The Professional Cycling Thread (from July 2024)

Fozdog · February 5, 2025, 12:37am

Are any these early races covered by SBS at all?

barry_day · February 5, 2025, 12:52am

February

ProVelo Super League - Melbourne to Warrnambool

February 8-9

LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand

Tour of Oman (Road) - UCI Pro Series

February 8-12

Daily highlights on SBS On Demand

Tour de la Provence (Road) - UCI Europe Tour

February 14-16

LIVE on SBS On Demand

ProVelo Super League - Tour of Tasmania

February 23

yaco55 · February 5, 2025, 4:25pm

In a surprise, Trek blow away the TTT at Valenciana by 46 seconds. jayco 2nd in a clump of teams within 20 seconds. GC is wide open.

yaco55 · February 8, 2025, 5:22pm

O’Connor has looked second hand at Valenciana. It’s been a good race with a well designed parcour. Plapp doing the commentary on the Melb to Warrambool with roseman Gannon to win the womens race. Actually RRG should be in europe. excellent effort Liv jayco’s new Italian recruit fpr the women’s Trinca-Colonel to finish 4th on jabeel Hafeet.

barry_day · February 8, 2025, 10:16pm

Both Hindley and O’Connor have been poor.

barry_day · February 9, 2025, 2:36am

RRG didn’t ride the Warnie.

barry_day · February 9, 2025, 7:21am

Katelyn Nicholson TTing her way to winning the Women’s Warnie. She got away with 20+km.
Frankie Hall 2nd, Josephine Pepper 3rd.

Yesterday, in the men’s race, Blake Angoletto won, a straight up sprint from a small group.
Hamish McKenzie and Mark O’Brien tried to get away in the last 20km but couldn’t make anything stick.

yaco55 · February 9, 2025, 7:31am

She was in commentary. Gotta laugh at the NZ RR. Both Pithie and FFB 8 min back. They will not ride together which was shown in Cadels race. One needed to go to Jayco.

barry_day · February 9, 2025, 7:34am

Matilda Raynolds was there, but I don’t recall RRG commentating, unless it was earlier in the race.
Today it was Raynolds and Gigante.

yaco55 · February 9, 2025, 7:48am

It was advertised for RRG to be in commentary. Will watch a replay later today. I wonder when Plapp will be back. Jayco got their team selection wrong for Valenciana and Oman. Should have had Krinjzen at Oman for one of the climbers. ANYWAY Harper can do a good GC at Oman.

barry_day · February 12, 2025, 3:59am

Son crossed paths with RRG while doing Boulie repeat efforts yesterday.

yaco55 · February 12, 2025, 4:51am

Its a battle to get RRG to Europe. Just watched Melb to Warney and worried about negative tactics to get the gig at Jayco. Will post more later.

barry_day · February 12, 2025, 4:52am

Yeah, U23 tactics were not great.

yaco55 · February 12, 2025, 6:59am

The Director sportifs are not giving their younger riders the best chance to get into the WT. Browning and Marriage should never have been allowed to get in the break at the TDU. Getting into an uncontested break in low watt stages proves nothing. STAying with the peleton and lasting as long as you can is better way of showing your strength.

Finally, if i an older rider in ProVelo than i am going all in because the teams will protect the position of their under 23 rider. I doubt the leaders in these categories will be the best suited to the WT.

barry_day · February 12, 2025, 7:57am

I don’t agree. Jack Ward (leading) kicked Plapp’s arse on the Tour of Bright on the two climbing stages. He’s a very promising rider.
Hamish McKenzie (2nd in standings) is already in Jayco’s development squad.

yaco55 · February 12, 2025, 2:50pm

Jack Ward is super talented but he is no guarantee to finish the leading under 23 rider, especially if strong teams block the race. In saying that, there is a greater chance of this happening on the women’s side. Anyway, we wait for the final 4 rounds.

I was interested in Howson’s performance in Oman after he was awful in the TDU. There was criticism of him riding for the National team, especially after his performance. Gotta say I was disappointed in Harper’s perfromance as he is a better climber than Howson.

Finally, the women’s edition of Valenciana starts tomorrow with a stacked field. Liv Alula Jayco has picked a strong squad and they could win a stage with luck.

yaco55 · February 13, 2025, 2:05pm

Lucinda Stewart riding for the Liv Alula Women’s team in Valenciana. It’s a pity that Paternoster is out because she would have taught Stewart how to ride in the peleton.

I wonder what jayco do with Bling this season. All GT’s suit his skill set, however, he needs to ride two GT’s because there will no need to go to the World’s.

barry_day · February 13, 2025, 10:37pm

Doesn’t look like she had a great day. 2nd last over the line @ 15 minutes.

yaco55 · February 14, 2025, 6:03pm

It was a leisurely run stage and she was already off the back, although FDJ drilled the climb for Vollering who took the stage win. Stage 2 had a reduced bunch sprint surprisingly won by Bredewold. Liv Alula must be rueing Paternoster’s crash in stage one of the UAE Tour. Paternoster would have podiumed behind Wiebes in the sprint and she would have won today’s sprint.

Men’s team for UAE is Groenewegen, Walscheid, Mezgec, Reinders, Harper, Durbridge and Donaldson. This is a world class sprint field, while Plapp has not yet recovered from his broken wrist. It’s disappointing because he could have close in the ITT and got a podium in GC. Wanted the team to send Donaldson to Almeria on Sunday to see his sprint against a reduced sprint field.

yaco55 · February 16, 2025, 12:02pm

Jayco lucky to get a team of five together for Almeria one day race. Had to call on a rider from the Devo squad to make five. It’s disappointing that Bling will not commit to a full classics season, as he is again missing opening weekend.