2013 Tour Down Under

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Today Andy Schleck announced he will be riding at the back of the peloton during the Tour Down Under in January.

Anybody else heading to Adelaide to ride slowly up Old Willunga Hill? I had hoped to go but I doubt that I will be allowed to get away from work, sadly.

Profiles aren't on steephill, has anyone got the route?

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

Will be there, won't be riding (runner, not a cyclist) but it is such an awesome event. One of the best parts of the tour is the week preceding, when teams are out on the streets, riding along with car's and amateur cyclists alike. The stage's are nothing out of the ordinary but you can't expect much from a January race. I think the GreenEdge support will be even stronger this year now they have an identity but it will be weird with no Rabobank, or at least not in the orange. For years, they have arrived in Adelaide extremely early and been regular's around the streets and identifiable to pretty much everyone who has had a passing glance at cycling.

Never seen the Bleeding Carrot Brigade training though. I honestly don't think they could handle the streets with car's, let alone round-abouts

 

[Arsene Wenger]

http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/down-under-classic-and-stages-1-6.htm

Tour route above.

Two stages which will be awesome are Old Freeway and Corkscrew road in addition to the Willunga Hill stage.

These are all climbs us local punters have a crack at regularly in Adelaide.

Gilbert is also confirmed as well.

Cannot wait !!

 

[Freakie]

Can't get there this year had an awesome time on Willinga last year

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

No Cadel, Gilbert will be BMC's main man and should start the race as favourite.

 

[crazyman27]

Getting super excited for the race (only a month to go!). I've ridden the Old Freeway the most of any climb in Adelaide so it will be great to see the pros riding it. Also included on the same stage is the loop from Stirling out to Mylor and back (been in the race for a while now and one of the most popular stages). I've ridden this loop a bit and the final sprint is brutal to say the least. Add to that the addition of a stage featuring Corkscrew Road (one of the toughest and prettiest climbs around Adelaide) which finishes with a super-fast descent down Montacute Road and it will be a great race.

 

[Freakie]

Live on GEM every day!

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Matty Lloyd for Lampre and Bobridge for Blanco
Blanco Cycling team for the 2013 Tour Down Under: Jack Bobridge (AUS), Mark Renshaw (AUS), David Tanner (AUS), Graeme Brown (AUS), Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED), Wilco Kelderman (NED) and Maarten Tjallingii (NED)

Lampre-Merida team for the 2013 Tour Down Under: Davide Cimolai (ITA), Elia Favilli (ITA), Roberto Ferrari (ITA), Daniele Pietropolli (ITA), Simone Stortoni (ITA), Matthew Lloyd (AUS) and Manuele Mori (ITA)

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/news/41205/bobridge-to-debut-with-blanco-at-tdu

 

[Colin D'Cops]

LLOYD! Will be tracking his progress for obvious reasons.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

LLOYD! Will be tracking his progress for obvious reasons.

Not a bad rider. Won the mountains jersey at the Giro d'Italia a couple of years ago (no mean feat) before surprisingly getting left out from his team. Obviously, his name gets mentioned a few times .

 

[flamethrower]

Other confirmed teams/riders from the Santos TDU website....



BMC Racing Team (USA)
GILBERT Philippe (BEL)
KOHLER Martin (SUI)
LODEWYCK Klaas (BEL)
MOINARD Amael (FRA)
MORABITO Steve (SUI)
SANTAROMITA Ivan (ITA)
WYSS Danilo (SUI)

SKY PRO CYCLING (GBR)
BOASSON HAGEN Edvald (NOR)
EISEL Bernhard (AUT)
HAYMAN Mathew (AUS)
ROWE Luke (GBR)
STANNARD Ian (GBR)
SUTTON Chris (AUS)
THOMAS Geraint (GBR)

AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA)
HUTAROVICH Yauheni (BLR)
APPOLLONIO Davide (ITA)
BAGDONAS Gédiminas (LIT)
BONNAFOND Guillaume (FRA)
CHEREL Mikaël (FRA)
KADRI Blel (FRA)
KERN Julian (GER)

VACANSOLEIL - DCM (NED)
DE GENDT Thomas (BEL)
WAUTERS Willem (BEL)
MARCZYNSKI Tomasz (POL)
MARKUS Barry (NED)
VALLS Rafael (ESP)
VAN HUMMEL Kenny (NED)

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Gilbert for the overall though Boasson Hagen I think could impress.

 

[monty1104]

So weird to see Eisel and no Cav.

 

[monty1104]

Updated Start lists from TDU Website. Good to see Greipel and Kittel making the tour. Should be some good racing.

BMC Racing Team (USA)

GILBERT Philippe (BEL)
KOHLER Martin (SUI)
LODEWYCK Klaas (BEL)
MOINARD Amael (FRA)
MORABITO Steve (SUI)
SANTAROMITA Ivan (ITA)
WYSS Danilo (SUI)

Team Manager: BALDATO Fabio (ITA)
​

​

AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA)

HUTAROVICH Yauheni (BLR)
APPOLLONIO Davide (ITA)
BAGDONAS Gédiminas (LIT)
BONNAFOND Guillaume (FRA)
CHEREL Mikaël (FRA)
KADRI Blel (FRA)
KERN Julian (GER)


Team Manager: BIONDI Laurent (FRA) ​

​

SKY PRO CYCLING (GBR)

BOASSON HAGEN Edvald (NOR)
EISEL Bernhard (AUT)
HAYMAN Mathew (AUS)
ROWE Luke (GBR)
STANNARD Ian (GBR)
SUTTON Chris (AUS)
THOMAS Geraint (GBR)

Team Manager: ARVESEN Kurt
​

​

VACANSOLEIL - DCM (NED)

DE GENDT Thomas (BEL)
WAUTERS Willem (BEL)
MARCZYNSKI Tomasz (POL)
MARKUS Barry (NED)
VALLS Rafael (ESP)
VAN HUMMEL Kenny (NED)
VAN POPPEL Boy (NED)


Team Manager: VAN POPPEL Jean Paul (NED)​

​

BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM (NED)

BOBRIDGE Jack (AUS)
BROWN Graeme (AUS)
KELDERMAN Wilco (NED)
RENSHAW Mark (AUS)
SLAGTER Tom-Jelte (NED)
TANNER David (AUS)
TJALLINGII Maarten (NED)


Team Manager: DEKKER Hendrik (NED) ​

​

LAMPRE - MERIDA (ITA)

LLOYD Matthew (AUS)
CIMOLAI Davide (ITA)
FAVILLI Elia (ITA)
FERRARI Roberto (ITA)
MORI Manuele (ITA)
PIETROPOLLI Daniele (ITA)
STORTONI Simone (ITA)
Team Manager: VICINO Bruno (ITA)
​

​

ASTANA PRO TEAM (KAZ)

GUARDINI Andrea (ITA)
IGLINSKIY Maxim (KAZ)
AGNOLI Valerio (ITA)
PONZI Simone (ITA)
GASPAROTTO Enrico (ITA)
GAVAZZI Francesco (ITA)
KASHECHKIN Andrey (KAZ)

Team Manager: ZANINI Stefano ( ITA)
​

​

LOTTO BELISOL (BEL)

GREIPEL Andre (GER)
HANSEN Adam (AUS)
KAISEN Olivier (BEL)
HENDERSON Gregory (NZL)
ROELANDTS Jurgen (BEL)
SIEBERG Marcel (GER)
WELLENS Tim (BEL)

Team Manager: FRISON Herman (BEL)
​

​

Euskaltel - Euskadi (ESP)

IZAGUIRRE Gorka (ESP)
ABERASTURI Jon (ESP)
OROZ Juan Jose (FRA)
ASTARLOZA Mikel (ESP)
BRAVO Garikoitz (ESP)
IZAGUIRRE Jon (ESP)
LOBATO Juan Jose (ESP)
Team Manager: DIAZ Alexander (ESP)
​

​

Omega Pharma-Quick Step

FENN Andrew (GBR)
GRABSCH Bert (GER)
PAUWELS Serge (BEL)
PINEAU Jerome (FRA)
RABON Frantisek (CZE)
STEEGMANS Gert (BEL)
VELITS Peter (SVK)
Team Manager: VAN SLYCKE Rik (BEL)
​

​

UniSA Australia (AUS)

HOWSON Damien (AUS)
PHELAN Adam (AUS)
DEMPSTER Zachary (AUS)
GIACOPPO Anthony (AUS)
Fifith rider to be announced
Sixth rider to be announced
Seventh rider to be announced

Team Manager: To be announced
​

​

Team Argos-Shimano (NED)

KITTEL Marcel (GER)
AHLSTRAND Jonas (SWE)
CLARKE William (AUS)
DE KORT Koen (NED)
HUGUET Yann (FRA)
HUPOND Thierry (FRA)
TIMMER Albert (NED)

Team Manager: ENGELS Addy (NED)
​

​

RadioShack Leopard Trek (LUX)

SCHLECK Andy (LUX)
BENNETT George (NZL)
DIDIER Laurent (LUX)
HERMANS Ben (BEL)
PINTO MACHADO Tiago (POR)
SERGENT Jesse (NZL)
VOIGT Jens (GER)

Team Manager: AZEVEDO Jose (POR)
​

 

[threenewpadlocks]

A decent start list. It'll be interesting to see who does well, most riders are merely using this to set a benchmark and find form and fitness for the beginning of the season. That's why many of the Aussie blokes do well, they often have days behind them whilst others don't.

 

[Cole Dammett]

Met Andy Schleck and Jens Voigt at Bicycle Express yesterday, got a jersey signed by them, and got my photo taken with the, Pretty cool! Heaps nice blokes too, Jens is hilarious!

 

[monty1104]

Met Andy Schleck and Jens Voigt at Bicycle Express yesterday, got a jersey signed by them, and got my photo taken with the, Pretty cool! Heaps nice blokes too, Jens is hilarious!

Lucky man. Yeah Jens seems like a ripper bloke, his Twitter is always worth a read.

 

[b0ydman]

Lucky man. Yeah Jens seems like a ripper bloke, his Twitter is always worth a read.

There was a thread on the cyclingnews forum to see if there was a rider that everyone on the tour liked
it was acknowledged that there might be a cyclist_more_liked by everyone, but who had a run in with just 1 cyclist (who himself might be a nasty cyclists too)
So this wasn't "who is the most liked", just, who isn't disliked by a single rider

I think Jens came in with the gong on it

Great story eh about Andy and Jens.

Reading Shane Bondie Bonds Pt 2 LA/Oprah was great. First it saved me 20 minutes I don't have to watch it tonight, seconds his Bicycle Express comments were a crack up

 

[Cole Dammett]

Went to the Classic tonight, one of my favorite evenings each year! Wanted Goss to get up but AG just seems to dominate this event!

I know I mentioned before how Jens Voigt seemed heaps nice, but he genuinely seems to be a great bloke. The last rider at the track after the race, doing interviews long after almost all the team cars were gone, then even came over to the fence and spent 5 minutes taking photos with fans. Also interesting after the race one of the UNISA riders was talking to a few of his mates next to me at the fence, saying how fast the race was, and how he spent most of it just trying to stay upright.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

And channel 9 yet again prove why they are the worst sports broadcaster in the history of sports broadcasting. Honestly. They should just stay the f#%k away from sport.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Greipel far too good today. Tomorrow's stage should be a belter with a descent finish.

Remember highlights on 9 at 11pm, and the stages are live on GEM.

 

[crazyman27]

Tomorrow's stage will be a belter. Will not be won by a sprinter with Corkscrew Road in the way followed by a short descent to the finish. Corkscrew is short but nasty with a few very steep hairpins (have a look on google maps streetview or the video below to get an idea) and is one of the most popular climbs around Adelaide. The perfect springboard for a good climber or climbers to burst away from the main group for the win. The riders are in for a treat with the descent down Montacute Road as well. The bottom section in the valley is widely considered one of the best sections of road in the state with a great surface and fast sweeping bends.



My tip for the stage is Gilbert although don't be that surprised if a breakaway makes it to the finish if they have time at the bottom of corkscrew as it probably isn't long enough to lose a heap of time if they have the legs.

On a side note, the town (city) that the race starts in tomorrow (Mt Barker) is one of the fastest growing areas in South Australia with new developments popping up everywhere.

 

[Vader]

Have to say that I love the changes they've made to the TDU route this year, making it more of a "classics" race than the sprinters' paradise that it used to be.

Last year they introduced the hilltop finish at Willunga, which was a great success, ensuring that the climbers actually had a stage they could win. Previously the finish was back at the bottom of the hill, in Willunga itself - and the long descent ensured that most of the peloton were usually able to regroup, frequently allowing the sprinters to have yet another day out. Changing the finish to the hilltop went some way towards balancing the race.

This year they've made more changes. Today's stage features the famous (in Adelaide anyway) ride up the Corkscrew Hill, followed by a 6km descent to the finish line in the suburb of Rostrevor. This climb, which hits 17% in places, will definitely sort the men out from the boys. At just 3km it's not overly long, but it's long enough and steep enough that an attack here should see the sprinters dropping quickly off the back of the main pack. My tip for today's stage is Boassen Hagen - I think he's a good enough climber to go over the top with the likes of Valverde, Schleck, Gilbert and Gerrans, combined with the ability to sprint past them at the finish.

Stage 3 has the potential to be very interesting too, kicking off with the tough climb up the Old Mount Barker Road to Crafers, before the traditional loop . This climb could easily see the sprinters falling off the back of the pack, never to be seen again. That said, with the climb coming so early it's entirely possible that they could work their way back into the peloton. Even so, the climb at the finish usually ensures that the stage doesn't go to a pure sprinter.

That still leaves stages 1 & 4 for the pure sprinters, plus the criterium/prologue.

The only change they could possibly make to improve things further would be the introduction of an ITT.. maybe?

 

[monty1104]

Caught the last 15km today, good finish. Still feels weird watching cycling when the sun is out.

 

[lemon chicken]

And channel 9 yet again prove why they are the worst sports broadcaster in the history of sports broadcasting. Honestly. They should just stay the f#%k away from sport.

Pretty happy with the live coverage so far. The ad breaks are short, HD quality and Robbie McEwen lifting the standard of commentating.