Remove this Banner Ad

TDU 2014

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Fantastic news. I'm heading over for the first time so will be seeing every stage live. Taking the mountain bike as well and will get out to Eagle Park and Cudlee Creek. Can't wait.
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

Arsene Wenger said:
Not the best route especially with stage 1 out at the Barossa, but good to see Corkscrew in there again and BUPA ride is a beauty.
Click to expand...


Question re the BUPA leg to Victor Harbor, if you are familiar with it. What is that first climb just out of Adelaide (400m?) like? Seems to be before the racing zone for the Peleton, but sure to do some damage to the punters doing the BUPA ride you would think. If you are planning a 140km community ride surely you don't want to blow them up in the first 15km?

Stage 1 at Barossa is OK for me. I'm going previous day and watch women's road race, then stay overnight. But if you are familiar with that stage, how do you think Menglers Hill will play out? It doesn't look that bad in the profile especially since it is the only climb in the race. I had it down to be a bunch finish even though it is only 12k to Angaston, but others (tour PR) are saying the group won't get back together. Interested to see what SA people think?
 
Saladin sucks said:
Question re the BUPA leg to Victor Harbor, if you are familiar with it. What is that first climb just out of Adelaide (400m?) like? Seems to be before the racing zone for the Peleton, but sure to do some damage to the punters doing the BUPA ride you would think. If you are planning a 140km community ride surely you don't want to blow them up in the first 15km?

Stage 1 at Barossa is OK for me. I'm going previous day and watch women's road race, then stay overnight. But if you are familiar with that stage, how do you think Menglers Hill will play out? It doesn't look that bad in the profile especially since it is the only climb in the race. I had it down to be a bunch finish even though it is only 12k to Angaston, but others (tour PR) are saying the group won't get back together. Interested to see what SA people think?
Click to expand...
Hi mate

Re Menglers Hill - its not long at just over 2.5 kms at about 5.7%. See Strava segment at this link. http://www.strava.com/segments/612364. I reckon if some attacks hard enough up it they may get away with a prdominantly down hill finish to follow. I think definitely be worth being at or close to the top of Menglers for that last lap.

Re Bupa - the first climb is the old freeway. Its as long a climb as you will get in the Adelaide Hills. If you go hard it can hurt, but ride within yourself and you will be fine to get up and over it. I would think that there will be a few punters who hit it hard and suffer for the rest of the ride.
 
Orica Green-Edge named their TDU squad - included Matthews as well as Goss - plus adaptable set of riders who can climb a bit, ride on the front, sprint a bit, or go in leadout train.
Looks like they are planning to move along at a fair clip, and then have a range of options for last 30km depending on who is freshest.

http://www.greenedgecycling.com/news/orica-greenedge-names-santos-tour-down-under-team

New signing Mathew Hayman is a bit of surprise selection to me, but at the winery ride White said they had been trying to get Hayman to switch for a while, so OGE obviously see him as important.
 
Saladin sucks said:
Question re the BUPA leg to Victor Harbor, if you are familiar with it. What is that first climb just out of Adelaide (400m?) like? Seems to be before the racing zone for the Peleton, but sure to do some damage to the punters doing the BUPA ride you would think. If you are planning a 140km community ride surely you don't want to blow them up in the first 15km?

Stage 1 at Barossa is OK for me. I'm going previous day and watch women's road race, then stay overnight. But if you are familiar with that stage, how do you think Menglers Hill will play out? It doesn't look that bad in the profile especially since it is the only climb in the race. I had it down to be a bunch finish even though it is only 12k to Angaston, but others (tour PR) are saying the group won't get back together. Interested to see what SA people think?
Click to expand...

I rode Mengler's twice earlier this year for the state duathlon champs. Deceivingly tough climb. Consistently steep enough that I was wishing I had compact cranks during the race (was grinding up with a low cadence both times). Also long enough that a decent gap could be put into the field by anybody willing. The fact that it's the first stage of the ProTour season might play a part as everybody will want a piece of the action. The weather could also play a part as it can get pretty hot in that part of the world.

As for the BUPA ride and the freeway climb, I've never ridden the new freeway up through the Heysen Tunnels. The old freeway climb is one of the most popular in Adelaide and a must do for any keen cyclist (dedicated bike path most of the way up). I would say the new freeway would be a grind due to its relatively consistent gradient. It doesn't feature the hairpins and undulations that the old freeway has and hence there wouldn't be much of a chance to catch your breath. Still, a rare opportunity to put yourself on the Strava leaderboards for the segment (and the rest of the route is exceptional) so definitely worth it.

Starting to get super keen for the race. A few sightings of Team Sky riders around Adelaide already (Porte, Thomas etc.) and the first official team arrival on the 7th.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

crazyman27 said:
I rode Mengler's twice earlier this year for the state duathlon champs. Deceivingly tough climb. Consistently steep enough that I was wishing I had compact cranks during the race (was grinding up with a low cadence both times). Also long enough that a decent gap could be put into the field by anybody willing. The fact that it's the first stage of the ProTour season might play a part as everybody will want a piece of the action. The weather could also play a part as it can get pretty hot in that part of the world.

As for the BUPA ride and the freeway climb, I've never ridden the new freeway up through the Heysen Tunnels. The old freeway climb is one of the most popular in Adelaide and a must do for any keen cyclist (dedicated bike path most of the way up). I would say the new freeway would be a grind due to its relatively consistent gradient. It doesn't feature the hairpins and undulations that the old freeway has and hence there wouldn't be much of a chance to catch your breath. Still, a rare opportunity to put yourself on the Strava leaderboards for the segment (and the rest of the route is exceptional) so definitely worth it.

Starting to get super keen for the race. A few sightings of Team Sky riders around Adelaide already (Porte, Thomas etc.) and the first official team arrival on the 7th.
Click to expand...
Forgot that youa ctually go up new freeway. This will be awesome.

Its cool in the next couple of weeks how you see teams out riding and you can jump on the back and follow. I dont think Richie Porte is here yet with Road Nats this week but there are def 4 of the team here (Stannard, Thomas, Eisel and one other i think).
 
crazyman27 said:
Starting to get super keen for the race. A few sightings of Team Sky riders around Adelaide already (Porte, Thomas etc.) and the first official team arrival on the 7th.
Click to expand...

Hey mate do you know where I can find the list of team arrivals that they usually publish?
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

alfy! said:
Was a great ending to the national champs. Really enjoyed that.
Click to expand...
really like wht they've done with the National champs in recent years with them at Bunniyong, really good to see it based in a regional centre and like the course as has a bit of everything, but will lead to the best rider winning it. Never was a fan of a course that is almost guaranteed to finish in a bunch sprint, national titles should be hard to win.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom