No Italian races this year on SBS.
Looks like we have to rely on Eurosport coverage.
Great time of the year with all the racing on.
Sagan wins the Kuurne Brussles Kuurne
My foxtel is overloaded!
Ewan wins the final stage of Dhubai.
Ewan wins in pouring rain - A comfortable victory helped by an outstanding lead-out by Mezgec and Kluge - Apparently Ewan is riding Tirreno Adriatico ( which is hiller than last year ), MSR which he will find too difficult , then Gent Werelgem on the cobbles before the Giro - Hope he rides the whole Giro to build up his endurance and of course there will be 2 or 3 sprint opportunities in the last half of the race,
Strangely Durbridge and Keukeliere are Orica’s protected riders for Strade Bianche - Suggests that Kreuziger is a way off fitness.
Orica team for the one day Italian race Industria Ariginato is A.Yates,Howson,Bewley, Edmondson, Haig, Plaza, Verona and Power - A.Yates and Howson the protected riders - Yates won this race in 2014 and its a winnable race for Orica - Expect most of this team with the addition of Ewan to ride Tirreno-Adriatico.
Team for Paris Nice - S.Yates,Albasini, Cort, Docker, Hayman, Juul-Jensen, Hayman and Keukeliere - This will be a tough race for Orica - Best to hope for S.Yates to finish top 6 in GC.
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I think Kreuziger has attributes to do well here, and could step up a level as a leader with Orica. He has a 5th, 6th and 11th from his 3 prior starts in Strade Bianche - when he may well have been supporting Sagan some of the times.
So Strade Bianche on Saturday
Last 20 km
I’m not entirely sure it’s ideal for Sagan, especially if it’s wet, although he can win anywhere.
GVA will be in it for sure, I like Stybar if it’s really ugly, and Sep Vanmarcke will like wet conditions.
Kwiatkowski - if he reprises his form from a couple of years back.
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Going by the way Kreuziger, Haig and Verona rode the mountain stage in the Tour of Dubai, Kreuziger is still in a training phase - A top 10 from Orica will be a major surprise. My three left field selections are Hermans, Uran and Rozglic - Great to see DD changed their plans and Haas is now riding - He can make top 10 and top 5 on a really good day.
Strade Bianchi great as always.
Found a new YouTube channel for replays… enjoy until taken down: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl92NodlwKSVnGxEYYP3qGw
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Thanks. Kwiato back to form.
Women’s race had more exciting finish, although no sound on broadcast. Aussies Gillow and Garfoot with the leaders but missed on podium spots.
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Kwiatkowski was simply dominant. He looked the winner 30km out and it was no surprise he rode away from everyone and really had them well and truly cooked with 10km to go.
Nice ride from Durbo and Juul Jensen.
He’s just so awesome when he’s on. The Worlds he won was a boss move and so was last night. He attacks with flair. See how he was hammering through those wet roundabouts while the chase were taking it easy. He’s how everyone wishes they could ride.
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It was a big surprise to see Durbridge and Juul-Jensen in the firing line - Got the last 20kms of the Women’s race on Eurosport in HK - A quality race and a quality finish.
Orica team for Tirreno Adriatico
A.Yates
Ewan
Kluge
Mezgec
Impey
Hepburn
Durbridge
Kreuziger
Seems that P/N and T/A are all about stage wins while the GC riders obtain fitness.
Industria and Arigniato tonight - A.Yates and Howson are protected riders.
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Orica have done well boosting their social media credentials with their recent recruitment of riders. Between Juul-Jensen on BP, Kreuziger on Instagram and Verona on You-Tube all bases are covered.
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A.Yates wins gp larciano for the second time winning a six man sprint - Thought he had the race won 10kms to go.
A dramatic day in Stage one of Paris Nice - Echelons split the race apart with 90 kms to go - A lead group of 27 got away with half the sprinters and most of the GC riders missing the split - Sadly Orica had no-one in the split - Demare outsprinted Alaphalippe to win the stage - D.Martin, Gallopin and Alaphalippe made time on the other GC contenders who are between 40 to 60 seconds down.
Bardet DQed for getting a tow from the team car.
There was vision during the telecast of Bardet getting mechanical assistance while alongside the car - It was surprising how quickly he returned to the peleton after being involved in a crash - Though there is inconsistency in the application of the rules.
More than just mechanical assistance!
The second holding of the car was shown on the live coverage in which he allegedly obtained mechanical assistance - Definitely a bit of assistance but no worse than Aru in the 2016 TDF.
Porte finished 15 minutes down on the 2nd stage of Paris Nice and his GC chances are done.
200km of cold (1C), wet & windy conditions took it’s toll.
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