Season Closure - Almost
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
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Phil regularly posts here with his opinion on current races, cycling politics, and updates from the ground at Le Tour de France, La Vuelta a Espana, and other major races.
The Vuelta, season 2016 .
Life for a professional cyclist can be harrowing. The risks associated with the sport often extreme and recently highlighted by Sagan’s outburst when he was knocked off his bike in La Vuelta.
Sagan’s rage is understandable, his behaviour questionable. My issue is that if he and every other professional is not able to race safely how on earth are we, the weekend racers, warriors or commuters ever going to win the battle of safety on our roads.
La Vuelta, like the Giro and even Le Tour de France also suffer the indignity of the current trend by teams to start riders in their line-ups without ever having any intention of the rider finishing the race.
We focus on the young heros and rising stars. Here in Australia there is much focus on OGE and Caleb Ewan has had a great year. He is exciting to watch, dicing it up at the pointy end of the bunch. Head down, just like Abdu back in my day, a bit scary at times to be around but great spectating.
The issue is, why race him. I don’t find it correct that teams field riders for half a race. If an athlete is rostered not to finish, to only ride a portion of a tour for experience he shouldn’t be in the event. He is not ready.
What a Tour de France and what a tour for PAC. Like a well drilled team my group is coming together, working hard, dominating at the critical moments in the quest for the best vantage points. Brilliant.
The Lacets Montvernier Climb was a magical day on Tour at the Tour de France.
The Glandon was our next goal and the expected showdown eventuated in the race itself. Much like in the Giro d'Italia when Alberto’s team were slowly decimated by the constant attacks of his adversaries we have seen tempers fray and fingers being pointed at the end of Stage 19 of the 2015 Tour de France.
Our group was on the col du Glandon when the yellow jersey of the 2015 Tour de France had to stop briefly to attend to a gear problem. Within seconds of him remounting to chase, the eventual stage winner Vincenzo Nibali attacked.
Chris Froome’s gracious diplomacy has cracked with a personal attack on Nibali. My view, sure, Nibali wanted to have his day in the sun but what ever happened to respect, Froome and team Sky have dominated, have some dignity?
That said Sky's bullets are being depleted. When the yellow jersey group came past us near the summit of the Glandon, Chris Froome only had Wouter Poels left with him. I suspect Froome has it in the bag but like Alberto in the Giro, Froome is lucky the TdF isn't a day longer. I don’t think his temperament could hold out too much longer or the legs of his teammates.
Much has been said about G’ loosing so much time yesterday on the Glandon, my team did really well, holding it together to our new vantage point but we do have a big day to go.
Tomorrow, I suspect we will see the reappearance of an energised Richie Porte, he has quietly tapped away, not seen too much since the Pyrenees to assist his glorious leader all the way to the top of Alpe d’Huez and a second Tour de France victory. We will see.
