Ex-Garmin Physio Toby Watson’s Blog 
A Superb Start(0)
If perfection is a 10/10, and the attainment of perfection is impossible, then GreenEdge have had a 9/10 first month of racing. They have won both the road and TT Australian jerseys for the year, and have won the overall on their first ProTour race. Simon Gerrans is top of the UCI World Rankings, and GreenEdge are 3rd (see the full lists).
They controlled the final stage of racing at the Tour Down Under with panache, even sending Cam Meyer up the road in the final 10km, briefly threatening to derail the sprint trains, and thus ensured that Gerrans remained in front of Valverde on the overall.
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Doin’ The Math(0)
What a great stage today! And we in Australia were finally allowed to actually watch it.
Yes, Channel 9 decided that reruns of Big Bang Theory and Two And A Half Men were more interesting through the week, but with a big midday slot to fill on the weekend, they have generously decided to show some of the race live. Yes I am peeved.
Start The Show(0)
The Big Gorilla didn’t pack his climbing legs for this year’s TDU. Translation: Andre Greipel couldn’t stay with the peloton as it went up the very tough Mengler’s Hill at warp speed.
Oscar Freire, however, did, and he led a good-sized bunch over the line in Tanunda today. It was a very good result for the race as much as anything: processions tend to put the fans off.
Return To Normal Proceedings(0)
After the W Clarke bolt from the blue of yesterday, there was no way that Stage 3 of the TDU was going to be anything but a bunch sprint, and all of the key teams worked together to guarantee this today, with Andre Greipel from Lotto again the winner.
The big man can sprint! Will he finally threaten Cav this year?
Win For The Little Guys(0)
Will Clarke. Wow!
A full day up the road with only one bloke helping out, and only for a short period of time. Chapeau! A great win.
Whilst giving full credit to Clarke, this result was more due to errors in the peloton than his own ride (brilliant as it was).
TDU – Same As It Ever Was(0)
And so they’re off! Once again Andre Greipel has won a stage at the TDU, once again there is a bit of controversy about sprinters not holding their line, and once again the accused sprinter has taken the classic “What! Me?” stance. The season is underway.
TDU – Starting NOW!(0)
The pro cycling season kicks off today. Finally!
It feels longer and longer between the end of the previous season and the start of the next. But thankfully the wait is over and we are away.
The Tour Down Under is one of the easiest races of the year for a pro cycling staff member… once you actually arrive!
TDU – Rolling!(0)
Alrighty!
We’ve had the little teaser of a crit race around a park on the edge of Adelaide’s CBD, which Andre Greipel emphatically dominated, we’ve had head knocks and called cops for GreenEDGE riders.
Green EDGE-pectations(0)
Oh yes. How about THAT for a play on words!
2012 is here and I’ve managed to get a blog post going in the first week of the year. Two New Years resolutions in one: get a blog post a fortnight out there, and at least make it past January 10th prior to failing at keeping to all resolutions.
BOOM. And now, into the opinion posting…
Copenhagen Road Worlds 2011 Reminiscences(0)
As I sit here on a rainy Wednesday awaiting my wife’s transition from early labour to full gas labour (is that the correct terminology? heh) I thought I should get my act together and at least attempt to begin more regular blog posts. What better time to try and commit to spending more self time than just before one of the major upheavals of your life, where you’re guaranteed to have less time to do exactly that? What could possibly go wrong here…
Cav and the Winners(0)
The final stage of the 2011 Tour has been run and won, with the expected wins for Mark Cavendish in the sprint, and Cadel Evans in the overall coming to fruition.
A victory on the Champs Elysees is one of the great achievements for a sprint cyclist, and Cav’s ability to produce on the big stages with such consistency will already have him posted as a strong favourite to win the World Championships this September.
Desperate Procession(0)
Today the final stage of the 2011 Tour gets underway, which is devastatingly disappointing for me, but also extremely exciting considering it is Cadel Evans who will cross the line the champion today, calamitous misadventure notwithstanding. (brief pause while author touches wood.)
I can’t believe it’s nearly over, and conversely can’t believe that Gilbert’s win on Stage One was only three weeks ago.
A Grand Victory(0)
Cadel Evans is going to win the Tour de France in 2011. Hahahaha! I’m going to say that again, just because I can. Cadel Evans is going to win the Tour de France in 2011. What a nice sentence to read and write!
The time trial last night was expected to be a shootout between the world’s best time triallist, Fabian Cancellara, and the next big thing, Tony Martin. Behind these two big hitters doing their thing, the question everyone was interested in was if Cadel could take 57″ out of Andy Schleck.
Down to Two(0)
Two nights ago there four men still in contention, then Contador was out of the race. Yesterday saw the end of Frank Schleck’s chances, and tonight will see the demise of the final contender for the Tour.
Andy Schleck will hope to defend his 57sec lead over Cadel Evans tonight, and will certainly fancy his chances. The last time he was in this position, Cadel just didn’t have enough in the tank to overhaul Carlos Sastre back in 2008.
One More TIme(0)
One more time over some incredible hills. One more chance for the Schlecks to take seconds away from Cadel. One more opportunity for them to sap the power from his legs to minimize the damage he does to them in tomorrow’s TT.
100km, three categorized climbs, 2851m vertical ascent. This stage is not as huge as last night’s, but being so short and sharp, there is still enormous potential for damage to be done.