Hi all readers,
I am writing to you from Melbourne in South-Eastern Australia, where I have moved with my brother and girlfriend after last season. We have a small apartment near the city, and whenever we aren't traveling the world, doing what we love, we are in our cosy abode in inner-city Melbourne!
Here is a happy snap Andrew took while I was writing this!
But now, onto the goings on of the team. We had our pre-season meeting yesterday, and the DS presented all our goals for the season and the races we will be participating in. Here is a de-brief of the 2012 BMC Racing Team season:
Grand Tours
With our squad this year, the sponsors think we can achieve big things. Cadel Evans, last season's champ, will again lead us in Le Tour de France. He will aim for victory, and will peak heavily for the race.
For the other two, Marco Pinotti and Bradley Wiggins will be leaders in the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana respectively. The sponsor excpects top-10s in both, and we are confident we can make them proud.
Tim's Season
Now this is where it gets exciting. The DS has shown enough faith in me to give results and become a great rider, that he has granted me my pre-season wish of riding a Grand Tour! I have been selected for the Giro d'Italia and, to my suprise, the Vuelta a Espana!
Marco Pinotti, as stated above, will be our leader for the Giro, and I will be his right hand man!
In the Vuelta, I will be a little less active, since my fitness won't be 100%, so I will be Bradley's domestique.
We weren't really supposed to tell anyone other than family, but you guys are family to me, so I thought I should tell you!
This is my full season schedule..
After the NCs and TDU, I will race the VAO, which will be my first leader role of the season.
9.01
Australian Championship
NC
11.01
Australian Championship (ITT)
NC
19. - 24.01
Santos Tour Down Under
UWT
16. - 20.02
Volta ao Algarve
2.1
Now we go into the big races, and look to earn some valuable fitness and PT points, before the Giro.
09. - 15.03
Tirreno - Adriatico
UWT
25. - 27.03
Criterium International
2.HC
07. - 29.05
Giro d'Italia
UWT
Then just before the Vuelta, is a warm-up race, in which I will be leader once again.
17.08.
Coppa Agostini
1.1
20.08 - 1.09
Vuelta a Espana
UWT
And, if I get lucky....
25.09.
World Championships
WC
Overall, a very exciting season. If you had told me back in 2009 I'd be riding two grand tours in 2011, I would tell you you were crazy.
Sponsor Goals
The sponsors are expecting a great season this year. I already mentioned the GT goals, but here is a full list.
Main Goals
1st
Tour de France
Tim No
Top 10
Giro d'Italia
Tim Yes
1st
Paris - Roubaix
Tim No
1st
Ronde Van Vlaanderen
Tim No
Secondary Goals
Top 10
Vuelta a Espana
Tim Yes
Top 5
Tour de Suisse
Tim Maybe
Top 3
USA Pro Cycling Challenge
Tim No
Top 5
Gent - Wevelgem
Tim No
Top 5
Tirreno - Adriatico
Tim Yes
Top 5
Tour de Romandie
Tim No
Minor Goals
1st
Liege - Bastogne - Liege
Tim Maybe
Stage win(s)
Paris Nice
Tim No
Stage win(s)
Santos Tour Down Under
Tim Yes
Top 10
Amstel Gold Race
Tim No
Top 10
La Fleche Wallone
Tim No
As you can see, some of our goals are for the coobled classics, and Fabian Cancellara will aim to take the elusive triple. The stage win goal for the Tour Down Under could be mine or Cadel's for the taking on a steep finish for stage 5. We'll just have to see.
Tim's Stats
Oh, I nearly forgot. Here at BMC, the fitness directors have developed a system in which after numerous tests, procedures and samples of all sorts, they can come up with a number to judge our skills on the bike. Here are mine.
Pretty interesting stuff!
Here is our team's full ratings as well. As you can see, Cancellara, Evans and Bradley Wiggins are our three best riders. Our three youth signings from last season are, Thomas Williams, a promising time-trialist from Wales, Mario Filguerias, a very strong, young sprinter/cobbler, and Raimond Senn, a trainee from last season who will have to fight very hard to keep his spot on the team.
I think with this team, we can go a long way.
Cheers,
Tim.
Edited by kitface on 16-09-2011 11:42
The season is ready to go! It's the Saturday before the race and I am currently in Ballarat doing some training. Me, Andrew and Cadel have been having fun out here in the ranges, and if today's weather is anything to go by, it could be a little cooler than usual for an Aussie summer. Andrew and I are both pretty unfit after the break, but Cadel is feeling in top-shape (well at least for January) so he will be our leader come Monday.
This will be my final blog post before the big race, so stay tuned for some racing!
Our plan for today is simple. Get Andrew or myself in the break, and if they are caught, attack with Cadel on the final hill and take the win. Wish me luck.
BMC Team
Spoiler
Cadel Evans Tim Roe Andrew Roe
Tim's Prediction
I think that, just as it did last year, a breakaway will succeed. Last season, Graeme Brown was the strongest sprinter in the breakaway and took the win. My guess is a Haussler or Gerrans type to take the win. But also, GreenEDGE are here this year, and with several riders on their team, they may reel back the breaks.
As I presumed on Saturday, the weather is a lot less sunny than the usual January fare for Australia. The rain was pouring hard today, could change the race.
Race Day
Andrew Roe, Fabio Calabria and Adam Hansen were the first to try and join that sught after break away.
They were caught soon though by GreenEDGE chasing, and dissolved into the pack.
Again attacks from Graeme Brown, King, Kemp and Andrew Roe.
And, as usual NC races go, the break soon gained about 1'30".
And again, it seemed a break may well take the victory, as the group gained 5'00" very quickly.
But oh no! It looked as if a team decided to actually try! GreenEDGE took control, and the 7'00" break was slowly dropping.
With 35kms, the lead was at 2'17", and although GreenEDGE dropped off the pace slightly, odds on they would be caught soon.
With 10kms now, and the break all but caught, Brown, King and Clarke set off again.
WIth 8.7kms, the break was nearly gone so Cadel Evans attacked!
Nobody was following, and he was alone in front with a break of 55"!
The main pack was sytarting to panic, and Gerrans, Bobridge and Mick Rogers all attacked!
4kms now, Cadel was holding on! Could he take it all the way?
He started to sprint, nobody was near him! A great solo victory was on the way for Evans!
And he takes it! What a great start to the season..
Matt Goss attacks and takes 2nd easily while Graeme Brown is third.
Well, the plan went to perfection today and the DS was just about as happy as one can be. Cadel will be our main threat in the ITT, and me and Andy will just have some fun.
Until Wendesday,
Tim.Edited by kitface on 17-09-2011 12:40
Well since this is an ITT, we didn't have much of a plan. Cadel will be our obvious leader and with his good fitness I think he has a real shot at the double. Richie Porte I feel is the only rider that can trouble him, but Mick Rogers may also have something to say about that. Last year my fitness was nice for this race, so I doubt I'll be able to defend my 5th place.
BMC Team
Spoiler
Cadel Evans Tim Roe Andrew Roe
Tim's Prediction
My guess for today is that Cadel will win. His form is quite good as you found out on Monday and that seems to be the main factor in these Australian NC races. Evans to take the double.
Race Day
By the time I was out there on the course, nobody had finished the circuit, and the best provisional time was of Cameron Meyer (GRM), who rode the 13kms in 19'12".
Tim came in the first check, 28" off Cam Meyer's time. The 2010 champ had just finished the 38km course in 56'06".
Cadel Evans was the second last rider off the ramp, and had Richie Porte (GRM) just behind him. How would the TdF champ go?
I was doing my best aerodynamic position to the finish, and posted an ok time, 9th place overall with a 56'58".
Evans set the best time at the provisional spot, 8" ahead of Porte.
Meyer's seemingly great time quickly faded away as Rory Sutherland (UHC) topped it by 26", before Jack Bobridge (GRE) again set a new best, wiping 37" off Sutherland.
Mick Rogers came in, 10" ahead of Bobridge. It was now Cadel's turn.
Evans crosses the line, new best! 24" ahead of Rogers.
Porte comes in finally, could he defend his title?
No he can't, well off the pace! 29" to be exact, and that makes Cadel Evans the new Australian time-trial champ.
Perfect start to the year. We couldn't have imagined anything better.
The Tour Down Under starts in 8 days, I'll just be doing some light training until then.
See you guys soon,
Tim.Edited by kitface on 18-09-2011 02:10
The Tour Down Under is a 6-day stage race through the heart of South Australia and Adelaide. The tour has historically been a sprinter's race, but with the stage-5 finish up Old Wilunga Hill, a puncheur or climber may take the overall victory. Cadel Evans will be our overall leader for the race, but I aim to be well up in the overall standings, especially if I do well on stage 5.
This first stage is flat and GVA will be our main hope. Filgueiras, Phinney or Wyss will lead him out, while the three Aussie boys just hang back.
Tim's Prediction
Today's stage will end up in a bunch sprint, and new Team Sky recruit Mark Cavendish will be here to impress. Allesandro Petacchi and Tom Boonen are also here though. Cav's form is decent I think , so my tip is the Manx Missile
Race Day
The first attacks of the day came from NetApp pair Retschke and Baumann. Several more riders soon followed, and tried to make a break, but bthey failed and were reeled in soon.
After several failed attacks, a break finally formed. It had 5 riders, the fastest being Baumann (NET), They had about 2'30" on the field after 35kms.
The dry desert was really humid, and the sweat was coming thick and fast.
Baumann easily won the first sprint points ahead of Sep Vanmarcke (GRM). Their break was at 5'25".
With 60kms to go, GreenEDGE and Rabobank started to lift the pace and cut the lead of the breakaway group.
Gregory Rast (SBS) won the second set of points ahead of Baumann. Their lead was now at 4'00".
27kms and with the lead still at 2'00", Izagirre (EUS) attacked from the peloton.
He was caught with 18kms to go, but the main break still had 1'00".
The trains were beginning to form.
Finally the pack was caught with 10kms to ride, and the trains were in full swing.
Sky was on the right, with Lampre in the middle and Vaconsoleil on the left.
CRASH! Woah, huge crash, 2kms from the finish! Nearly everyone is down, except for the three main trains and some lucky guys near the front!
Tim is down, he's not moving! Oh no, not another injury for young Tim Roe!
Back at the front, Henderson (SKY) is giving Cavendish the perfect leadout. Pettachi is on Cav's wheel though, and in good position.
Cavendish is off, and Pettachi can't keep up! The Manx Missile does it again!
The crash has inflicted a lot of pain today, and the gaps are very big.
Oh no, it's official. Tim Roe has sustained another injury today, in his first big race of the season. What a shame..
Tim could not comment on his blog today. He is currently in hospital being treated for a fractured kneecap, cracked fibula and fractured elbow sustained in today's crash. He is expected to miss until about April, but the most important thing is that Tim is okay, and will race again this season. He told me to make sure I informed his readers that he is okay, and he will be back in no time.
My god man, I'm on the edge of rage quitting after that injury. Might resort to PCM 10, makes a better story in my mind.
Do you think I should keep following the team or skip to when Tim is back?
olabj wrote:
Soo.. does this mean we'll follow Andrew now or what? That would be kinda cool.
Too bad with the injury though
Well, just take a look at Andrew's stats.
I don't think that would be the most interesting season I think.
I'm still trying to decide what to do... Should I skip to when he's healed, or just report on BMC's top races in the meantime? Any thoughts would be great.
I guess you mean Bobridge there.
