Australian Open Road Champs

[RICHARDH]

Mike Rogers looks dangerous will be out to prove something to himself and Columbia i reckon in both the Road Race and the Time Trial. Ladys will be intresting without Wood. Same goes for the U23s.

[RICHARDH]

Jack Bobridge wins under 23 TT, me thinks that this kid will end up on a Pro Team in the very near future.

[RICHARDH]

Mick Rogers took out the mens, suprising to see Hansen so far down?

[Chuck]

Mick Rogers took out the mens, suprising to see Hansen so far down?

Was that the ITT Richard ? Do you have a link for the results ?

[RICHARDH]

Yep ITT im pretty sure there is no National Team Time Trial heres a link

http://www.cyclingnews.com.au/road/2009 ... ts/AORC093

Meyer is looking the goods aswell.

[Chuck]

Yep ITT im pretty sure there is no National Team Time Trial heres a link

http://www.cyclingnews.com.au/road/2009 ... ts/AORC093

Meyer is looking the goods aswell.

Thanks.

Rogers had some encouraging results towards the end of last year. Would be awesome if he could get back to where he was when he crashed out of the Tour a couple of years ago.

2 Aussies in the top 10 at the Tour would be great.

[RICHARDH]

Still my dads dark horse pick for the Tour, Columbia have a very strong team, if they decided to give Cav two guys for the sprints and threw some domestiques behind Mick they could have a very good July.

[Ant.]

Nice time trialing!

Just a couple of weeks ago at a Perth time trial, there was some guy here with a Garmin-Chipotle Felt DA bike, and a matching Garmin-Chipotle skinsuit.
My first thought was "fanboy", but boy I was wrong he actually is a member of team slipstream, and only finished 6 seconds slower than Michael Rogers in that time trial.
This makes me feel better about him absolutely blasting past me
Good on him

[toolonglegs]

Nice time trialing!

Just a couple of weeks ago at a Perth time trial, there was some guy here with a Garmin-Chipotle Felt DA bike, and a matching Garmin-Chipotle skinsuit.
My first thought was "fanboy", but boy I was wrong he actually is a member of team slipstream, and only finished 6 seconds slower than Michael Rogers in that time trial.
This makes me feel better about him absolutely blasting past me
Good on him

Yes...extremely impressive TT by Cameron Meyer!.God on Rodgers thou... he's going to spank Cadel!

[Chuck]

God on Rodgers thou... he's going to spank Cadel!

You really don't like him do you

Rogers has a bit to prove though. Plenty of talk about promise but he's yet to prove himself at any of the major tours so far, outside of being a good helper. Even his ITT at the tours has been disappointing when you consider he is a 3 time world champion.

Cadel has finished 2nd at the Tour twice now (with very little help), a huge effort in any mans language. I know Rogers has had some bad luck but being in yellow "on the road" is not the same as actually wearing yellow or being on the podium in Paris.

Don't think that I don't like Rogers. I do, very much, and I hope 09 is a huge year for him. He's around the age now where some of the top guys have broken through in major tours. Lets hope he stays healthy and it happens for him this year.

[toolonglegs]

...if not this year maybee next!.

[RICHARDH]

God on Rodgers thou... he's going to spank Cadel!

You really don't like him do you

Rogers has a bit to prove though. Plenty of talk about promise but he's yet to prove himself at any of the major tours so far, outside of being a good helper. Even his ITT at the tours has been disappointing when you consider he is a 3 time world champion.

Cadel has finished 2nd at the Tour twice now (with very little help), a huge effort in any mans language. I know Rogers has had some bad luck but being in yellow "on the road" is not the same as actually wearing yellow or being on the podium in Paris.

Don't think that I don't like Rogers. I do, very much, and I hope 09 is a huge year for him. He's around the age now where some of the top guys have broken through in major tours. Lets hope he stays healthy and it happens for him this year.

2 years ago he rode wheel for wheel on the stage that the Chicken won and would probably have been the stage that won him the tour if he (Rasmussen) hadn't been kicked out.Rodgers had no problem sticking with Rasmussen when he attacked,something Cadel could never do...he looked so strong on that stage that it wasn't hard to think that an ex ITT world champ could of won the 2006 Tour had he not demolished himself into a barrier.
Not sure he will ever capture that form,but he is a lot younger than Cadel and is riding for one of the strongest teams there is...if not this year maybee next!.

This is exactly what my dad said last year, told him last night about the Nat. Champs TT and he basically said that he reckons he will be there come july. Will be intresting with Bertie and Lance watching each other and the Schlecks watching them Rogers will attack something that as much as i respect Cadel its something he has failed (whether thats his fault or not) to do for 4 Tours.

[Chuck]

Rogers will attack something that as much as i respect Cadel its something he has failed (whether thats his fault or not) to do for 4 Tours.

It's something that TLL has been critical of too, fair enough. He's talked about going all out at the Tour this year and I hope he does.

Richard, I think you posted a while ago that it will be even harder for Cadel to win this year and that he should look for a stage win and trying to get into yellow for a few days. I totally agree with this, starting with the first TT. He should go all out and try to win the TT and get the yellow jersey. Who knows how it will fall from that point, but hopefully he'll remain positive and try to seize any opportunity that comes his way.

The other thing he could do is talk more positively about his team. We KNOW they are not the strongest out there but continually referring to it can only be talking them down. They read papers and watch the news too. It can't be good for their moral, nor inspiring them to ride harder, to hear the team leader constantly referring to his team as "not the strongest".

It doesn't have to be outrageously generous, just comments like "they're riding their hearts out for me" or talk about how much hardwork the TEAM has done in the lead up to the Tour. Every good thing the team does needs to be mentioned to the media by Cadel and hopefully that will inspire them to ride above themselves for him.

He's created history the last 2 years riding conservatively, why not throw caution to the wind and see what happens.

I hope you're right Richard about Rogers attacking, it would make for great viewing down under. Easier said than done though.

[RICHARDH]

That is one of Cadels failings is that he does seem to keep himself seperate to the team, though this might just be the way the media portrays it. His never going to have the strongest team because he wont leave SL for whatever reason and they seemed determined to stick with Classic riders. Cadel doesnt have that attacking kick his a diesel engine. Your absolutley right about the ITT, its his best chance of winning a stage but will probably come to bite him in the arse in the Alps and Pyrenees.

[Chuck]

Cadel doesnt have that attacking kick his a diesel engine.

I think you've said it all right there. It's not a criticism but a pretty accurate call from what we've seen over the last 4 years.

You can't question his heart or toughness though.

[stryker84]

Just got back to Ballarat today, though won't make it to the U23s or women's road, but will most probably be somewhere along the course for the men's tomorrow morning. Should be a good one.

[sogood]

2 years ago he rode wheel for wheel on the stage that the Chicken won and would probably have been the stage that won him the tour if he (Rasmussen) hadn't been kicked out.

Maybe I have been badly influenced by all the stories of doping charges in pro-cycling. But there's always a shadow of doubt when someone is able to to stick with a known doper.

[Dunk]

Nice time trialing!

Just a couple of weeks ago at a Perth time trial, there was some guy here with a Garmin-Chipotle Felt DA bike, and a matching Garmin-Chipotle skinsuit.
My first thought was "fanboy", but boy I was wrong he actually is a member of team slipstream, and only finished 6 seconds slower than Michael Rogers in that time trial.
This makes me feel better about him absolutely blasting past me
Good on him

Ha, isn't that the truth. I thought I was riding pretty well on the downwind section and he blasted past me like I was standing still From memory his average speed was just over 49kph, I won't even mention mine

[toolonglegs]

[Chuck]

Maybe I have been badly influenced by all the stories of doping charges in pro-cycling. But there's always a shadow of doubt when someone is able to to stick with a known doper.

What about when they're able to crush known dopers

[wayno]

1. Peter Macdonald
2. Mick Rogers
3. Adam Hansen

Good result for Hansen considering his TT. Who is Macdonald? Deserves respect though.

[toolonglegs]

He used to ride for FRF Couriers/ NSW Institute of Sport,not sure who he rides for now...Aussie based thou (I think).Great result...would have been nice to see Rodgers in the jersey thou...but he has no sprint.

[stryker84]

Looked like it was going to be Rogers or Hansen, seeing Hansen was actually with the chasing group, put in a good dash cross the gap just after the bell, putting two Columbia riders in the lead trio for the final lap and Hansen with the fresher legs, but looks like they got it wrong and couldn't beat Macdonald down the straight.

Pretty good day all up, great weather for it, great course, great crowd, great racing.

[stryker84]

He used to ride for FRF Couriers/ NSW Institute of Sport,not sure who he rides for now...Aussie based thou (I think).

yep, Drapac Porsche.

[Chuck]

Looked like it was going to be Rogers or Hansen, seeing Hansen was actually with the chasing group, put in a good dash cross the gap just after the bell, putting two Columbia riders in the lead trio for the final lap and Hansen with the fresher legs, but looks like they got it wrong and couldn't beat Macdonald down the straight.

Pretty good day all up, great weather for it, great course, great crowd, great racing.

Sounds like you had a good time down there stryker. Would love to get along to some events like this, sooner rather than later.