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.
http://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.

Well, most Thylacines live in the US, but if you want to come and fondle one and can handle me in mid-move/renovation/packing, give me a call on 8309 0005 and make an appointment. Got three here you can take a gander at.

As to good bike shops, I can't remember the last shop I went to where I didn't lapse into a coma. Actually I think Fitzroy Cycles had a vintage Slim Chance road frame a couple of years ago that got the heart racing, but appart from that, you'll be wading through quite a bit of boring Aluminium to see anything interesting.

Guess I'm not the guy to ask! :o :)

Fitzroy Cycles, CBD cycles, Cecil Walker are all in the city, only a yonnie throw from Nth Melbourne Dunno what they are like at the moment, it's been two or three years since I've dropped in to any of them.

Cecil Walker Cycles in Elizabeth St might be worth a look. (About 2 blocks down from Queen Vic Mkt towards the city if I recall correctly). They ususally have a heap of stuff, and do a bit of track stuff as well. Not always cheapest but lots of stock. They also do custom frames, but I'm sure a stripey TazTiger frame would be much better to look at ;)

There's also SHM in the Queen Vic shopping complex (as opposed to the Market - we love a QV down here :p ) which is near the cnr of Russell & Lonsdale Sts I think. They stock Gitane which would excite jock I'm sure :D

I think Fitzroy bailed on their city store a while ago. Just have the Fitzroy & the Carnegie/Malvern or whatever it is now

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/search...3000&stateId=2

Lists of shops in the CBD. Aren''t there one or two good shops in Richmond (not far from the G and Vodophone arena?)

I guess there's Mascot Cycles on Church Street if you like Bianchis and Ray Bluchers weirdness, or 'Total Rush' on Swan Street if your world revolves around Specialized worship. Is that all? Can't think of any more, haven't lived in Richmond for a few years.

CBD, yeah, there's quite a few in walking distance - SHM has a fair amount of bling I guess, and Cecil Walker is always good fun to go in and stare at the ceiling hoping you'll spy some sort of frame of loveliness (Although unfortunately most of them will be yellow Cecil Walkers and Cannondales).

If you come to Melbourne, you'd be mad not to go and have a bite to eat down Brunswick St in Fitzroy, so you may as well pop in to Brunswick St Cycles in the North end and Fitzroy Cycles which is sort of central.

Hey Thylacine, I notice your frames are shown on the "Pushi" shop website. Do you sell a few through them or is this just not an updated website? Looks like an MTB/messenger themed shop, correct?

You've GOTTA check out SBR, on Punt Rd (on your way back from perving down Chapel St.), near the Nepean Hwy, Princes Hwy (St Kilda) junction. They usually get my vote for sexiest shop -- they even have a coffe machine and trendy Euro-trash employees :p

Fitzroy Cycles is definitely worth a look, and their shop in Carnegie (Princes Hwy) ain't bad either

Cecil Walker is a small shop, but the last time I was there they had a gazillion frames haging up

Richmond Cyclery (Bridge Rd) is ok, I guess, but not really worth hiking to specifically

SBR ? so it's a Triathlon store? no way !!

A friend of mine runs Pushi. We sold a couple of frames through there, but it's just not my target market. Couriers and downhillers aren't riding 2500 buck XC frames or 1900 buck singlespeeds, you'll be shocked to hear. :rolleyes: One guy is riding a pimped out 221v singlespeed arround town though.

Sorry, did we say 'SBR'? What we meant to say was...er.............'B' :p