Jethro Tah
Bob Loudon (25)
Forgive me father for I have sinned - it has been too long since my last post on GAGR. I have been busier than a brick layer in Baghdad … but I have been lurking.
Only 10 more sleeps till the start of Le Tour 2012 !!
The below piece by Rupert in the SMH got me motivated to write:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/evans-elects-not-to-select-his-tour-team-20120620-20olz.html#ixzz1yQdtbVaS
Most notably:
“This year's Tour de France could see a record 12 or 13 Australians take part on latest count. With Cadel Evans (BMC) defending the title he won last year, the Tour peloton could also include - pending final selections in the next days - Michael Rogers and Richie Porte (Sky), Matt Goss, Simon Gerrans, Stuart O'Grady, Brett Lancaster, Baden Cooke and/or Allan Davis (Orica-GreenEDGE), Mark Renshaw (Rabobank), Adam Hansen (Lotto-Bellisol), Matt Lloyd (Lampre-ISD) and Luke Roberts (Saxo Bank). But wait, there's more ... The start by Orica-GreenEDGE will be the first by an Australian team in the Tour. And here's one to keep Aussie fans cheering - with Evans out for back-to-back yellow jerseys and Goss gunning for the green jersey as winner of the points competition, Lloyd's planned tilt for the red and white polka dot jersey as King of the Mountains could provide an unprecedented podium picture come the finish in Paris on July 22.”
Now Rupert is not wrong in his suggestion that three Aussies could end Le Tour in yellow, green and red & white but realistically the odds are stacked against it.
Firstly to Cadel. Seeing him ride into Paris last year in yellow was a day I will never forget, and I really hope he can back it up. With Andy out injured and Contador in the naughty boy corner, Cadel might just do it. The biggest threat is Wiggins with a good team behind him and two long individual TT stages but he may have hit peak form too early in winning the Dauphine, and Cadel is the better climber. I fear though he may come unstuck with the pressures of the yellow jersey as Cadel prefers to stay out of the spotlight and seems to prefer the underdog tag. My heart says he will win but my Tahs tainted head expects to be disappointed. Good speed Cadel !!
To the green jersey, I think Goss and others will only be fighting it out for second place after Cav. Both had their moments in the Giro but to me Cav just looked more comfortable and it would a lot to ask of GreenEdge in their first Le Tour as a team. I will be cheering for Goss but actually enjoy watching a Cav sprint – he is a machine. But maybe he will have one eye on the London Olympics and hold back a bit, just maybe …..
I am not a cyclo by religion and know little more than what Rupert writes so fell free to advise of the realistic contenders.
Anyway, good Tour to you all. Should you be watching the coverage on tele, look out for me in the Alps on Stage 11, Thursday 12th July as I will be beside the road on the Col de la Croix de Fer “yelling for Cadel”.
Only 10 more sleeps till the start of Le Tour 2012 !!
The below piece by Rupert in the SMH got me motivated to write:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/evans-elects-not-to-select-his-tour-team-20120620-20olz.html#ixzz1yQdtbVaS
Most notably:
“This year's Tour de France could see a record 12 or 13 Australians take part on latest count. With Cadel Evans (BMC) defending the title he won last year, the Tour peloton could also include - pending final selections in the next days - Michael Rogers and Richie Porte (Sky), Matt Goss, Simon Gerrans, Stuart O'Grady, Brett Lancaster, Baden Cooke and/or Allan Davis (Orica-GreenEDGE), Mark Renshaw (Rabobank), Adam Hansen (Lotto-Bellisol), Matt Lloyd (Lampre-ISD) and Luke Roberts (Saxo Bank). But wait, there's more ... The start by Orica-GreenEDGE will be the first by an Australian team in the Tour. And here's one to keep Aussie fans cheering - with Evans out for back-to-back yellow jerseys and Goss gunning for the green jersey as winner of the points competition, Lloyd's planned tilt for the red and white polka dot jersey as King of the Mountains could provide an unprecedented podium picture come the finish in Paris on July 22.”
Now Rupert is not wrong in his suggestion that three Aussies could end Le Tour in yellow, green and red & white but realistically the odds are stacked against it.
Firstly to Cadel. Seeing him ride into Paris last year in yellow was a day I will never forget, and I really hope he can back it up. With Andy out injured and Contador in the naughty boy corner, Cadel might just do it. The biggest threat is Wiggins with a good team behind him and two long individual TT stages but he may have hit peak form too early in winning the Dauphine, and Cadel is the better climber. I fear though he may come unstuck with the pressures of the yellow jersey as Cadel prefers to stay out of the spotlight and seems to prefer the underdog tag. My heart says he will win but my Tahs tainted head expects to be disappointed. Good speed Cadel !!
To the green jersey, I think Goss and others will only be fighting it out for second place after Cav. Both had their moments in the Giro but to me Cav just looked more comfortable and it would a lot to ask of GreenEdge in their first Le Tour as a team. I will be cheering for Goss but actually enjoy watching a Cav sprint – he is a machine. But maybe he will have one eye on the London Olympics and hold back a bit, just maybe …..
I am not a cyclo by religion and know little more than what Rupert writes so fell free to advise of the realistic contenders.
Anyway, good Tour to you all. Should you be watching the coverage on tele, look out for me in the Alps on Stage 11, Thursday 12th July as I will be beside the road on the Col de la Croix de Fer “yelling for Cadel”.