Beech and fern forests in the area, I was told
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You mean the shirt section shown on the tour or on the Black Spur (which incidentally I think might be getting renamed).
On the TDF
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The early part of the stage reminded me a bit of Mornington Peninsula, the higher bits overlooking the bays, definitely some patches of eucalypts, no question in my mind.
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Yeah was just one little bit where the bends looked familiar and then I got added eucalypts! I once went through Spain and Portugal and couldn’t believe the gum plantations in some areas.
It’s amazing how you can know a road. I once watched a few minutes of a freak weather American TV show. It was full of tornadoes etc. They then showed a dash cam clip from Australia. They didn’t say where but In three seconds I just said ‘that’s the Black Spur - and it was, right at Fernshaw (Watts River crossing). A freak wind gust blew down 4-5 young mountain ash which landed across the road right at the bridge - luckily the car had time to stop after capturing the falling trees - amazing to catch them falling.
I’ve driven the Spur countless times. I actually think it’s one of the best forest drives in the world.
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Just don’t ride it on a bicycle. Far too dangerous with the traffic on it IMO.
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Hmm, beech and tree fern is like the spur, although I didn’t see that in the few minutes I watched. The beech here would be different, but there’s patches of it around Dom Dom saddle I think, and certainly a lot in behind Marysville on Lady Talbot forest drive, and around the Lake Mountain turn off. Nothofagus Cunninghamii.
And the tree ferns on the spur are up to 30 ft plus - hundreds of years old, having resprouted in the spring after the 1939 Black Friday fires. Most people apparently thought they’d been killed, but lots weren’t.
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I’ve seen motorbikes down and cars off the edge. They flash over to Marysville for coffee. But dry road in fine weather can be interrupted on bends with water seeps and ribbons of slimy wet bark. The smart riders go over real slow and only come back faster if/where safe.
Someone told me at one stage it was almost a car a week going off - hence the added barriers 10 or whatever years back. It’s safe if you are careful.
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First mountain stage tonight.
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Yay!
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The ones who crashed close to the finishing line would be pretty angry, including the one who was forced against the crowd barrier. At least everyone got the same time as a result.
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Wow, Jai Hindley and maillot jaune as well!
So annoyed I went to bed at midnight.
Such a good result. He was looking so comfortable. I reckon we have a TDF winner there, even if it isn’t this year.
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I don’t understand why Hindley was allowed in the break, but hey, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Vingegaard really put Pogacar to the sword too.
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V’s team was so focused on the Pog and Jai’s team took advantage?
It was amazing, he was fresh as a daisy in the interview shortly after the finish.
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Pog is both white jersey and over-the-hill*
*maybe
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I have to wonder if that all the wonders Pog pulls off in the classics, this is counterproductive for his Grand Tour aspirations?
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I trust that Albanese will send his congrats to Jai on the stage win and the maillot jaune, which he took from a British cyclist.
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