2013 Tour Down Under

[crazyman27]

Sometimes Phil and Paul really have no clue. During today's stage they mentioned the race was going through the Flinders Ranges, when the race actually goes through the Mt Lofty Ranges. I don't think there is many good cycling roads in the Flinders Ranges considering it's mostly barren desert.

Phil also said the riders were around 3km from the start of the final climb when the climbers were in fact already on the climb. I enjoy listening to the commentary for the most part but at times it is really laughable!

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

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

My complaint was with the coverage of the prologue which was due to start at 10.30 but channel 9 chose to go with some romcom movie instead without telling anybody and the coverage didn't start until 11.45 putting the end past 1am. The stuff on Gem has actually been ok (jingoistic Tim Gilbert aside)

 

[Vader]

My complaint was with the coverage of the prologue which was due to start at 10.30 but channel 9 chose to go with some romcom movie instead without telling anybody and the coverage didn't start until 11.45 putting the end past 1am. The stuff on Gem has actually been ok (jingoistic Tim Gilbert aside)

Nein's programming got thrown out on Sunday due to the cricket finishing early. In the ACT they actually started the Criterium coverage early, resulting in my recording missing almost half the race. Sounds like they did something different wherever you are.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Sometimes Phil and Paul really have no clue. During today's stage they mentioned the race was going through the Flinders Ranges, when the race actually goes through the Mt Lofty Ranges. I don't think there is many good cycling roads in the Flinders Ranges considering it's mostly barren desert.

Phil also said the riders were around 3km from the start of the final climb when the climbers were in fact already on the climb. I enjoy listening to the commentary for the most part but at times it is really laughable!

Frankly P & P should be out of a job following Armstrong's fall.

 

[Cole Dammett]

Any news on Phillipe Gilbert? At the finish line where I was the announced said he had crashed and doctors are attending. Just watched my recording of the stage and no vison of any of the crashes? From what I heard from the riders after the race there were quite a few on the descent

 

[Vader]

Any news on Phillipe Gilbert? At the finish line where I was the announced said he had crashed and doctors are attending. Just watched my recording of the stage and no vison of any of the crashes? From what I heard from the riders after the race there were quite a few on the descent

Cycling News reported something like 11 riders going down in one incident on the descent, Gilbert & Lloyd being the only two riders they bothered to name. They promised an injury update would follow.. still waiting.

 

[crazyman27]

Any news on Phillipe Gilbert? At the finish line where I was the announced said he had crashed and doctors are attending. Just watched my recording of the stage and no vison of any of the crashes? From what I heard from the riders after the race there were quite a few on the descent

It's a pretty technical descent for the first part (and the surface is a little dodgy in parts) so it wouldn't surprise me if a few riders came off near the top. The bottom bit along the valley is cycling heaven though so I would be surprised if there were any falls down there.

Really looking forward to tomorrow's stage which features a climb up the old freeway to start followed by 6 loops around Stirling. It's the first time the old freeway has been used in the Tour. It's a relatively long climb at around 9km but the gradient isn't too difficult averaging just under 5%. Probably just a nuisance to the riders but it will definitely take the sting out of the legs for many.

As for the circuit, it's pretty brutal. It can sort of be split into two sections - the downhill run from Stirling, through Heathfield and into Mylor and then a climb from Mylor, through Aldgate and back to the finish at Stirling. The thing that makes it so tough is the undulation which makes it difficult to get into any kind of rhythm. Even the 'descent' down to Mylor has two quite difficult little ramps which go for about 100m at around 6-7% (getting up to 10% in parts). These probably wouldn't be an issue after only 2 or 3 laps, but by the 5th and 6th laps they will be a real pain in the rear for the riders.

The other reason the circuit is tough is the final climb up to the finish. The real test will come at around 800m to the line where the riders will be greeted by a wall as the road kicks up to around 8% for about 50m. Then the final 100m is a steady drag up to the line.

This stage is perfect for a breakaway purely because I doubt the peleton will be willing to do a heap of work to bring a break back on the tough circuit. The GC guys will be waiting until Willunga Hill to decide the race.

The winner of the stage will be the person willing to work the hardest, for the longest.

 

[Vader]

The Ragvertiser now has more details on the crash..

In doing so, he managed to escape a high-speed crash at the foot of Corkscrew, which saw two riders taken to hospital. Frenchman Arnaud Courteille was taken by ambulance suffering from mild concussion and a suspected broken nose, while Italian Giovanni Visconti was to undergo X-rays for suspected broken ribs. World champion Gilbert - tipped by many to win today’s stage - and Australian Matthew Lloyd were also involved. More than 20 cyclists were either brought down or caught up in the crash which left riders and bikes sprawled across the road inside the final 10km of the stage.

That makes it sound as if the crash occurred as they were starting the climb up Corkscrew, whereas Cycling News gives the impression that it's after they come off the Corkscrew (reporting the crash 30 sec after they reported Thomas winning the KOM at the top of the hill).

 

[monty1104]

Crash was on the descent according to Jens Voigt on Twitter.

 

[Vader]

No mention of it during the live coverage of the race. Focused entirely on Thomas & his lead group, from the moment that he broke clear. Understandable, I guess, but it would have been nice for them to at least mention a fall which left 15 riders on the deck (including the World Champion).

 

[crazyman27]

Gonna be a lot of pain tomorrow with 38 degrees forecast for Adelaide. Lucky they're riding in the hills as it will be 2 or 3 degrees cooler.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

Being from the Hills but now living in Perth makes me really miss just walking out the front of my old house and having the TDU on my doorstep.

 

[crazyman27]

Went out and had a look today. Fantastic stage to watch with many good places to set up camp. They didn't show it on the GEM coverage but Andy Schleck lost a heap of time (around 16 minutes) today. Probably not taking the race that seriously but could be an indication that he hasn't got the legs at the moment.

Another to lose a chunk of time was Martin Kohler (just under 20 minutes). He was actually the 3rd to last rider to finish and was playing catch up even with a couple of laps to go. He may have had a crash (I didn't hear anything) or was possibly under the weather. Disappointing regardless.

Really felt for Mikel Astarloza who rode the last couple of laps by himself out the back and was really struggling. He was bandaged up but I'm not sure whether that was from yesterday or whether he had a fall today.

Tomorrow's stage is a little bit lumpy but the last 25kms or so is mostly downhill. Weather is meant to be a heap cooler as well so expect to see Lotto on the front of the peloton for a lot of the race bringing Greipel in for another easy win.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Do you think that Schleck has really recovered from that injury he had last year?

 

[monty1104]

Do you think that Schleck has really recovered from that injury he had last year?

Maybe, maybe not. But he always said he would just ride this race at the back of the peleton, so it's impossible to know really.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Maybe, maybe not. But he always said he would just ride this race at the back of the peleton, so it's impossible to know really.

That seams reasonable. Though it's interesting why he'd start here in Australia, though not in the Tour of San Luis in Argentina in which all his TdF rivals are racing.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Andy has never given a shit about any race that is not the Tour or LBL. This is standard from him.

 

[crazyman27]

Andy has never given a shit about any race that is not the Tour or LBL. This is standard from him.

Seems a bit silly him being here then. Denies a young rider the chance to prove themselves.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

He is basically using it as training. Check out his palmares, he hasn't won jack.

It was an exciting finish today, the climb was a tough sprint taken out by Gerrans. Good win for him.

 

[Caesar]

I have really enjoyed what I've seen of this year's TDU. Yesterday's stage was something special and the highlights have been great. I guess today will be a bit standard but I'm just enjoying the buildup.

I think next year I will try to get to be in Adelaide during the race, would love to get involved in the carnival atmosphere of it all. It's really become a big event since they put it on the World Tour.

 

[crazyman27]

I have really enjoyed what I've seen of this year's TDU. Yesterday's stage was something special and the highlights have been great. I guess today will be a bit standard but I'm just enjoying the buildup.

I think next year I will try to get to be in Adelaide during the race, would love to get involved in the carnival atmosphere of it all. It's really become a big event since they put it on the World Tour.

It's definitely becoming a lot more accessible as well with all of the stages this year relatively close to the city. The reports I've heard from people who were on Willunga Hill yesterday was that the atmosphere was amazing. Weather this year has been perfect as well (perhaps a little warm on the Stirling stage but I'm sure the riders from the northern hemisphere weren't complaining!) which always helps.

 

[Caesar]

I've never been to SA and I'm thinking a few days in the Barossa, interspersed with catching a stage or two of the Tour, would be a great summer holiday. It looks fantastic on TV.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Andy with a big fat DNF today on a 90km stage because of a broken chain.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Went to the Stirling stage on Thursday. Have been going to this stage since 2011 race - moved back to SA after the 2010 Tour - as a mate comes back from Sydney to ride the community challenge and his folks and uncle live in the Adelaide Hills close by and he brings his kids as does his cousin and his uncle comes along . Always missed the Tour, before moving back SA, as was usually only back for the week to 10 days between Christmas and New Years.

Not sure that 6 laps of Stirling is the right number, too many I think, 3 maybe 4 is the right number. I stand around 75m to go sign on east side of the course as you get to see them start the slightly twisting climb from about 300m away and get to see the finish and they aren't whizzing past you at 60+kms/hr. With the 2 Clarkes out in front of the peloton for a couple of laps everyone was curious if Will Clarke could hold off the peloton for a second year. Alas it didn't happen. Great finish with Slagter bursting away up the hill from Goss and Gilbert. Took some good photos. Gotta say the Stirling stage is bloody well organised and a great spot and the uphill finish is a lot better that a mad 60+km/hr sprint from a spectators POV who isn't on the finish line.

Watched the Tanunda stage live on GEM and the bloody parked cars stuffed up the final sprint with too many riders only picking up the need to move into the centre at the last second causing stuff ups. They have to do something about that next time. Either get rid of cars, which probably wont happen, or put up barriers and "funnel" the riders into the middle of the road, well before parked cars area starts.

Pissed off I missed the Old Willunga Hill stage. Was helping my brother with concreting his front yard all day, so missed live coverage and then too knackered to watch the replay and fell asleep before it started. Next year I think I'm going to go up there.

I committed myself to help my aunty and uncle yesterday, a couple of weeks ago, so missed yesterday as well. Have gone to the final stage in 2011 and 2012 and usually stand around the Montefiore Hill - Pennington Tce corner and that's a good view.

I know traffic considerations mean they wont change it, but I reckon they should redesign the King William Rd section so you don't get that stupid short U turn just before North Terrace. Would like to see them turn down Victoria Drive ( ie 100m before the current finish) and follow the River Torrens 500m to Frome Road, climb Frome Road and then go down North Terrace and a decent 500m flat sprint, then turn onto King William Road and have a mad down hill sprint and finish around Elder Park on the opposite side of the road to current finish. They could also go around North Adelaide a bit more and maybe turn the 4.5km circuit into a 6km to 7km circuit even longer if they crossed or used O'Connell Street. But I know traffic considerations and tying up so much of North Tce traffic and North Adelaide will mean this never happens.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

If possible whack the photos in the epic photo thread, we would all love to see them!