Tag Archives: Daryl Impey

Chapeau to Michelton Scott

Dear Rouleurs,

In case you weren’t playing attention, Michelton Scott seem to taken the mantle of being the best cycling team in the world. The last couple of weeks have been spectacular for the men’s and women’s teams.

First a brief tangent…Allez Alaphillipe…put Team Ineos in their pace. How good would it be for world cycling for a Frenchman to win the Tour since Benard Hinault in 1985? Allez Alaphillipe, Allez Alaphillipe , Allez Alaphillipe.

First let us start with the Men’s team competing in this year’s Tour De France. Up front, its clear that by stage 13, Michelton Scott’s Plan A win the TDF 2019 with Adam Yates wasn’t working. So recasting the team’s strategy to Plan B stage hunting, was probably something of gamble. However much to every Australian cycling fan’s delight its worked a treat. Here’s how its worked so far:

Stage Rider How it happened
9: Saint-Étienne >
Brioude		 Daryl Impey
launched a late attack on the final climb and storm into Brioude
with just Tiesj Benoot(Soudal-Lotto) left to
out sprint.
12: Toulouse >
Bagnères-de-Bigorre 		Simon Yates sprinted
to his debut Tour de
France victory on
stage 12 to give the team their second win of
the race.
15: Limoux >
Foix Prat d’Albis 		Simon Yates won his
second stage win,
attacking from the
breakaway on a day
the general
classification received a significant shake-up.
17: Pont du Gard >
Gap 		Matteo Trentin soloed to his first Tour de
France victory in five years and the team’s
fourth of the race on
stage 17 into Gap.

…and if that wasn’t enough, the Michelton Scott women’s team cleaned up at the Giro Rosa in Italy. For a second year the women’s thrashed its rivals in the biggest race in women’s cycling, finishing first and third overall. Team leader, Annemiek van Vleuten, defended her title by quickly amassing an unassailable lead in the mountains, while Australian teammate Amanda Spratt took a late opportunity to fight her way onto the prestigious overall podium of the ten-day Giro Rosa.

So there so have it, Michelton Scott, arguably the best sporting team in Australia and with claim to being the best team in international cycling.

Until next time, Allez Alaphillipe

Marv

Take a bow…Daryl Impey, Winner TDU 2018

Dear Rouleurs,

MMT has realised that he hasn’t been paying much attention to the world of competitive cycling over the Christmas break.  It was only when he watched the end of stage 4 of the 2018 TDU, that he realised that Orica Scott/Greenedge/Bike Exchange had in fact changed name to Mitchelton-Scott, back in early December 2017.  Its amused the hell out of MMT as the press announcement/PR is still be published on the Greenedgecycling domain name…huh??

Anyhow, sponsor naming confusion aside, well done Daryl Impey in winning the first UCI event of the year and the 20th edition of TDU, for whatever the hell your team is called this year 😉  Tell the truth I’m not sure how he did it, between Richie Porte’s now telegraphed attacks on Willunga Hill and Peter Sagan blowing up.  Mind you, you had to feel for the European riders doing a stage race in the middle of a typical southern Australian heat wave. Well…not really….

Here’s what the paragon of Australian cycling print media, Melbourne’s very own Herald Sun, had to say.  Given its silly season for cricket and tennis, MMT is amazed that this event made it into the newspaper.

Even Daryl is a South African, MMT supposes that Australians will claim this victory, as he races for an Australian team.  Like Esteban Chaves, he should be added to the list of people that should be made Australian citizens.  Unlike our High Court and its interpretation of the Australian Constitution, no one will give rat’s bum they retain dual citizenship 😉

Until next time, ride safe

Marv