Nah, missed it. Should be good coverage of the Bendigo Madison. Looked to be at least 5 cameras there.

I need another days recovery after the 5.30am finish on Monday morning

classic1 did you get me Tomalaris' autograph?

I had to reply to the Mcewen dis, I am one of few who has seen the video of the crash. Mcewen gets a bad rap. Just wait til Brownie ever gets a work ethic and hits the big time, the second coming of the Tashkent terrorist.

No autographs. I had gay sex with him though. He's a dud in the sack too.

I said the other day about that crash that they sent a boy to do a mans job. How often do you see turkeys contesting bunch sprints who have no chance of winning, like in the Dauphine the other year when stupid mullet head Brochard and some dwarf Columbian knocked Cooke off the bike.

yeah, and good line it was too classic1.

Pity about the autograph, can I have the condom though?

Don't think the wife/gf will appreciate being chased arround the house with a turkey baster full of the contents, thunder.

Did I take this gag too far?

Anyone have a downloadable movie of this crash? Love a good crash.

He keeps texting me, asking why I haven't called or sent flowers.

Where do you see all the race footage thunder? Do you have a dish or something? Don't answer that if its dodgy though

Can you blokes stop making me laugh so much with your Tomalaris love-in?

And nice defence work over in the "classy guy" thread in the RR sub forum too.

It wasn't love Wilchemy. I wasn't wasting any vaseline on him!!!!!

Oh, I understand...it was a power thing. You just wanted to make him your bish!

As the tone of this thread slides lower and lower.....

Were you on the rivet?

yeah, I do, I think it is 20 MB, I got it from a belgian, but The rapidhsare.de does not like me for some reason and won't upload. If you give me instructions and somewhere to put it no worries. It is not very clear. This is the MCewen Crash, the little smurf Bettini, don't have that.

Anyone who likes a good sucky barrel needs to take a look at this;
Filthy.
https://ninemsn.video.msn.com/v/en-au...ninenews&t=s29

Saw footage of those Tassie waves on Sports Tonight last night. Awesome! Some decent wipeouts as well.

Reminds me a bit of Cactus, Sth. of Penong, Fowlers Bay SA. Not as gnarly but still very scary.

Thanks alot, that made me home sick.
It's been snowing here for two days.
Steve.

may as well get in before Shawie starts whingin'


La Pimavera, Milano - San Remo, a Thunder wrap


Aussies on the start list

Lotto
Mcewen
Vogels

FDJ
Mcgee

Liberty
Davis

Rabobank
Hayman

Gerolsteiner
*Haussler

potential
CA
Renshaw
LPR
Bates
Liberty
Kemps
Disco
Matt White

Bettini's injured knee consigns this to a Boonen v Petacchi show, unless Rebellin or Cunego disintegrate the field and get away on the Cipressa. Mcewen is still showing side-effects of the crash he wont have the strength, Mcgee will not have the strength to contest the finish either.

Boonen has to be favorite over 280km as he is less reliant on a leadout, and Milram have not ben able to show the dominance in their train. Velo, Sacchi, and Ongarato have not been able to pilot Petacchi successfully, and Zabel has not added anything but confusion. Must be conceded that Zabel could provide a virtuoso leadout on la Via Roma. Just as I write, Milram provide PEtacchi with a successful leadout on the final stage of Race of the Two Seas, however it was a finishing circuit and probably shorter than 180 km. PErfect for Milram to find success, but it will be eponentially more difficult on la Via Roma after 280 kms and the inevitable incendiary attacks on the Cipressa.

Hushovd has to be a chance in a chaotic finale. I think the rest are also rans. I do include Zabel and Friere in this category. Write Friere off at you own peril, however he has not shown much this early season, though he has won the uphill kick in one Tirreno stage. He does not need form builders like other riders, but he apporaches his 30th year, pulling out the virtuoso rides off little base will be more difficult. He is a phenonenal rider one concedes.

Lampre rider Bennati is out, has a virus I think.

Davis is the only show for the Australians, and like Hushovd, he might revel in a chaotic finish, and this is the only way I think he could win. Like last year, if he was to get the wheel of Gilbert by a fluke, he could take the win. I don't think he can quite match a fit Bettini and ride the peloton off his wheel on the Cipressa.

Mcgee is yet to show he has the 280 km strength so it would be a fluke to see him up in the top 10. His class is unquestioned, but so is his hypglycemia, and the hunger knock may not hit at 270km, but you need the last bit of energy in all 3 energy systems to prevail.

Mcewen's chance went in 2002 when he broke a spoke just before the Cipressa, when Rodriguez pushed Re Lione. His form his weak going in courtesy of his crash in the 3 Days of Flanders, Johan Museeuw Disgraced Classic.

Astarloa is on fire at the moment and if he does not look to ride away on the Cipressa I think he will be the first non-sprinter home, and beat most of the sprinters and take a top 5 finish. Barloworld have very few big races this year, and his career was compromised by the move, so he needs some results where he can get them.

Outsiders, Ballan from Lampre, Heinrich "Inverell" HAUSsler of Gerolsteiner and Gilbert of FDJ.

Top 10:

Boonen
Petacchi
Hushovd
Davis
Astarloa
Zabel
Paolini
Friere
Pozzato
Eisel
Ballan
Haussler
Gilbert

Melbournites,
Friend of mine just sent me the course for the road race. Looks short to me, but anyway, apparently we're going to go see it, and it's on sometime this weekend I believe. How's that for non-commital?

Tiger, I think you'll find the RR is next weekend (26th March) not this weekend. I plan to be heading down for a look myself. As for the distance, they do 20 laps or something...

Ah good. On the 25th we're hopefully going to the auction of the potential new home for Thylacine Cycles, so I'm glad it's not on the same day.

so how does one get to view a Thylacine piece of magic if they are visiting Melbourne from say, tomorrow?

And any good bike shops I should try and visit while I'm there?

Climbo, what events are you watching?

rugby fri arvo
track fri night (keirens and points race)
hockey sat am

Kieren - Cool!

It depends on where you are staying climbo...in the CBD or the 'burbs?

Nth Melbourne.