The Bike Lane: Ins and outs, highlights and lowlights

Season 3 Episode 4

Welcome to episode 4 of the third season of The Bike Lane. In this edition we consider the good and bad of next year's Tour de France route, we put your questions to Australian Belkin pro David Tanner, we take a look at the battle for supremacy in the women's National Road Series (and consider women's cycling more generally), we look at the make-up of Orica-GreenEDGE's squad for 2014, The Hot Lap makes a return and much more.

In this episode of The Bike Lane we:

Consider the route for the 2014 Tour de France and discuss some of the positives and negatives with former yellow jersey winner and living legend Phil Anderson.
Put your questions to little-known Australian pro David Tanner (Belkin)
Discuss the 2013 women’s National Road Series with Rebecca Dicelo (McConnell), manager of Team Breeze and former Women’s Giro winner, including the contest between former teammates Ruth Corset and Katrin Garfoot and the state of domestic women’s cycling in Australia
Scott McGrory gives some ergo tips that will help you with criterium racing
Take a look at all the ins and outs at Orica-GreenEDGE for 2014
Return to Yarra Boulevard for Jenny McPherson’s tilt at The Hot Lap
Psych ourselves up for Movember which starts tomorrow!

Be sure to follow The Bike Lane on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also subscribe to the show on iTunes by heading here or searching for “The Bike Lane” at the iTunes Store.

Special thanks to our season sponsor Health.com.au, Country Road for dressing us, Malachi Moxon for opening his doors for us to film the show in Northside Wheelers. Also, thank you to The Sweetshop, our production partner.

Tags: The Bike Lane

Notso Swift

I am with Wade, cobbles help show the most complete rider
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Discussion thread #1: What do you think of the 2014 Tour de France route? Are you a fan of them bringing back the cobbles?
- http://subcontinentalcyclist.wordpress.com/ Ankush Agarwal
  
  I’m a big fan of cobbled classics and obviously, am happy to see cobbles at the Tour. Anyone who fears them, will most certainly crash there (5 star sections are cruel).
- Sean
  
  The cobbles are fantastic.
- Scott McGrory
  
  We all love the cobbles! But, with the increase in financial input to modern cycling, I do feel for the big sponsors. If I was putting $5-10mil into a team I’d be pretty pissed if a stack on the cobbles took out my investment. I know it’s not all about the money but, as I say I’d be pretty pissed off if a massive investment hinged on a water battle staying in it’s cage.
  
  Cobbles, love’em, in March and April. And now that there’re in next year’s race I’ll certainly enjoy watching that stage…
  - echidna_sg
    
    define return on investment? they would get great tv highlights mileage out of a big name GC rider binning it bigtime…
    - Scott McGrory
      
      For a day Sean, then the race rolls on with team x flapping around in the peloton like a headless chook lol.
      
      I was hoping to see the Colombians collectively hammering Froome in 2014. But I’d expect a few of them to lose plenty of time on the cobbles. Good viewing for sure, for a day. Hopefully I’m wrong.
      - echidna_sg
        
        agree - but its nice to see so variables, “uncontrollables”. People complain about metronomes riding to power killing the panache and cut/thrust of the battle - this coupled with all the talk of making sure to get safely through the first 10 days etc of recent years has probably brought this on. Throw em a wildcard, mix it up a bit. Many of the big GC names haven’t ridden the cobbled classics at all, so their skills will need to sharpen up!
- simonnix
  
  The way I see it, riding on cobbles is a skill, and if the Tour is a test for the complete rider then cobbles should be an assessment criterion. First week nerves are the only concern I have - perhaps the cobbles should come at about the 10 day mark?
  
  I like that there is only one TT, but feel the distance is excessive. If the best rider can put more than 2 minutes into the second best rider in a TT then in my opinion it is way too long. And at almost 60km Chris Froome could take 3-4 minutes.
  
  The shorter climb stages are intriguing, too. More chances for fresh faces.
- Dave
  
  Great to have the cobbles in the mix, the Tour desperately needed a route more like the Giro that tests the skills of cycling as well as the ability to watch the number on the power meter.
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Discussion thread #2: Is David Tanner the Secret Pro?
- Notso Swift
  
  I would have like to have known (and I know I could have asked) how it feels to leave a top team and go to another… only to have the long term sponsor pull the plug…
  - Matt Keenan
    
    Good question Notso. Wish I had of thought of it and put it to him.
    - Dave
      
      Could always ask that if you get Jack Bobridge or Mark Renshaw on the show.
- dbranson
  
  Please explain why the Secret Pro has been turned into a guessing game? Just at the start of Sept CyclingTips asked the Secret Pro forum not to be used in this manner, which I agree ruins it.
  http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/09/the-secret-pro-the-late-season-lull/#comment-1031971876
  - http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
    
    It seems that most of these guys have a lighthearted view on The Secret Pro and we’re just having a bit of fun with it. It’s definitely not going to reveal anything.
    - dbranson
      
      To be fair it seems like a flip-flop. Thanks for
      understanding.
  - Dave
    
    The Secret Pro won’t ever get asked that question of course! He already has a perfect outlet for his opinions and wouldn’t get invited on the show when somebody else could do the show instead for a more diverse range of opinions :-)
- The Secret Pro
  
  I am the Secret Pro.
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Discussion thread #3: Women’s cycling is certainly progressing. Did you find the Garfoot / Corset rivalry interesting to follow? Did you follow it?
- Notso Swift
  
  Love it! Personality is what drives sport
- http://subcontinentalcyclist.wordpress.com/ Ankush Agarwal
  
  As a cycling fan outside of Australia, Cycling Australia coverage on YouTube helped a great deal to follow the rivalry. I understand the challenges but would like to see increased race distance for women. Some of the stages were ridiculously short like 60K.
  - scottmanning
    
    Agree. Not as bad as the first stage to the Tour de L’Ardeche which was a 3.5km time trial!!!!
- Sean
  
  Personally I thought it was lame, wasn’t good racing. Garfoot isn’t even victorian and she somehow rides for the VIS/Apollo team. She is effectively taking the spot of a young Victorian rider. Why does Garfoot ride a Giant and not an Apollo? There is also a lame backstory to the team change, you guys would be well aware of it, not sure why it’s off limits it should have been explored. Female cycling has more to offer than this lameness of a display highlighted here.
  - http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
    
    What is the back story? Nobody would tell us.
  - Scott McGrory
    
    Katrin asked Donna Rae(VIS Women’s Coach) if she could be a guest rider after she left Pensar. The VIS had not planned to ride the final few rounds of the NRS because the majority of the ladies had just returned from Europe and needed a break. But considering Katrin was leading the NRS, Donna thought it respectful to the series to not allow Katrin to be unfairly beaten simply due to a lack of a team. And considering the final round had a Team Time Trial, I think Donna did the right thing.
    
    Jess Allen is from WA(no WAIS NRS Team) and had just had 3wks off the bike yet came across from Perth to help out. Jess Mundy is from SA(no SASI Team) and rides for the VIS after Donna was asked by SASI coach Tim Decker to help her out. Chloe McConville is Victorian and won the race.
    
    The Institutes are all part of the National High Performance Program network, and therefore assist riders from other programs in times of need. Katrin is soon to(or is) becoming and Australian citizen and we almost certainly become a part of the HPP.
    
    Sean, we’re happy for you to elaborate further if you wish. But I hope I’ve helped out with a better understanding on the role of the VIS etc.
    
    Cheers
    - Dave
      
      Jess Mundy also wasn’t in the team for the whole season, she was racing in Europe on the AGF scholarship.
      
      I agree that the VIS is probably the best of the state sports institutes when it comes to women’s road cycling. Here in SA we might well be dominating track cycling but on the road we simply don’t have the critical mass to put together a Women’s NRS team.
    - Ivan Von Dork
      
      Scott, I can speak from personal experience with regards to Katrin, insofar as she regularly trains with the Mike Stout Bayview Training Group on the seriously fast days when she’s back home on the Gold Coast - and they are sometimes super fast training rides. She’s a remarkable talent, with a phenomenal engine for a female of her somewhat petite stature.
      
      All of us on the Gold Coast are very proud of our Katrin, just like we remain proud of yourself too.
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Discussion thread #4: Orica-GreenEDGE’s INs and OUTs. What are your thoughts on the 2014 roster?
- Notso Swift
  
  Langeveld is a mammoth loss. I think he has been building well and he had a string of top 10 classic results this year, next year he could land some podiums.
  
  Weening and the Columbian doing the Giro (I saw somewhere) could be a good opportunity
  Daniel Teke-whatever, oh guess what his Afriacn regional championship pionts will have run out after two years… lesson for a few of the guys? Maybe Goss better pull up his socks because he will not have many WT points after next year, only 1 WT win for 2013
  - Scott McGrory
    
    Yes Notso, Langeveld will be missed. OGE are shifting focus towards the Ardennes Classics instead of the cobbled, so Sebastian doesn’t have the support he needs for Roubaix and Flanders. He needed to move on to increase his chances, to OGE’s loss.
    - Notso Swift
      
      Absolutely, I think he did the right thing, just OGE didn’t
      
      Maybe the panel could have a philosophical discussion about the perils (and pro’s) of building a team around Pursuit riders instead of more diverse cyclists, after all best performer in the team is from Mansfield and outside that mold. Australia’s best cyclists over the last 10 years only O’Grady was classic track man. McEwan and Evans also being in the top 4
      - Dave
        
        More funding for MTB and BMX would be a good way forward. Riders coming through from MTB and BMX have a 83% share of Australian grand tour GC and points jersey wins, and I’m sure Baden Cooke once rode a BMX bike to make it 100% :-)
    - echidna_sg
      
      mr clarke will have his eye on a better outcome in the ardennes after the recent worlds result, I think they will do ok there with durbo, gerro, clarke and goss all well suited to the different ways these races often unfold.
  - Matt Keenan
    
    You’re spot on re the points but if Daniel can adapt to living in Europe he can have an impact on the sport. The guy has an engine. First race of the season was the Dauphine and he handled the climbs there really well. I hope he reaches his potential.
- Neil
  
  I think the outs are most interesting - particularly Davis and Cooke.
  Are OGE cleaning house following the issues relating to Matt White, O’Grady, etc?
  - Notso Swift
    
    Or they are just getting old and not producing the points
    Alby was the most unfortunate, a lot of circumstance cut his prime years to deliver during his career (SanRemo podium notwithstanding)
    
    White wouldn’t care, did his time, got his job back
    - Scott McGrory
      
      Alby is an unfortunate one guys. We were at Mapei together, and he lived about 5 metres away. He has had a really tough time behind the scenes with his family and that has surely seen the demise of his career.
      
      Cookie I also call a friend so it’s sad for me to see him go. But with the change of focus away from the Cobbled Classics his role becomes less relevant. If he could have picked up the occasional win in the second tire races it would’ve probably saved him. Or, if Gossy had a some wins off the back of Cookies work, that would’ve worked for him as well. Perhaps more of a victim of the lack of success from others than of himself.
      - Neil
        
        I realise Scott that my comment about the pair of them and linking them to O’Grady and White and their issues is probably unfair.
        I don’t know them, and am purely speculating.
        In saying that, I think with everything that is coming out with cycling worldwide, it was a question worth putting out there.
        Cheers for some context.
        
        Scott McGrory
        
        All good Neil, this is exactly what we wish for from our show and the viewer interaction that comes with it. We want to engage you guys and in a way bring you all more into the show.
        
        Cheers
- http://subcontinentalcyclist.wordpress.com/ Ankush Agarwal
  
  It appears to me they’re also building a decent team for the short stage races. Of course, the additions will be able to support Gerro better in the Ardennes.
- Sean
  
  It’s a real shame about Davis, he’s one guy who I feel could have done a lot more if it wasn’t for certain circumstances and team choices. I wonder what’s been going on with him during the last 2 years?
  
  Cookie on the other hand has been on borrowed time for awhile, hopefully a change of team/scenery will inject some life back into the old bugger. I’m thinking he should have stayed at saxo.
  
  How have they not cut Goss lose?
  - Scott McGrory
    
    Gossy signed a 3yr contract so he’ll be under the microscope during 2014. Matt totally understands where things are at so I do hope he and his team(the guys directly looking after him), change the approach to next season. It hasn’t worked for 2 seasons so something needs to be tweaked.
    
    Believe me, OGE and Matt have a full understanding of where things are at, and will do everything they can to help Gossy get those wins he’s chasing.
    - Dave
      
      Is the writing on the wall for gossy with OGE having not only bling but now Caleb? I personally believe gossy is overrated, media partly to blame by placing too high expectations too early
      - Scott McGrory
        
        Perhaps you’re right on the Gossy call Sean. But without disrespecting Bling, he hasn’t beaten Cav, Andre or Marcel at there best yet. Hey I’d love a few Vuelta stage wins, but one thing that made the Vuelta so good this year was the lack of the best Sprinters and their lead out trains. That was certainly to Bling’s advantage.
        
        Caleb will be good to watch in 2015 but I can’t see Bling taking over from Gossy before then.
- simonnix
  
  The Yates brothers seem a good get. Listening to them talk about their reasons for not joining Sky makes me think they’ll be good soundbite generators - for better or for worse.
  
  I’d be interested to know more about what Caleb Ewan and Cadel Evans talked about and how that translated into Ewan’s move to OGE.
- Peter C
  
  Am I the only one a bit concerned with the age of OGE. Its like they are an under 25’s team. Maybe they’ll lack a bit of race craft while they wait for this batch of 21-25yo’s to come through? Matty Hayman can’t be at every race.
- dbranson
  
  With the changes how many more wins will they bring? It is going to be a tough year to best. As we approach the new season I’d like to hear predictions from the panel.
- RB
  
  Since when did pulling back from the cobbled classics become a good idea. Outside of the TdF, surely Paris Roubaix would be high on a sponsors exposure list ?!?
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Discussion thread #5: Can CCCC Women’s Club Champ Nicole Whitburn beat SKCC’s Jennie McPherson next week?
- timf
  
  I can’t think of a single other situation where giving a female a nickname that implies ‘you remind me of a horse’ would not result in instant bodily harm to the nick-namer.
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Discussion thread #6: What’s on your mind? This is your chance to put forward topics for us to discuss next week.
- echidna_sg
  
  SKCC’s “super crit” - whats your take on a club running such a large event alongside the more official bay crits etc? does it show the powers that be in cycling australia could/should be doing more for amateur racers?
  - Scott McGrory
    
    Our High Performance Program in Australia has done a great job over the years in developing our top 1% of talented riders. That’s ensured international success for the green&gold. But I’ve said it foe a long time that we need to continue the growth at grass roots level, to build from the other end as well.
    
    The clubs are doing well promoting themselves, St Kilda’s Super Crit is a good example of their progression. If we can keep this kind of progressive approach, and continue to grow the Subaru National Road Series, we’ll get even more stars racing in Europe.
    
    Sean, yes I say if a club can afford a sustainable event like the Super Crit then bring them on. It’s all good for Aussie Cycling. And you’ll find that CA are going through an overhaul at the moment, and in the next 12-24mths. They know they need to be more than just a place to register for insurance purposes.
    - echidna_sg
      
      hey it was a question for next weeks show, not here ;-)
  - Ivan Von Dork
    
    If I had a gazillion bucks and if I was President of the Internet? This is what I’d do…. I would spend the whatever it takes to link every pro football team in the country (that is the AFL, NRL, A-League) on a one to one relationship with their local cycling club, and I’d hold a nationwide racing series where each club races in their pro footy team jerseys in a nationwide crit series… I’d pay for all the travel, I’d pay for the street closures, I’d pay for the police control, I’d pay for the advertising. But most importantly, I would NOT allow guest appearances by visiting pros.
    
    And then I’d sit back and watch the Brisbane Broncos take it up to Carlton against West Coast Eagles against the Melbourne Storm in grand prix bike racing.
    
    Who knows how much money I’d lose, but I reckon I could make it work. My point is this…. you wanna get people involved in cycling? The moment you link bike riding to supporting your footy team, you’re there. Huge numbers.
    - Dave
      
      They tried that in motorsport, it was called Formula Superleague and it tanked.
      - Guest
        
        Nobody’s right but you, huh?
        
        Dave
        
        Cricket Australia also looked into it for Twenty20 and found the numbers weren’t there and that there is a point where even the most parochial footy fans get cynical about cross-promotion.
      - Ivan Von Dork
        
        You really did miss the point….
  - Dave
    
    What makes the SKCC event any less “official” than a commercially-promoted event like the Bay Crits? They weren’t an unsanctioned cowboy club last I checked, and neither was I aware of any kind of protected sanctioning of the commercial series.
    - echidna_sg
      
      what I meant is that nearly every high profile event is run by cycling vic in victoria, this one isn’t. i.e. the “official” organisational body of the sport in oz is not in charge… that doesn’t make it bad or less organised by any stretch of the imagination, just different.
      - Dave
        
        Neither is the Bay Crit series, that’s run by John Trevorrow.
        
        echidna_sg
        
        getting a bit semantic now, but I assumed that the cycling vic/jayco/VIS signage etc meant they were involved in some official capacity?
        
        Scott McGrory
        
        The Bay Crits are indeed organised by JT, sponsored by Jayco and sanctioned by Cycling Victoria. CV bring in their judges, time keepers and commissaries.
  - jules
    
    Also - is it worth the risk taking part?!
- timf
  
  With some quality riders coming to the end of the top level professional road, I think it would be interesting to be a bit forensic about their careers. The defining moments. The good moves, the bad ones. Put a bit of flesh on the ‘didn’t reach their potential’ bones.
  - Scott McGrory
    
    Good suggestion timf. This one we can work on I think. I’d like to put some time into it and speak to a few of the retiring Pros and do the piece justice.
    - Ivan Von Dork
      
      I can tell you right now, the one “defining moment” the whole country would like to hear in minute detail, meter by meter, drawn out over 10 minutes - would be Robbie’s description of what it was like to fight for, and get Cipollini’s wheel in the World Championships - and still come 2nd.
      
      Robbie’s a great guy, a really honest thoughtful guy, and it would wonderful to get his insight into what it was like to come so close but still get beaten by the legend that is Cipo. It’s ironic that a “defining moment” doesn’t always involve a win. It often involves something that defines who you are, and what your character is like.
- Jerome
  
  the strain ergos put on frames, once i look down and see my bottom bracket swaying i cant bring myself do another effort. Although i do live 10 min from DISC so its easy to get there for training
- Peyton
  
  One topic I’d like to see covered would be the diets of pro cyclists. It seems like those winning recent grand tours are slimmer than ever in order to reach optimal power-to-weight ratios. What does a typical diet look like during the off-season and during race season. With all of the training and racing, are they trying to hit a certain amount of calories/protein/water/etc. per day to maintain a certain body weight? How do they make up for the insanely high number of calories burned during races and long training rides? How strict or clean are their food options? Maybe include a sample meal plan. Thanks.
Scott McGrory

How about our Country Road styling! Although this week I do look a bit like I’m wearing a pair of PJ’s but the stuff is good. And such an Aussie retail icon.
- Albert Parker
  
  Scott, we love your cycling insights and candour (your shirt observation being one). Fashion aint your thing.
  - Scott McGrory
    
    I take offence to that lol! It was the only white shirt and me being in the middle I had to split the two blues. That’s my story anyway.
    - Albert Parker
      
      Keep up your good work and sense of humour
- Ivan Von Dork
  
  What can I say? Sex on a stick, mate! Sex on a stick! (smile)
  
  Even Warwick Capper’s jealous!
- Dave
  
  A 12% Australian retail icon these days, but at least it has a reasonably good record on ethics.
  
  Did the other two come up with something better than an Olympic Gold Medal to get the best shirts this week?
Neil_Robinson

not put up for discussion, but I have a suggestion for those melbournians that don’t love the ergo, but want a workout akin to Scott’s 15 on, 105 off session, it even relates to another segment.

front up 12 bucks on a wednesday night and race the HCC crit. if you’re even 1kg over 65kg, odds on, like me, you’ll be doing 80-90% sprints out of that bottom corner, holding the throttle open for a further 10-20 seconds, then spending the remainder of the 80 second laps sucking air.

the $12 and the sense of competition both serve to keep you brutally honest, and at the end of 45 minutes you’ll clock up around 35 repeats.
- Sean
  
  I’m keen, but i’m still a bit soft around the midsection. I need another month of flat crits, junk miles and oats or rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.