Close the polls. Shut the books. No need to tally the votes. It’s only three weeks into the new year, but folks, we may have already witnessed the V Ride of the Year.
While the Euros are trying to escape the bitter chills of winter, the Aussies and Kiwis were turning up the heat with their National Championships being contested last weekend. And both races threw up some true hard racing, and produced two outstanding rides for the titles. Here in NZ, it was a hardass masterclass from HTC’s Hayden Roulston, but the ride that has everyone gushing came from Garmin’s young gun Jack Bobridge.
We know this kid’s got talent, already a World Champion on the track plus a road U23 time trial gold, but the way he decimated a ProTour rider-laden field in the hills of regional Victoria was the stuff of legend. To wait for the ‘right’ break to form, and then leave it to the last minute to attack or sprint from the group is one thing, but to bridge across solo to the early break, drive it for hours to breaking point, then decide to go it alone for the last 30km, well that’s a whole other deal; Merckxian, if you will.
“Just… sometimes, things click”
We received an impassioned email this week from one of our Aussie contingent, Matt, imploring us to dedicate a post to Jacky Bobby’s win. Well Matt, we’ll gladly doff our caps to young Bo Bridges, but leave the final words to you…
“I believe there may be a new champion of The V Cause. Jack Bobridge won the Australian Open Road Cycling Championships last week with what can only be described as a true ‘hardman’s’ ride.
Although it wasn’t mud, sleet and cobbles, 160km around Buninyong (featuring 16 laps up a 2.2km, 6% climb) off the front of a bunch featuring half of the Sky and HTC teams (among others) is harder than most riders will ever be.
Hopefully in a generation they will describe Jacky Bobby by some nickname like ‘The Animal’ (as ‘The Cannibal’ has already been taken!)
Until then, I’ll be enjoying him attacking everybody all the time.”
A-Merckx to that, Matt, so will we…
Jacky Bobby, “it’s time to be a man! You got hair on your peaches or what?”
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E6DgyJ9T6Q
Killer stuff: Sagan, Bobridge, etc. The kids are alright!
Hey guys, first time poster and just want to say I love your blog. As for jacky, well even Lance agrees- Tele article.
"Jacky Bobby, it's time to be a man! You got hair on your peaches or what?"
And aint that just it? The Avatar, EBH, Jacky Bobby. Young talents we hope to see slugging out in the front for years to come.
Well played Brett and Matt. For some reason I love that Simon Gerrans didn't win and Jacky Bobbie did. It really was a great move to ride away with three laps to go. No one at the US nationals would have the peaches to make a move like that and have it stick.
Too bad for Garmin that all these Aussies will bail at the end of this season for a made-in-Australia team but good for Oz.
That video frank posted about Talledega Nights amuses me endlessly. Especially the youth cussing out the grandfather. Magic stuff.
A ride deserving of its own post - well done, Brett and Matt. A bloody fantastic way to get the season off to a roaring start. And ain't it a grand feeling that the season has started? Am eagerly anticipating TDU live on TV tonight (in NZ) - and not merely because it might mean more discussion of racing and less fixation on dodgy photos of Cipo et al. (Though perhaps that's a naive hope.)
@Billy
Welcome mate!
Yep, made me register and post. We also saw another pretty solid effort from Luke Durbridge tonight over at rAdelaide.
Also at the Aust nationals was the Natl. Criterium won by young Tasmanian Ben Grenda but reading the post http://genesysprocycling.com.au/?p=1152 the ride of 18 year to quote "came to the front with only five laps to go and single handedly reduced the deficet (sic) from 25 seconds to just 5", to do that with a senior field of the quality of Aust. championships currently a hardass of the future.
Jacky Bobby... that's outstanding. I'll be looking for him on the tv and net. Which brings me to my question - please forgive if I break protocol asking a question outside the subject of the post, but frickin Versus is only showing 30 mins of TDU coverage in my area! Can anyone help a brother out? Any suggestions for a newbie to catch the races this year online? -bk