Olympic Road Race Preview

This weekend London will become the sporting mecca of the world as it hosts the 2012 Olympic Games. One of the first events will be the Men's Road Race.

The 250km course set down for the race has been a topic of much discussion (you can see the course here). Many are divided on who this type of course will suit best, but even so, Mark Cavendish seems to be the undeniable favourite to win on his 'home' soil.

I am not so sure that it will be such a clear cut sprinting course. There is the much talked about 'Box Hill' to be navigated nine times, and the circuit is narrow and bumpy. There is serious doubt that it will end in a bunch sprint and if it does Cavendish will still have to contend with the likes of Sagan who may fair better at the end of the long lumpy race.

There is the other opinion that perhaps a break will survive with Aussie Simon Gerran's well suited to that scenario.

I believe though it won't be a small break that survives or a bunch sprint. I think there will be a split in the peloton and will come down to who is the strongest rider to survive the course and still take the sprint at the end. Or who has the guts and the legs to steal a break and 'go for gold'.


Aussie's are heading into the race with a good five man squad (did Matt White actually get something right? That's a post for another day), with Stuart O'Grady, Mick Rogers, Simon Gerrans, Cadel Evans and Matt Goss. The rider in for the best chance in my opinion is Simon Gerrans, providing he has pulled up okay after the TDF where he didn't have the best of times. He will need full strength in his legs and his cycling brain in tip top shape and with some good team work from the likes of Stuey, Mick and Evans, could well be in the hunt.

Unfortunatley, if it does end in a sprint finish I don't think Goss will have the legs to overcome the likes of Cavendish, Sagan or Greipel. But I don't mind being wrong either!

All in all I can't say who will win. It is too hard to call with too many factors in play. Even after narrowing it down to the likes of Cavendish, Gerrans, Sagan, Freire, Cancellara, Boonen, Hesjedal, there would still be another ten or so riders that are capable, in form and hungry enough to win.

Who's your pick for the race? And which Aussie do you think is our best chance?

Final Glory in Paris - Tour de France 2012 finale

Today is a mix of excitement and sadness. The end of another Tour de France.

I remember the 2005 Tour de France finale on the Champs Elysees well. I was five months pregnant and sat for hours on the cold stone of Rue de Rivoli. The atmosphere was amazing. It didn't matter that I had to walk five miles to the closest toilet, or that we were over1km from the finish line- I was there. It was amazing. The first time the peloton went around was an electric feeling, almost surreal and nothing like I had ever experienced.

I had come to see Robbie (McEwen) take the stage win, but even though that didn't eventuate with Alexandre Vinokourov escaping and stealing the stage, you still couldn't wipe the smile off my face. (At least an Aussie came second in Brad McGee).

And today here in 2012, I wish I was sitting on that fence yet again.

But I'm not. I'm here at home in Australia sitting with anticipation for an exciting finish to a fairly uneventful tour.

This stage will be anything but uneventful I hope. All the sprinters teams will be working to position their chosen ones in the best spot to deliver them over the line to glory on this hallowed ground.

Peter Sagan, Mark Cavendish, Matthew Goss, Andre Greipel will all by vying for that triumphant feeling.

I don't know who is going to win. My head says it will be a Cavendish / Greipel showdown but it is the Champs Elysees and anything can happen and I hope it does!


Who's your pick for final glory?