Apparently Albasini is contracted for 2019 which has slipped under the radar - Only Howson and Durbridge unconfirmed - These two riders renew and that will make 25 riders which is the same as 2018.
Cycling Fever website says the extension was announced 2nd November.
No mention on the MS website, though this is usually the case with Albasini.
1 Like
Howson renews with MS for two years - Only waiting on Durbridge.
1 Like
Two time Sun Herald stage winner, last riding for Saxo Tinkoff.
Was treated for testicular cancer last year
1 Like
Durbridge renews for 2 years with MS. Roster set for 2019.
1 Like
Arthur’s Seat returns to the 2019 Herald Sun Tour - Five times up the climb - Who will be the second WT team.
1 Like
No Sky next year?
Froome starting his season at the Colombian stage race in February. My understanding is Chaves will ride in this race. Whether its for a local team or MS is unknown.
My guess is Trek will return to the Herald Sun Tour
1 Like
Gerrans has landed on his feet by starting a six month internship at Goldman Sachs ( London ) in the securities division.
1 Like
Oh the horror. Some may have disliked him, but surely he doesn’t deserve that sort of torture, being surrounded by bankers.
1 Like
Kaden Groves of the MItchelton Conti squad wins the last stage of Fuzhou after last week winning a stage at Quanzhou Bay - He’s still only 19 so must be a chance for the WT team in 2020 or 2021 - And to think management refused to let him sprint in L’Avenir.
Allan Peiper and Neil Stephens to UAE as director sportifs.
The Stephens move to UAE was rumoured since August. UAE needs lots of help.
Wheel suckers deserve each other
Wheel suckers win plenty of races and will always - Maybe motorcross is a better option for some.
Herald Sun Tour parcours released.
Looks like Trek are the other WT team to ride, and Porte will part of the team
![[IMG]](https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/5d499c76c7bed9856f407f01154bfc7b?width=1024)
AUSTRALIA’S best stage racer is back for our oldest stage race as Richie Porte gets set to return to the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.
Porte will launch what he hopes will be a year of redemption at the 66th edition of the event, which starts at Phillip Island on January 30 and ends with a Royal Botanic Gardens circuit on February 3.
The Tasmanian will lead his new team, Trek-Segafredo, on a 604.1km course set to inflict carnage with five-time slog up Arthurs Seat on Stage 4.
Porte, who turns 34 on Friday, last raced the Herald Sun Tour in 2011. He returns eight years on fighting mortality as much as his rivals, with bad luck haunting his last three attempts at the Tour de France, the last two ending with nasty crashes.
But in a treat for Victorian cycling fans, Porte vowed to come out swinging.
“If I’m there, I’m there to win it,” Porte said.
Richie Porte in action during the Tour de France.
“I did it in 2008 when Stuart O’Grady won and I did it in 2009 when Bradley Wiggins won, so it is a race to be taken seriously.
“The Herald Sun Tour is the one where the older guys like John Trevorrow and Graham McVilly all talk about it. You always hear the stories and it does have that prestige for an Aussie race.
“I’ve wanted to do it for years, but it just never really fit or I was riding for teams that weren’t going to do it. But next year with Trek it just worked.”
Porte will again open his season at Tour Down Under and feature in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race before lining up at the Herald Sun Tour.
The route for next year’s Herald Sun Tour.
Porte and his Trek-Segafredo teammates will face competition from Australian outfit Mitchelton-Scott, while several other WorldTour teams have been linked to the race.
After the Herald Sun Tour opens with 22 fast and furious laps of the Phillip Island MotoGP circuit, the peloton will tackle the hills of South Gippsland, with a gravel climb and technical descent only 12km from the finish of Stage 2 set to spice things up.
A lumpy and long Stage 3 from Sale to Warragul further softens the legs before the queen stage to be feared - the 128.8km Stage 4 mission from Cape Schanck to Arthurs Seat.
A Stage 5 battle around Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, which features 22 climbs up the Tan Track’s popular Anderson Street hill, will provide the fan-friendly final-day fireworks.
Richie Porte in action during the Tour Down Under. Picture: Sarah Reed
The two-day Lexus of Blackburn Women’s Herald Sun Tour will also run on January 30-31.
Porte said he was relishing the prospect of a hard day of racing on Arthurs Seat.
“I’ve done it before, but never in a race. I know it’s a pretty brutal little climb and five times up it is never going to be easy is it?” he said.
“But I can’t wait to get over to the Herald Sun Tour. I’m looking forward to it.”
1 Like
Porte will never learn and his making it worse by tagging on the Herald Sun Tour - Porte will bring in crowds and make Trevorrow happy - I suspect Porte has given up on GC ambitions in GT’s - Anyway it’s a shame that a rider of his ability has never won a GT stage.
IMO, Porte could win a GT only if everything went right. And we know that just happen with him.
He’s a good rider, but I think his race craft is a little lacking and he’s never had a great team to support him.
It just shows you how hard it is to win 1 GT let alone multiple.
Paul Sherwen died unexpectedly in Uganda, 62.
With Phil Liggett, one of the voices of the TdF