2011 13th Tour Down Under

6-Mar-2011

It’s already March and I’ve written nothing about the year’s Tour calendar. So as usual I have started with the SA tour - even though it is now just an entry in the record books. But I like this race. Mainly because it is in my former “home town” - and because the weather is always the opposite of the UK. The bright Adelaide sunshine always lifts the gloom as I watch from northern Europe.
This year saw Lance say goodbye - and Cameron Meyer (Garmin-Cervelo) win for the home nation ahead of Tasmania’s Matthew Goss (HTC). With Team Sky’s Ben Swift taking third place. That meant that everyone on the podium was in the “Young Rider” category - something that does not happen often in the Pro Tour. And sorry my mistake - it’s now called the “UCI World Tour” rather than Pro Tour. Why the re-branding after spending so much on the previous name? But wait - I am trying to stop being critical of the UCI this year. Trying ... but they are not making easy. I don’t think that my resolution will be able to last very long .. given the UCI’s past record.

2011 De Panne 3-Days : Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde

6-Mar-2011

Last year David Millar took the overall victory so let’s hope that he comes back to defend his jersey. Certainly that final time trial provides the opportunity if he is in top form and well placed in the earlier stages. The 2011 race route is -
Tuesday 29-Mar Middelkerke - Zottegem
Wednesday 30-Mar Oudenaarde - Koksijde
Thursday 31-Mar De Panne Circuit + De Panne-Koksijde Time Trial (14.7km)
As usual this is a quality race for the British fan making the short trip from the Channel ports. No guarantee of good weather - but you could even make a last minute decision for a day trip.

Update: 11-Mar-2011
The provisional team list shows 22 teams - but no entry from David Millar’s Garmin-Cervelo squad ..
Omega Pharma-Lotto
Quick Step Cycling Team
Sky Pro Cycling
Lampre-ISD
Liquigas-Cannondale
Pro Team Astana
Rabobank Cycling Team
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
Katusha Team
BMC Racing Team
HTC-High Road
Team Radioshack
Landbouwkrediet
Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Veranda`s Willems-Accent
Cofidis, le credit en ligne
FDJ
Saur-Sojasun
Team Europcar
Team NetApp
Skil-Shimano
United Healthcare Pro Cycling

Team Sky’s provisional line-up is - Davide Appollonio, Michael Barry, Greg Henderson, Peter Kennaugh, Chris Sutton, Ben Swift, Geraint Thomas, Bradley Wiggins

more....

2011 Giro d’Italia

6-Mar-2011

How Marco would have loved this year’s race route.
No less than seven mountain finishes - plus a mountain time trial of 12.7 km. If a climber does not win in 2011 then there are no specialist climbers left!
From Stage 7 through to Stage 20 there are mountains, mountains, mountains... And not just the “average” Giro mountains. It’s all the way to the top of Mount Etna this year and later a trip into Austria to ride the Grossglockner (1,908m). For those who have not looked it up Grossglockner on wikipedia - it is the highest mountain in the eastern Alps and the second most prominent alpine mountain after Mont Blanc. But even that stage is just the start - being followed immediately by the 210 km stage back from Austria to finish on the dreaded Monte Zoncolan. Then the next day it’s 230 km to finish at Gardeccia - Val di Fassa 1,948m above sea level. A very tough stage with four other major climbs - including the Cima Coppi at Passo Giau (2,236m). Just making it to the rest day on Monday will be an achievement for any rider even at this level of the sport. Glad I’m just a spectator.

Update: 7-Mar-2011
RCS Sport have today announced the 23 teams invited to this year’s race -
AG2R La Mondiale
BMC Racing Team
Euskaltel-Euskadi
HTC-Highroad
Katusha Team
Lampre-ISD
Leopard-Trek
Liquigas-Cannondale
Movistar Team
Omega Pharma-Lotto
Pro Team Astana
QuickStep Cycling Team
Rabobank Cycling Team
Saxo Bank-Sungard
Sky Pro Cycling
Team Garmin-Cervelo
Team RadioShack
Vacansoleil-DCM
+ Pro Continental teams
Acqua & Sapone (Ita)
Androni Giocattoli (Ita)
Colnago-CSF (Ita)
Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli (Gbr) [nice to see a second “British” team riding!]
Geox-TMC (Spa).

Update 9-May-2011
Pink for Cavendish, then pink for Millar but both are put in the shade by the black day for everyone at the Giro following the death of Wouter Weylandt.  He crashed on a high-speed descent of the Passo del Bocco towards the end of the 3rd stage into Rapallo. Even from the first helicopter shots it was clearly a very serious accident. The rest of the stage was spent waiting for news - but when it came it was as bad as it could be.

In 2010 I saw Wouter win the 3rd stage of Giro - one year on and he has gone....

more of the 2011 Giro d’Italia ...

Any comments? Feedback at www.Tour-Racing.Org.UK (when I get it working correctly)