Ian Butler wrote:
What?
What?
Earle skipping the race,
What?
-- Oh, I see. every stage race has the same amount of points, so he's better of winning 2 4-day stage races than 1 8-day race. Double points for the same race days
The big stage racers had to ride one of the two big races, as part of the planning. I (Euride) chose here, while Earle chose Great South Coast probably.
@Froome: Yap, that's true. Had something like that in mind, but wasn't 100% sure
Tour of Gippsland (Day 1, two flat crits)
The Tour of Gippsland kicks off with two short stages, with the latter being one of the highlights: held on Philip Island GP Circuit, where several GC-contenders lost two minutes due to a split last year (O'Brien, VdP)! Let's get the action started in iconic San Remo though:
STAGE 1 - SAN REMO CRITERIUM/
Heavy crosswinds (60kmh) made for a tough opening crit race and - like last year - we see the bunch goind into pieces, with 50 riders being dropped (no big guns though).
A breakaway was caught right in time and so Huon and Drapac work pulled the strings hard for their sprinters (Giacoppo, Davison) to get in a nice position..
But it's Neil Van der Ploeg (search2) kicking off the sprint with an impressive speed, followed by Beckinsale/Giacoppo (Huon), surprisingly Sulzberger (Drapac) and Edmondson (Euride)!
That's what you call a dominating sprint: NRS-champion Van der Ploeg takes out the San Remo Crit in style and proves his GC-ambitions here in Gippsland.
No chance for Huon's duo Beckinsale/Giacoppo, who finish on podium though. And O'Brien already grabs crucial bonus seconds (2) as 4th here! Well done.
STAGE 2 - PHILIPP ISLAND GP CIRCUIT/
Later on the day, the Philip Island GP Circuit would feature a flat but tricky second stage.. 4 riders built the break of the day, with Andrew Stephan (Data#3) as the most notable name: Stephan took out the VRS-event here on this circuit earlier in this season, so he's going for the same tactics now in the Gippsland-Tour!
But no chance for the breakaway - the top-teams again took control of the race and we're going for another bunch-sprint.
Sulzberger seems to be in shape and leads the sprint into the final km, with a couple of Budget-guys and more sprinters close behind..
It's going to be a close sprint:
Sulzberger tries to hold on, but Law (GPM) pushes forward from the right! Also in the mix yet: Kerrison (Budget) and race-leader Van der Ploeg!
But it's another dominating win - this time for Scott Law!
Edmondson had a strong finish for 2nd ahead of race-leader Van der Ploeg and more pure sprinters (Spurrell, Grenda, Jones, Kerrison).. Davison struggles so far, so did Giacoppo this time.
Bad luck for one of those VdP-style-allrounders though: Brodie Talbot (Kangaroos) was involved in a crash, losing 5 minutes today. Same goes for Nathan Elliott (Target), who was expected to be one of the Top-10-contenders.
Van der Ploeg will enter tomorrow's tough day (two hilly stages) as the race-leader, ahead of sprinter Law and allrounder Edmondson. A close race so far, of course, but bonus seconds could well become crucial with less selective stages.
@sutty: It definitely was, yes. Actually, very good!
@aidan: VdP still knows how to take advantage of his allround skills, yes. Good to see you back from this "break"
@baia: Thanks for the words on the screen, which was my favorite screen in this two stages, too
Tour of Gippsland (Day 2, hilly crit and hilly 91km road race)
Second day of Tour of Gippsland and it may be one of the decisive days: with the hilly criterium in Moe, the stage-racers do have a chance to distance the sprinters.
And also one of two new stages for the 2014 edition may be a key stage: while not being the toughest profile, the road race does feature some difficulties and several chances to go for a serious attempt.
STAGE 3 - MOE CRITERIUM/
4 riders established a 2-minutes-gap halfway through the race after escaping early into the stage:
T. Spencer (Charter), Rendall (African), Sautelle (Suzuki) and Stephan (Data#3) - all of them lost almost three minutes in the opening stage.
A few moments later, another 4 riders tried to jump behind, including some more serious GC-contenders like Sheppard (search2) or Davies (Skoda), as well as Elliott (Target), who lost five minutes the day before though.
But the bigger news: O'Brien (Euride) attacked the bunch on the penultimate climb! He established a decent gap quickly, with riders like race-leader Van der Ploeg or Norris (Jayco) trying to follow! It's an action-packed race now.
And we're on the final climb: early escapee Sautelle managed to drop his companions for a 25"-gap!
8 riders follow in the first chasing group, including the mid-stage attackers and also O'Brien! But also Van der Ploeg caught up..
O'Brien with another attack under the kite and this time it's seems that Van der Ploeg struggles to follow!
The stage-win goes to Sam Sautelle though! A great win in this tough crit race. 10" behind, Elliott finished 2nd ahead of Davies, who grabs valuable bonus seconds, as he didn't lose any time in the stages before.
O'Brien managed to finish within the same time as 6th, while Van der Ploeg crosses the line 42" behind Sautelle as 7th. Another group with favorites is 50" down, including Anderson, Norris, Wurf, Walker and Haig (who had to fight hard).
So quite important seconds for O'Brien, who jumps onto GC's 2nd, behind Davies, who's now a serious contender as well. Van der Ploeg drops onto 5th with 26" in arrears.
STAGE 4 - LEONGATHA TO YINNAR ROAD RACE/
Today's second stage is another hilly profile - while not being rated as the toughest one.
And early breakaway has been caught and 27km before finish, a group of 3 riders attacked the bunch and established a minute-gap quickly:
Paul Van der Ploeg (Satalyst)
Jason Spencer (Charter) and
Melville (GPM), all of them are 1'40" behind in the GC.
The tough weather conditions may be one reason for the peloton struggling to narrow the gap, or did the top-teams just underestimate the attacking group?
Anyway, with only 2km to go and the stage appearing to be less selective, the bunch - led by Budget and Huon - is still down by 1'20"!
The three escapees come down the finishing stretch head-to-head! Van der Ploeg is the strongest sprinter here, at least on paper..
..but it ain't "his" season so far.. Melville takes out the stage ahead of Spencer and VdP! Not only a nice victory, but with the latest gap on the bunch, the three may even enter the Top-10 or more!
The peloton fought hard to narrow the gap and finished still 1'12" behind the leading group.
That's good news for race-leader Jordan Davies, who remains in yellow, ahead of O'Brien, Sheppard (1 second) and Wood (2 sec)!
Melville (5th), Spencer (6th) and Paul Van der Ploeg (8th) entered the Top-10 and may now hope for staying there until the end. So top-favorites like Anderson (9th, + 0.42), Will Walker (12th) or Haig (13th) need to deliver in the one tough hilly stage remaining!
Oh man.. Budget is having good top10´s but isn´t bringing anything in GC..
Starting to get worry but things will change in next stage.
That 1st and 3rd shot from stage 3 are amazing... great report mate.
@sutty: It ain't too bad, but it ain't that good either Especially Anderson needs to step up a level, as the top-favorite he is!
@baia: A bit worrying indeed! Still a chance to join the mix for the win, but O'Brien already proved that he is tough to beat and got himself a good gap, as well as the other quite promising riders ahead of the Budget-boys!
And thanks for the words on the screens! Like the first pic, too
admirschleck wrote:
Great screens! But , can you please tell me how you got this nice texture on first stage profile?
Thanks! As for the texture, it's most probably from PCM12, as i started this story back then and switched to PCM13 just prior to last year's Gippsland. So i guess i still used the old profiles-screens
@Miguel/admirschleck: O'Brien definitely with a first sign of strength! While the queen-stage could still make for some twists, it looks like he's the man to beat here
@all: Already started writing the next report, but had no time to finish it yet. Will try to get this done today in the evening at the latest!
Tour of Gippsland (Day 3, Crit and hilly 100km road race)
Third day in Australia's South and it's without any doubt the most important one: after a short and flat crit in Sale, the field faces the queen stage from Sale to Licola. A tough hilly profile over 100km, where the stage-racers and puncheurs will try to create some crucial gaps!
STAGE 5 - SALE CRITERIUM/
So let's keep the flat crit short: heavy crosswinds again made for a tough race and even though it came to a bunch sprint, we saw a quite surprising winner in Robbie Hucker (Drapac), ahead of Paul Van der Ploeg (Satalyst) and Aaron Jones (Huon)!
This made Paul Van der Ploeg jump onto GC's 5th and Hucker, who may also aim for a Top-10, grab some bonus seconds.
STAGE 6 - SALE TO LICOLA ROAD RACE/
Two early escapees (Talbot, Rendall) are joined by three more riders 23km before finish - leading by 1'07" on the already hard chasing bunch.
Crome (Charter), Taylor (GPM) and Crawford (Huon) make this group a quite dangerous one, all of them are + 1'40" in GC..
17km remaining and we're on today's toughest climb. Two more riders joined the breakaway - Clements (Tasmania) and Elliott (Target)!
And now the big guns go for the maybe crucial moves, too:
O'Brien (Euride) follows a move by
Hamilton (Jayco)!
A few moments later, also Haig (Huon) and today's crit-winner Hucker try to jump behind!
Those attackers caught up to the leading group 10km before the finish.. also Will Walker (Drapac) managed to close up to this 12-men-group now.
O'Brien, Walker, Haig, Hucker, Hamilton and also Clements make this new leading group a very dangerous one, as race-leader Davies is already 1'16" in arrears.
Other top-favorites like Anderson (Budget), Norris (Jayco) try to hang on - being 36" behind, with Paul Van der Ploeg in between those groups and the bunch.
No more longer climbs now, but it's still a steady up-and-down.. 7km to go and the leading group goes into peaces with Hucker and also Haig going for another attack!
And this moves make the leading group go into pieces, even though Hucker couldn't yet go clear. Here's an overview with 4km to go:
E1/ Haig, Hucker, O'Brien, Hamilton
E2/ Walker at 0.15
E3/ Elliott at 0.28
E4/ with Anderson, Norris, Clements and Crawford at 0.41
E5/ with race-leader Davies at 1.44
E6/ Paul and Neil Van der Ploeg at 2.03
So GC-leader Davies is likely to lose his yellow jersey today, but he's still fighting to limit the losses.
Also Anderson is fighting hard to narrow the gap to the leading group, which is down to 34" with now only 2km remaining.. it would be quite important to finish within same time as the leading four..
But the gap is still at 37" with only 1km to go.. in the meantime, Hucker gives it another go for a late solo-effort to the line! Today's crit-winner looks in shape!
It was an impressive move by Hucker, but also O'Brien shows his great shape, catching up to Hucker with only 400 metres to go!
The duo Hamilton/Haig is already 16" behind, Walker 24" and group Anderson even 52" by now! Who's going to win?
It's Mark O'Brien! He managed to overtake an in-shape Hucker thanks to an awesome finishing sprint up this short ascending finishing stretch.
32" behind, Will Walker closed the gap to Hamilton (3rd) and Haig (4th), who will all make a huge jump in the GC.. A thrid group including Anderson and Norris lost 1'12" today, race-leader Davies suffered in the end, finishing 1'44" in the bunch.
So Gippsland's queen stage made for significant changes in the GC's Top-10: O'Brien takes a comfortable lead, 1'18" ahead of Haig and another second more on Walker. Hucker on 4th ahead of former leader Davies.
So most of the top-favorites delivered today, except of Anderson, who finds himself on 8th in GC and needs to attack in the two more or less flat stages!
I must say it was poor... really poor race for Budget.... but i´m really surprised how Drapac showed up here.. well done. O´Brien... well, top rider in top form.
@Ian: O'Brien delivers and so yes, the right decision to come to Gippsland
@sutty: Indeed a tough day, but if Anderson wants to make the podium, he needs a REALLY good day now
@baia: To the point, mate. Budget definitely missed the crucial splits, while Drapac hasn't been that strong in stage-races so far.. O'Brien, class of his own here.
Tour of Gippsland (Day 4, Crit and hilly 70km road race)
The two final stages: a flat crit in Bairnsdale is followed by a road race from Lakes Entrance to Metung. The latter stage may be the last promising chance for some GC-contenders to launch a serious attack, even though it ain't the toughest profile.
STAGE 7 - BAIRNSDALE CRITERIUM/
Another crit here in Gippsland and this time we see finally some pure sprinters at the front, even though it ain't the top-favorites (again):
Aaron Jones (Pure Tasmania) is head-to-head with Brenton Jones (Huon)! The rest of the bunch is already a few bike lengths behind..
And so is Brenton as Aaron Jones takes out a nice stage-win for Pure Tasmania! Paul Van der Ploeg (satalyst) had a fast finish for 2nd - his third podium in a stage here. Not bad, but no win either.
STAGE 8 - LAKES ENTRANCE TO METUNG ROAD RACE/
The final stage of Gippsland is a tricky one: it's neither flat nor hilly, so could make for some interesting racing.. even though no GC-contenders managed to go for gaps here in 2013.
3 riders went clear eary, including Bowman (Target), who was also part of a break in the same stage last year.
We're now already 15km before finish - the three lead by 1'25" on the bunch and 55" on two riders (Gillett, Crome), who attacked a few moments before!
It ain't looking too good for the escapees, as the gap on the peloton is down to 35" with 6km remaining..
..the two chasers caught up to the early escapees in the meantime and now our blogger Rhys Gillett (GC's 18th, + 2.31) gives it a solo-try!
Gillett fights and pulls the strings hard.. and with the finish approaching, he's holding on to a 30"-gap!
He takes it! A nice solo-effort brings Gillett his first NRS-stage-win in 2014 - again in Gippsland, where he took out a stage in 2013 as well.
Half a minute later, the bunch crosses the line, with Talbot and Costello (both Kangaroos) completing the podium. But more interesting: GC's 3rd Will Walker (+ 1.19) finishes 4th, ahead of Haig (GC's 2nd + 1.18)! Walker will be rewarded with 1 bonus seconds..
But first of all, credit where credit is due: Mark O'Brien wins the Tour of Gippsland 2014, thanks to him being the strongest of all top-favorites in the crucial stages, plus taking out the queen stage of course. A great result, that may put the pressure on NRS-leader Earle now.
And now for the bonus second for Walker: thanks to better stage-results, Walker jumps onto GC's 2nd thanks to the bonus second taken today! Tough luck for Haig, who completes the podium though.
Hucker secures his 4th in GC, making this race one of the most succesful stage-races for Drapac in the past two years. Davies with a very good 5th, ahead of Sheppard, Wood, our blogger Gillett (thanks to his effort today) and finally top-favorite Anderson as 9th only. Norris 10th. So especially Anderson couldn't fullfil the high expectations here.
