who came to the cycling world's attention in 2002 when he almost won the Giro on his debut, admits he has unfinished business at the race.

His absence from the Tour de France is a move he feels would boost his chances at finally claiming the race's pink jersey.

"It's not 100 percent confirmed, but at this point it looks like I'll probably do the Giro," Evans added.

"It's unlikely that I'll start in the Tour de France, and that leaves me with a lot of time and energy to concentrate on the Giro."
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-08/evans-unlikely-to-ride-2014-tour-de-france/5004100

el-capitano · Jan 20, 2014

Tour Down Under starts today:

A star-studded field has converged on Adelaide for the first stage of the Tour, with teams including international stars such as Cadel Evans, Richie Porte, Simon Gerrans, Frank Schleck and Jens Voigt. Australian Chris Sutton is the latest cyclist forced out of the Tour Down Under because of a crash.

Top Italian Giovanni Visconti had surgery on this morning to have a rod inserted in his right shin bone after he suffered a compound fracture during the same race. The serious fracture might ruin Visconti's season. French star Thomas Voeckler also went home with a broken collarbone last week after colliding with a car on a training ride.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-21/cycling-world-sets-eyes-on-tour-down-under/5210470

el-capitano · Jan 21, 2014

Maps of all the stages:

http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/01/02/3915646.htm?site=adelaide

el-capitano · Jan 21, 2014

And Gerrans takes out stage 1!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-21/tour-down-under-stage-one/5211102

el-capitano · May 20, 2015

A mate helping out a mate- both get a penalty- what bullshit!

http://www.news.com.au/sport/sports...sie-simon-clarke/story-fno61i58-1227360998613

KCFutbol · May 20, 2015

el-capitano said: ↑

A mate helping out a mate- both get a penalty- what bullshit!

http://www.news.com.au/sport/sports...sie-simon-clarke/story-fno61i58-1227360998613
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No good deed goes unpunished, eh? However, the way I understand it is that this is prohibited by the rules. Seems as though the rule may need to be changed.

el-capitano · May 20, 2015

KCFutbol said: ↑

No good deed goes unpunished, eh? However, the way I understand it is that this is prohibited by the rules. Seems as though the rule may need to be changed.
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I read somewhere its like in a breakaway when they all take turns at the front, how is that any different from teams helping out each other? They should amend that rule, when its obviously a good deed rather than a shifty one.

aveslacker · May 20, 2015

el-capitano said: ↑

I read somewhere its like in a breakaway when they all take turns at the front, how is that any different from teams helping out each other? They should amend that rule, when its obviously a good deed rather than a shifty one.
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What sucks for Porte is that if he hadn't tweeted about it, the commissaires may never have known. It would be terrible if he missed out on a podium spot because of this.