With the Giro and Tour of California behind us, we really should reflect on how lucky we are.
I do try not to reminisce, but it is almost inconceivable that my first experiences relating to international cycling were gleaned from magazines and books in the local library.
Prime time allocations on the networks are given to cycle sport.
Despite our howls of protest, the commercial networks are paying attention and the sponsors are far happier with a commercial outcome.
That aside, the news pieces and highlight packages have been excellent.
Couple all this with Orica GreenEdge’s backstage pass: if you are such a dedicated fan, you can be as close to being in the peleton without having to crème up your chamois.
Heinrich Haussler was a remarkably consistent performer in the Tour of California against the ever-dominant Peter Sagan.
He is possibly peaking at the right time in his quest for selection as an Australian rider in our Olympic team and he should not be overlooked by Green-aligned selectors.
I have harped on this before.
In my opinion, management, coaches or any other member of the GreenEdge staff should not be on the National Selection Committee.
There are far too many very good Australian riders who are more noticeable by their omission from national teams for us to consider that nepotism does not play a hand here.
Michael Matthews, although always in the mix, hasn’t continued the rise that was expected given his credentials at sub-protour level.
I may sound harsh, but if he is going to mix it with the big boys, he really has to sit at the front.
Inexperience may have caught him halfway down the food chain in the mix for the line, but a nasty crash should teach him that, inevitably, that was not the place to be.
I suspect he is a fast learner and we will see more of him.
Currently, Mark Renshaw has proven that being the fastest leadout man to the world’s best sprinter doesn’t necessarily equate to winning.
However, I keep hoping to see him edging out all the contenders of the 2000 kilowatt club. It may be just a matter of time for Renshaw, but if you included him with Haussler, Goss and some of the young guns, like Michael Mathews, the Olympic road squad would look strong.
Let’s not see the same old formulae applied to the selection of our road team.
And the next question: who is directing?
There have been a number of blunders at recent Olympic races, but whether this has come from the team director or the riders themselves, I’m not sure.
Back to the tour of California, where we saw GreenEdge’s Cam Meyer having his first foray as a GC rider.
Despite grooming as a future potential team leader for Greenedge, we did not see him at the top of the leaderboard.
At the Giro, Matthew Goss did well with one stage win.
How many times did he finish behind the Manx man. What can you do?
The Giro is becoming a far better race than the stage-managed Tour de France and it was disappointing that GreenEdge did not really have a crack at supporting or grooming a rider for GC.
GreenEdge did confirm at inception that they don’t have General Classification aspirations this year, but no Aussies made it through to week three of the Giro.
This is clearly an area for development.
As the circus heads to the Dauphine, a great tour prelude, I am really wondering what will be the outcome of this year’s tour. Despite the organization’s best efforts for an exciting race, and harking back to my previous articles, I wonder now if the tour is more about the directors than the riders.
Surely a new jersey should be designed.
Possibly Platinum for the winning director/strategist.
It goes without saying these roles are very important but given the amount of discussion on the relationships between directors, riders, the media and the Le Tour organizations own expectations for the event, I suspect it could all become a farce this year.
Andy and Frank are emotional as Anderson and Bruyneel bat it out. Cadel, well, who knows. Nobody has seen him and his emotional state is always a concern.
A banned Contador has become a vegetarian. We won’t see him and he is upset about the donut regime.
The Giro was almost a relief, a beautiful old school win.
A fresh face, no expectations, a new way to manage a team and riders.
Alan Peiper is a man of my time and perhaps I should look at putting my money on him for the Platinum jersey.
Phil Anderson, a former Australian professional racing cyclist and the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, writes an exclusive column for The Roar.
Maria Szczerba
Guest
Adelaide picked a winner!
Maria Szczerba
Guest
Hi, Well you can send chocolates if you all like - Won the Prologue! First Article also! Howzat! Stage 1 article in! Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins are two of my picks!
Maria Szczerba
Guest
Putting my first article in very soon as well as TDF!
Maria Szczerba
Guest
Well done on the Giro and Tour of California!
Maria Szczerba
Guest
Hi all, Its nice to see that a man of such calibre and knowledge knows exactly what he is talking about when it comes to cycling! Phil is a man of great knowledge and has the riding experience of different tours and events also along with the many talented SBS staff such as Mike Tomalaris, David McKenzie, Rupert Guiness and Scott Sutherland! These men know their cycling along with Matthew Keenan and its such a pleasure to watch SBS with the cycling and its a great coverage of all the classics and the upcoming tour de france which I cant wait to see! I have to agree that in today's sport, there is always such politics that it take the real message out of sport away from those watching! Keep up the great work in SBS coverage guys and I will be watching! Dont forget to mention Norwood Cycling Club either and me!
GreenEDGFans
Guest
absolutely spot on. I hope broadcasters are reading your comments... always like reading your articles/comments ...if I could only compete with your eloquence :D
zacbrygel
Roar Guru
I agree, SBS coverage is the best!
Tim Renowden
Expert
Yeah, I think there's a real fear from broadcasters that online channels and digital multichannel dilutes their core value proposition, which is built on presenting a mass audience to advertisers. Broadcast advertising revenues have been declining for a few years, which seems to have resulted in desperate acts by the networks, which are sometimes quite hostile to viewers and only encourage viewers to seek out other ways of getting that content (live streaming, bit torrent, pay TV - whatever).
HardcorePrawn
Guest
Ah, but it's not as if they have other channels that they could use to show it live instead. Oh, wait...
liquorbox_
Guest
"He is possibly peaking at the right time in his quest for selection as an Australian rider in our Olympic team and he should not be overlooked by Green-aligned selectors. I have harped on this before. In my opinion, management, coaches or any other member of the GreenEdge staff should not be on the National Selection Committee. There are far too many very good Australian riders who are more noticeable by their omission from national teams for us to consider that nepotism does not play a hand here." I only somewhat agree with this. It is vital that if someone is good enough then they get selected, but you need to have some type of definitive qualification. An example of this is Durbridge, while you can put up great arguments for Porte and Evans to be our two TT competitors surely the reigning national champion is each discipline in an Olympic year should get to go...no ifs and no buts. One advantage for Australian Cycling in having a greenEDGE selection comittee is that junior riders who are starting out might be willing to ride for greenEDGE as it will be seen as an easier path to Olympic selection. THis will at least keep our talent in our team. We only have one Australian based team and it is vital to keep it as strong as possible. I see this as being similar to Wayne Bennett in Rugby League, he was a major influence in QLD development squads and selection for Origin and was able to get players to stay at his club for less money because you knew he had influence. I dont support greenEDGE as my number one or two team but do want them to succeed and see this as vital for Australian cycling
liquorbox_
Guest
there is a Rugby Test on tonight, delayed by 3 hours for the Block and the Voice, and the "Rugby network" does not even mention it on their news broadcasts
HardcorePrawn
Guest
Amen to that. This may not be the place to bring this topic up, but it's almost as though the commercial networks don't realise that viewers often have access to internet feeds. If it's a choice between a delayed telecast, interrupted by ads, and with Eddie McGuire and chums spouting their usual guff; or a live feed with no ads or Eddie, the feed is always going to win!
Tim Renowden
Expert
I think SBS deserves plenty of thanks for providing coverage that actually delivers for the fans. All of the commercial networks seem intent on producing sports coverage that is actively hostile to fans' wishes. Terrible commentators, ridiculous scheduling, misuse of second digital channels, ad placement, lack of streaming options... I could go on. In contrast, SBS does a great job. I actually feel sick in my stomach when I think about the free-to-air Olympic coverage we can expect.
Sprocket
Guest
The rather obvious conflict of interest that seemed to shut out Renshaw from last year's World's is a problem. It certainly looked bad, even if the decision was taken on other, unknown, grounds. And much as we moan about Phil and Paul in the Tour, thank God for SBS's coverage. The Critérium du Dauphiné, on television? Live? Fantastic.
HardcorePrawn
Guest
"... the commercial networks are paying attention... " I'm sure I speak for every cycling fan when I say that I dread the day that one of Australia's commercial networks might attempt to prise the sport away from SBS. Seeing what 9 have done to both the Summer and Winter Olympics, and their shameful treatment of last year's Rugby World Cup makes me think that should they (or 7 for that matter) get the rights to the UCI Grand Tours they'd be on a delayed telecast at 3am, with no highlights package available, no internet streaming, and coverage solely consisting of a single camera focussed on Cadel Evans for the entire race! SBS' coverage is exemplary, & long may it continue to be so!
Omega10
Roar Rookie
Thanks for your forthright comments Phil. Nice to hear someone of your stature say what he really thinks rather than be held in the thrall of the Greenedge "backslapping club."
Darryl Kotyk
Roar Pro
Many people would say that the Giro always has been more interesting and entertaining. It definitely has come on strong as one incredible race.