“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, is a motto that could easily apply to the 2014 Tour Down Under, but no one ever should ever rest on their laurels, not even Mike Turtur.
The Tour Down Under Race Director has just presided over the best race in the event’s 16 year history. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.
It’s an often debated point among the cycling scribes that assemble in Adelaide each January, given the logistical and seasonal restrictions the TDU operates under, how can the race be improved?
One things that should be discussed is time bonuses.
Without time bonuses, Cadel Evans and not Simon Gerrans would’ve claimed the Ochre Jersey. He would’ve won by 10 seconds from Diego Ulissi.
At the Tour de France they didn’t have time bonuses last year, and I didn’t miss them, but they’ve always been a part of the TDU.
Is it worth trying a year or two without them?
In terms of the race, what can be done to make it better?
Turtur won’t countenance moving the race away from the city centre hotel that the riders simply love.
Each day they return to same hotel and enjoy top quality accommodation and the best food.
Ask the mechanics who work at the Tour Village where all their bikes are stored and they’ll tell you it’s palatial.
And Turtur won’t start or finish stages more than two hours from Adelaide because it makes the days too long.
Given it’s the first race of the year in January, he also doesn’t want it to be too hard.
I know some riders weren’t best pleased with the course for the final stage, saying it was a bit too technical for a Tour stage. There weren’t any serious crashes, but many of the corners were a lot tighter and narrower than the traditional finishing circuit we see here.
But that change was forced on Turtur due to the Australia Day cricket at the Adelaide Oval, and won’t be the situation every year.
As it stands the Tour starts on a Tuesday and finishes on Sunday, with a separate stand-alone race on the Sunday night before the opening stage.
The “Classic” is a popular race with the fans, but as it has nothing to do with the Tour in terms of times etc it could be jettisoned.
For most riders it’s no more than a crit race and for the sprinters, it’s an early opportunity to practice their lead-out trains. For anyone with GC intentions at the TDU, the only aim is to stay out of trouble.
So in its place you could organise another stage, thus making the TDU a seven stage event. Whether you start on a Sunday or Monday can be figured out later.
It could be another stage for the sprinters, or a short time trial, although I wouldn’t be starting the TDU with an Individual Time Trial. I’d put it in the middle of the week.
Turtur will tell you that this race is as much about tourism and the people as much as it is for the riders. I’m not sure he sees the attraction in a Time Trial, and when asked says he doesn’t want teams to be bringing extra bikes here. But an uphill time trial could avoid that necessity.
The other reason to add an extra stage to the Tour Down Under is to give him some more flexibility with his route planning.
As it stands, the race has four “must have” stages
• The hilly course around Stirling;
• the now pivotal climb up Corkscrew;
• the Saturday on Willunga Hill;
• And the city centre finish on the final day.
Those all produce sensational racing, and seem to be “nailed-on” fixtures. That leaves only two days to satisfy wannabe hosts in the Barossa, the Riverland and the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Adding one extra stage would mean all the major tourist destinations that fit the TDU’s requirements can be featured each year.
Mike Turtur may already be well on the way to designing next year’s route or he may want to take time to reflect on what we’ve just seen.
With five different stage winners and three changes in the race lead, it’s been a spectacular week.
Simon Gerrans, Cadel Evans and Richie Porte each produced some of the best rides of their career, and we were treated to the prowess of TDU surprise packet Diego Ulissi.
Caleb Ewan gave us a glimpse of his potential in the People’s Choice Classic, emerging Garmin-Sharp rider Nathan Haas finished in the top five on GC and Drapac Pro Cycling had riders in the break on five of the six days in their first World Tour race.
So there was a lot to admire from both the Australian and international riders.
And we also saw an estimated 766,000 fans line the sides of the roads to witness some of the best cycling ever seen at the Tour Down Under.
So not really anything to complain about and certainly nothing is broken, but nothing is ever perfect either.
I can’t wait to see with what Mike Turtur comes up with in July when he announces next year’s route.
The Roar and Skoda teamed up to provide an insight into what life is like for a Tour Down Under rider. Click here to watch the video.
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