So it's not just cycling????

I've debated with myself as to whether I should make comment on the recent 'shock' revelations that Australian Football Codes have been linked to systematic doping and the like.

The sad fact is I for one am not surprised. You can't honestly tell me that there is a sport in the world that is untouched by 'cheats' and 'dopers'. The glass half full girl in me likes to believe that these incidences are in the minority, but also as a realist I believe that perhaps it is not as infrequent as we would like.

Bottom line is that whenever there is money and superiority involved there will be those who feel the need and the pressure and be able to justify that it is okay to cheat. Competition in the sporting world is fierce, as is the pressure to perform consistently and successfully.

Basketball, baseball, football, athletics, swimming, cycling - no sport is immune.Up until now though it seems that most sports have been able to sweep things under the carpet. Cycling seems to be the only sport that is constantly in the spotlight, for the wrong reasons.

These revelations in Australia bring a somewhat sickly smile to my face. My first thought was sarcastically 'So it's not just cycling!' my second thought, more seriously was one of bewilderment. The glass half empty girl in me wonders if any sporting success or achievement can be really taken on it's merits, which saddens me for the (hopefully) majority of clean sports men and woman the world over.

It is a complicated issue involving money, greed, selfishness and the longing for success and adoration within ones self. Can the money and greed side of things ever be changed? Can human nature ever change for those who can justify doping to themselves? Complicated questions, with no real answers.

Where will be in ten years from now? Who knows....

Stage 6 Tour Down Under 2013. Greipel! Again!

Another gorgeous day in Adelaide greeted the riders today for the last stage of this year's Tour Down Under. Blue skies, sunshine and a light wind made for great riding and spectator conditions.

We managed to score a position at around the 90m mark with a great view of the riders heading around the corner into the straight and then up onto the finish line in King William Street.

This is a great stage for getting a good close up of the riders as they head onto the circuit an hour or so before the race to warm up and have a chat. The atmosphere is always exciting and always offers fabulous opportunities for close up photo's of the riders.

I managed to have a little chat with the one and only Rupert Guinness (SMH sports journalist) looking bright as always and he was very gracious to have a little picture with me. Thanks Rupert!

(I'll post some photo's including that one next week in a wrap up post of the Tour.)

But back to the race.

As always a few riders broke away early, including the one and only Jens Voigt. But the peloton never let them far from their sights and by the last couple of laps they were all back together. Lotto were setting up for yet another picture perfect sprint for Andre Greipel.

As the riders rounded the corner for the straight Lotto was in great position with Greipel sitting in about third wheel ready to pounce when none other than Mark Renshaw, now riding for Team Blanco decided to throw a little spanner in the works, weaving through and jumping them.

Greipel had to go. Renshaw held on, for a few moments... but in the end Greipel's power and top end speed was too much and he crossed the line for yet another victory. This one marks his 100th career victory, 14 TDU stage wins and his third for this year's race. There's some stats for you.

What an exciting sprinter he is to watch in the flesh!

Renshaw did hold on for second with Boasson Hagen in third.

Overall Team Blanco was able to successfully defend Tom-Jelte Slagter's lead in the overall classification, no doubt a proud moment for young 'TJ'.

I will do a wrap up post next week but for now am just enjoying my last night in Adelaide for another year. What a fabulous city and fantastic race! We shall be back again next year, for sure.

(And for those of you who may be interested we did have a rematch of the table tennis tonight. And in a very tight encounter with the score see-sawing for much of the match I can report I came out on top. Sweet, sweet victory.)

Stage 5 Tour Down Under 2013 - Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

You couldn't have scripted a better outcome for today's 5th stage of the Tour Down Under - if you were an Aussie that is!

We headed up early in the crisp morning air and arrived on top of the hill around 9:30am to find our spot. 25 meter mark of the finish line, and right in front of the big screen. Perfect! It really is a great day on top of the hill. You get to watch the race all day on the big screen and then of course see the riders as they make their way up for the first time and then the final climb to the line. And there is food, coffee, ice-cream, toilets - everything you need to keep the little tackers happy!


And the Queen stage where the riders tackle Old Willunga Hill including a hill top finish delievered everything and a little bit more. There were break aways, attacks and then just when you thought the break may just hold on the big boys pulled out all stops and the excitement began.

As the day went on the crowd swelled in anticipation for the riders and on the first lap up the hill the atmosphere was electric. But it was the final burst to the finish line that sent the crowd into a frenzy!

Simon Gerrans, as Aussie as you get, jumped from the peloton and stormed towards the line. It was a battle between himself and young dutch superstar (who?) Tom-Jelte Slagter but Gerrans had more fight to get over the line in first place with a tremendous roar from the crowd especially those in Gerry Ryan's & Orica Green-Edge's corporate grandstand overlooking the finish line.

Gerrans winning on Australia day was our version of a French man winning on Bastille Day during the Tour de France. Epic!

And let's not forget Slagter's effort in ripping the Ochre Jersey right of Geraint Thomas' back. Team Sky tried everything to protect the jersey but it was to no avail. This young dutch kid has gone from who? to wow! I look forward to watching him in action over the next few years. I think he's something special.

Again, I don't have any photo's to show just yet. But as soon as I rectify my technical issues I will post them.

Tomorrow is the final stage of this year's TDU. A mere formality for Slagter which will see his Team Blanco simply protect him for the entirety of the race keeping him out of any trouble so he can take the podium. As for the sprint, well that's most likely a formality too. Can anyone beat Greipel? I'm really don't think so! Go Greipel!

Stage 4 Tour Down Under 2013. Greipel!

I have to be honest, blunt even. The Bupa Challenge ride stage is not my favourite. Too many amateur cyclists. I know it is for a good cause and of course it is worth supporting but getting stuck behind throngs of amateurs on the road and off the road trying to walk in cleats and manage bikes through large crowds is not my favourite thing. Shame on me.

I must say though, I was very impressed with Tununda housing all of the Bupa riders on the local oval. They had loads of space, food and drink resources and even a big screen, so the course wasn't overloaded!

But enough of me. Back to the race.

Seeing young South Aussie Damian Howson out on the break with world champ Philippe Gilbert was certainly a highlight and their efforts were rewarded - the first ever dual recipients of the most combative jersey at the end of the stage.

Some more history was made on today's forth stage with my favourite current sprinter overtaking my favourite all time sprinter in stage wins at the Tour Down Under. Yes, Andre Greipel won yet again in another gutsy effort securing his sprinting domination. I'm sure Robbie (McEwen) would have been smiling, even with his record falling.

I would love to share some pictures with you today, including some awesome ones of Greipel sprinting to the line, the broken and battered riders limping in after the crash in the final kilometer and the riders receiving their jerseys at the presentation. But for some reason my good old iPhone won't download the photo's.

So, we move on to good old Willunga Hill tomorrow on Australia Day. We will be heading out early to try and secure a great spot on the hill! With Geraint Thomas still narrowly holding onto the race lead it's going to be a cracker!

Stage 3 Tour Down Under 2013. Slagter!

Who? Yes that was my question when Tom-Jette Slagter crossed the line after a gallant sprint towards the line at today's stage from Mt. Barker to Stirling. Slagter is the dutch rider currently sporting the young rider's jersey for Team Blanco, a name that we are sure to hear more of. He held off a late charge from Australia's Matt Goss, Ocre Jersey and TDU leader Geraint Thomas and World Champ Philippe Gilbert.

I have to say the Stirling stage is one of my favourites. It is such a pretty little town and they put on a fabulous party for the race with lots of food stalls in a picturesque setting. We arrived early around 9am to get the shady spot at the 25m mark and it was well worth the early trek enjoying shade all day long. And with the riders passing by six times it was the perfect spot.


With Sky doing their job to keep Geraint in the leader's jersey there's no doubt it will be on for Saturday's climb up Willunga Hill, add in the fact that an Aussie will be wanting to take the win on Australia Day - that's going to be an exciting and most likely decisive one as usual.

Tomorrow is the Bupa Challenge ride which sees over 6,000 amateur cyclists take the road over various distances to ride the course like the pros. Well, maybe not like the pro's but at least on the same course as the pro's.

We will head out to Tununda to see the finish which will be another change for The Gorilla - Andre Greipel to take another sprint finish.

Until then here are some pics from today's stage...

Stage 2 Tour Down Under 2013. Thomas!

The inclusion of the infamous local climb of Corkscrew Road certainly added some spice and flavour to the Stage 2 of the Tour Down Under. I'm not sure how many punters would have selected Gerrant Thomas to win the stage at the start of the day, but the Brit dug deep to ride the climb of his life and to survive right through to Rostrevor.

We spent the morning down at Glenelg browsing the local shops and having some fresh local fish and chips on the foreshore to fill our tummies before heading off to Rostrever to see the finish.

Ultimately we would have loved to be up on Corkscrew Road but with four kids in tow the cons outweighed the pros, so it was to the finish we headed.

We arrived with about half an hour to go, set up at the 140m mark and wandered down to the big screen to watch the climb. The atmosphere was fantastic and once again Adelaide turned on spectacular weather. After the climb we had a few minutes to get back to the kids and stick our heads over the fence and peer down the long stretch of the finishing straight. It is one of my favourite sights seeing the riders enter the home stretch and today didn't disappoint with Gerrant pushing through sprinting to the line for his well earned win.

We heard the news of a crash in the main peloton and saw the remnants when a few scathed and dirty riders limped over the finish line.

The riders will need a good rest tonight as tomorrow's stage from Unley to Stirling is another tough one and with a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius predicted the heat will surely be on.

A morning at Glenelg

The locals at Glenelg

The end of the long finishing straight awaiting the riders

Watching Corkscrew climb on the big screen

Gerrant makes his move

And flies past us towards the line, head down, bum up!

The end is in sight for the others

World Champ Philippe Gilbert second left

Thank God it's over!