Australian RR Champs - Doh!

[tonyzackery]

Man, talk about messing up a finale. Team Columbia clearly shows how NOT to finish a race when you got another racer outnumbered...hats off to Peter McDonald for making pro tour teammates Michael Rogers and Adam Hansen look kinda foolish...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jan09/AORC09/?id=results/AORC096

 

[Jono L]

I raced Pete only a month ago at Tour of Bright and he was FLYING.

Still didn't expect him to beat them, 2 on one, but I had a feeling if it came to a sprint he'd roll them.

Was a fantastic race to watch.

 

[tonyzackery]

I raced Pete only a month ago at Tour of Bright and he was FLYING.

Still didn't expect him to beat them, 2 on one, but I had a feeling if it came to a sprint he'd roll them.

Was a fantastic race to watch.

I'm curious to know how Rodgers and Hansen screwed it up so bad. I mean even a couple Cat.4 teammates would know how to work over a guy in the finale. Were they dickin' around and waited too late for one of them to attack McDonald? It seems to me that because Hansen bridged up that Rodgers would have attacked McDonald to set up Hansen to come around if Rodgers didn't make it to the line...

 

[EmPat]

I agree Tony, have heard alot about them mucking up but not much about what McDonald did right that gave him the result. Did anyone see any live coverage?

 

[Jono L]

I'm curious to know how Rodgers and Hansen screwed it up so bad. I mean even a couple Cat.4 teammates would know how to work over a guy in the finale. Were they dickin' around and waited too late for one of them to attack McDonald? It seems to me that because Hansen bridged up that Rodgers would have attacked McDonald to set up Hansen to come around if Rodgers didn't make it to the line...

Hansen bridged across a 20 sec or so gap between about 6k to go and 2k to go.

The last 2k are flat or downhill

Hansen went straight over the top but McDonald is very punchy and was straight on his wheel.

From this point all I know is Mcdonald opened up the sprint and kicked ****.

From what I saw Rogers slowed on the last climb (between 10k and 6-7k to go) to assist Hansen in getting accross, so obviously rogers didnt back himself in a 2 up sprint, but Hansen didnt catch em till too late and was too rooted to really whack in some good attacks.

 

[EmPat]

Cheers Jono.

 

[tonyzackery]

Catch the interview with McDonald and the finale here:

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/

 

[macaj]

Apparantly, (have heard this in a few accounts), Rodgers offered $10000 to McDonald for the win when the two were away together, on which Mcdonald apparently agreed. Then when Hansen bridged the gap McDonald got worried and hit out at the sprint. Don't know how true this is but have heard it a couple of times from different parties.

 

[Trev_S]

Also heard the opposite where there was an offer but turned down.

then also this from another website.

Spoke to a bloke yesterday who was in the neutral support car all day behind the leaders and he informed me there was no talk no ******** and no deals done, and the winner was simply the strongest rider at the end.

I guess there's always stories of one sort or another, truth somewhere in the middle??

 

[Jono L]

Also heard the opposite where there was an offer but turned down.

then also this from another website.


I guess there's always stories of one sort or another, truth somewhere in the middle??

which website trev?

 

[iliveonnitro]

Also heard the opposite where there was an offer but turned down.

then also this from another website.

I guess there's always stories of one sort or another, truth somewhere in the middle??

Yeah, but how much can you actually hear from that thing? It's not hard to keep hush when a motorbike is within hearing distance.

Psh, Hansen. Always messing with the plans