Tag Archives: orica-greenedge

2016 Giro Italia…what a race!!!

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Dear Rouleurs,

Unfortunately, MMT is currently off the bike and out of action with what would have to be the worst ailment a cyclist can possibly have, bar bulging disks in the lower back, broken bones or face planting on Belgian pave and knocking out  all your front teeth.  Notwithstanding that piece of whingeing, how about the Giro 2016 edition??   With nine different race leaders and a thrilling last week in the mountains, that was epic.  Man I can’t wait for the centenary version next year.

Estaban Chaves crosses the finish line of Stage 18.

Estaban Chaves crosses the finish line of Stage 18.

Estban Chaves take a bow, to achieve second behind the wily Vincenzo Nibali was an incredible result.  MMT once wonders how long before he becomes a naturalised Australian citizen.  My guess is that Columbia won’t be too keen to let him go.  Neither will Orica-GreenEdge, who for the first time in their team’s existence, have a genuine General Classification (GC) rider for the Grand tours.

Chaves, Nibali and Valverde on the Giro Podium in Torino.

Chaves, Nibali and Valverde on the Giro Podium in Torino.

Speaking of genuine GC riders, chapeau!!! Vincenzo Nibali.  I thought Nibali was gone after a horrendous mechanical failure on  stage 15’s  uphill time trial, and again in Stage 18, both Kruijiswik and Chaves put time into Nibali.  So Nibali’s comeback in  winning stages 19 and 20 back to back was an astonishing effort.  I guess it’s the old adage of never write off a champion. Also, he showed genuine sportsmanship in greeting Estban Chaves’s parents at the stage 20 finish line.

I also had to feel for Stephen Kruijswijk.  If he had more support through the mountain stages and hadn’t had such an awful crash on stage 19’s descent on Colle dell’Agnello. He may well have beaten  both  of them.  For example, if had rider like Astana’s Scarponi, up the road and able to assist the eventual stage winner Nibali, this could have been an against all the odds Dutch victory.

The dreaded Maglia Nera as designed by Pinarello.

The dreaded Maglia Nera as designed by Pinarello.

Finally, I would like to talk up the return of the Maglia Nera, the jersey awarded to the last placed rider in the GC.  The jersey was only awarded to riders between 1946 and 1951.  As there was a prize,  riders  would sometimes deliberately waste time in order to become last overall.  More importantly, it’s a really cool looking  jersey that those of us drafting at the back of the peloton would happily wear.  This year the unofficial title was ‘won’ by Australia’s own Jack Bobridge of Trek-Segafredo.

Bring back the Maglia Nera!!!!

Until next time,

MMT

Matt Hayman take a bow

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Dear Rouleurs,

I’m sleep deprived but very excited.  It was a late night, watching the 2016 edition of the Paris-Roubaix and the race provided a thrilling finish that made the wait so worth while.  In an astonishing 5 man finish in the Roubaix Velodrome, Orica-GreenEdge’s Matt Hayman broke through for just his 3rd professional win and become the only Australian since Stuart O’Grady to win.  In case, you don’t know who Matt Hayman is, this is what he looks like.

 Matt Hayman beats Tom Boonen by half a wheel.

Matt Hayman beats Tom Boonen by half a wheel and celebrates in style.

2016 Paris-Roubaix Podium - Left to Right, Tom Boonen, Matt Hayman, Ian Standard

2016 Paris-Roubaix Podium – Left to Right, Tom Boonen, Matt Hayman, Ian Stannard.

Whilst the weather was kind, race conditions were still pretty tricky…ask Fabian Cancellara who slid sideways on the pave or Luke Rowe who dived over the handle bars after he tried to bunny hop a fallen team mate or Luke Durbridge who was on the receiving end of an untimely puncture.  The hospital casualty list included:

  • Sky’s Elia Viviani was hit by a motorcycle after a crash held up the peloton in Arenberg.
  • Mitchell Docker of Orica-GreenEdge,  suffering from severe craniofacial and dental trauma, with multiple face wounds.
  • Etixx – Quick-Step’s Niki Terpstra,  sustained a knee injury that forced him out of the race.
  • Others included Nikolas Maes [Etixx – Quick-Step] , Nelson Oliveira and Francisco Ventoso of Movistar and Lampre – Merida’s Federico Zurlo.

However, what became clear at around the 60Km mark was that Tom Boonen was in the right place to win and that Cancellara and Peter Sagan were not. I reckon Cancellara’s fall at the 30Km mark on pave was contributed significantly by the knowledge that he had missed the key breakaway group.

However, that doesn’t take anything away from Orica-GreenEdge’s Matt Hayman, who at the ripe old age of 37 years old, competing in his 15th ‘Hell of the North”, outfoxed and out spirited a quality group including Tom Boonen [Etixx-Quick Step] , Ian Stannard [Team Sky], Sep Vanmarck [Team Lotto NL] and  Edvald Boasson Hagen [DImension Data].  The win made all the more incredible, by his rapid recovery from a fractured radius and limited racing.

I can’t wait for the next instalment of the Classics.

Marv

Marv is back from holidays

Dear Rouleurs,

MMT is back  online after well earned 4 week holiday and has number of interesting stories and pictures to share. The three highlights being:

  • Meeting the grandson of  Enrique Otero, who in 1927 established the first bicycle shop in Madrid.  Unfortunately, they don’t make frames anymore.  They had a fabulous collection of old bikes. You can find them at https://www.facebook.com/otero.bicicletas/
  • Driving up Mont Ventoux in Provence, France.
  • Checking out some very cool bike shops in London and spending way too much money.

Finally, a big ‘chapeau’ to Esteban Chaves of Orica-GreenEDGE who finished 8th in the 2015 Giro di Lombardia, a slender 56 seconds behind the winner, Vincenzo ‘I won’t cheat this time’ Nibali.

Surely it must be time make Chaves an Australian citizen.

More later this month.

Marv

God damn it…where did the last 3 weeks go????

Dear Roulers,

The last 3 weeks have been a blur with my work life intruding into my quality time on on the bike and blog.  I can say that I have passed the 4,000 Km mark in goal to ride 5,000 Km this year.  However, I have been remiss in my coverage of the La Vuelta , all the interesting personnel movements between the UCI men’s teams and the World Championships in Richmond USA. In the order of most recent events first, means I should really say something about this guy….Michael Matthews.

2015-UCI-WC-Podium-1

Bugger…. second to Peter Sagan is an amazing effort, particularly when the rest of your team is riding for someone else.  Who was it…oh yeah… Simon Gerrans who finished 6th.

There doesn’t appear to be much love between these two and you have to wonder whether Michael Matthews might move on from Orica-GreenEdge at the end of his contract. Robbie McEwan seems to have hit the nail pretty much on the head, I  refer to Exhibit A your Honour – Robbie McEwen thinks a rift could form between Michael Matthews and Simon Gerrans by David Polkinghorne.  I hope that doesn’t eventuate, its kind of cool to see a mainly Australian team going round in the UCI.

Speaking of Orica-Greenedge and La Vuelta, how good is this guy going to be, Esteban Chaves, 5th in the La Vuelta with a couple of stage wins, is seriously good going.  How good is he going to be with a few more seasons experience.

2015-LaVuelta-Esteban-Chaves-1

So on to team movements…Is there going to be anybody left at Astana by the end of the year.  If the rumours are true that Team Sky have snared Mikel Landa and Michal Kwiatkowski, which adds some serious firepower to their team.  I can say is Richie who…..??

So I’m not sure when the next blog entry will be, as I’m on holidays in Europe for 4 weeks.  I have serious trips planned to some of the better bike shops in London and Madrid.

So until next time, ride well and stay safe.

Marv