In Cadel Evans and Richie Porte we have two men who can lead a talented Australian team in the Elite Men’s Road Race on Sunday – but whether they can function as a team is another question altogether.
World Championships – the lead-in
Primarily held in Spain, the Vuelta is more often than not used as a training tool for riders without title aspirations to build their legs and fitness for selection and consideration at the World Championship level.
This year saw notable absences from the Vuelta – Sir Wiggo and Chris Froome. This is sure to be an interesting contest but the separation is clear. Wiggo in the time trial (which was won by Tony Martin last night) and Froome the road race.
Fabian Cancellara withdrew while Philippe Gilbert, a clear favourite for the Worlds, also withdrew from the Vuelta in Stage 15, but not before a stage win.
Florence Selection – where will the Aussies sit?
The circuit in Florence for the World Championships is tough and it may well be a challenge for the Aussies.
Director Brad McGee will have his work cut out for him as he brings the team together for a serious attack on the title.
Amongst the Aussies, infighting generally dictates selection and, based on historical evidence, a cohesive team performance is not a guarantee.
Plenty of personalities in the mix
Cadel has hit late form, a result at the Worlds could certainly save the end of his season.
The steeper and longer the climbs certainly suit the 37-year-old former World Champion. The biggest question, of course, is – will he work for Richie and who will work for both of them?
Cadel and Richie clearly sit outside the Cycling Australia development program and, quite frankly, selection criteria.
Richie has been overlooked for the road team since 2010, although he has made it on to the time trial team.
Richie’s performance in the Tour de France confirms he is global talent and he cannot be overlooked.
Nonetheless, this has not stopped Cycling Australia previously with a notable omission, a couple of years back, of a very in-form Mark Renshaw.
Cadel is a great champion who has never been able to draw on support from his Aussie colleagues. He has an uncanny knack of upsetting people.
He is not a strong leader but has very high expectations of a team built around him and his results confirm he deserves that support.
Who is the team built for? There are a number of sprinters in the mix but this course is clearly not a sprinters course.
The current team is strong enough to position Cadel or Richie in a break for a win and the omission of Gerrans and Rogers is not likely to change the outcome for the top two contenders.
What can we predict?
We are talking about a bicycle race and, honestly, anything could happen but there are definitely some certainties – there are many great champions who could win this race.
I foresee the winner coming from a team that is cohesive, single minded and focused on a pre-determined outcome.
For Brad McGee there are clear pressures to bring this team together.
For me, I would put my money on Richie Porte and I would like to see Cadel work for a result here.
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