Since forming two years ago, Orica-GreenEDGE has largely chosen to ignore GC results at Grand Tours for wins in one day, short-stage races and time trials.
And given their record, there’s no doubt the strategy has worked. The honour list runs long.
Simon Gerrans, at Milan San Remo and Liege Bastogne Liege and the Tour Down Under – twice.
The Team Time Trial at last year’s Tour de France. Adam Yates’ victory at the recent Tour of Turkey and Michael Albasini’s four stage wins at the Tour de Romandie.
Three consecutive Australian Road Race Championships and Simon Clarke going KOM at the 2012 Vuelta a’Espana. Michael “Bling” Matthews winning two Vuelta stages last year plus Stage 6 at this year’s Giro and six days in the Maglia Rosa.
That’s just some of the highlights from an incredibly successful two-and-a-half years, and when you look at their roster you know there’s a lot more to come.
Perhaps I’m getting impatient though, because I want to see Orica-GreenEDGE riders starting to challenge for even bigger GC honours.
And call me patriotic, but for the bigger races I want to see an Aussie rider doing it.
I’ve loved watching Michael Albasini, Daryl Impey, Pieter Weening and Adam Yates win races, but when it’s your country’s first Pro Tour team, there’s an extra special feeling when it’s an Aussie doing the winning.
Don’t get me wrong, if Marcel Kittel joined Orica-GreenEDGE next season I’d be rapt, but imagine watching an Aussie rider win a Grand Tour riding for an Aussie team. Cadel Evan’s tour triumph will always be hard to beat, but seeing an Aussie win a Grand Tour riding for Orica-GreenEDGE would be immense.
The 2014 Orica-GreenEDGE squad is made up of riders from 12 countries. Twelve of the 25 riders are Australian, which only highlights that Shayne Bannan, Neil Stephens and Matthew White only choose the best riders, and not just see the sport through patriotic eyes.
The performances of Bling Matthews have captured the nation’s imagination, but he wasn’t the only Aussie to shine in the past week.
Because while Matthews was enjoying a record stretch in pink for an Aussie rider, Rohan Dennis was making significant headlines in California. So much so, that surely next season they should find the room and the budget to bring Rohan Dennis into the Orica-GreenEDGE fold.
Dennis only 23, and to me that’s what is so good about the quietly spoken South Australian. Dennis is only 23.
Victory in Stage 3 of the Tour of California and second overall to a motivated Brad Wiggins is another notch on Dennis’ increasingly impressive resume. And he seems to be a quick learner.
Last year he struggled with three kilometres to ride on the climb of Mt Diablo, but last week he passed that point without issue and watched others crack. Dennis surged in the final 300 metres to win the stage.
His time trialling is also improving.
This year he finished second in the Tour of Romandie Individual Time Trial compared to last year’s ninth. It was a similar story at the Criterium International where Dennis came second in the ITT – a big improvement on 15th a year earlier when he also failed to finish the race.
Second overall at the Tour of California came after finishing 39th just 12 months earlier.
So with rapid improvement in climbing and time trialling abilities, Rohan Dennis seems to have the key attributes for Grand Tour success, attributes that are ready to be honed. I reckon Dennis could really fly if he decided to leave Garmin at season’s end and come home.
Fast-forward 12 months from that and Richie Porte, who says he will leave Team Sky when his contract expires at the end of 2015, could join Dennis. But call it a gut feeling, I’m not sure Porte will join Orica-GreenEDGE.
Porte has spoken previously about not being the right nationality to be a team leader at Sky, so of course he’d have no problems with that in Gerry Ryan’s team, but you can’t guarantee he’ll come. You can’t guarantee Rohan Dennis will come either, but the other young riders in the squad will be a perfect fit, and so the timing might be good.
Importantly, Orica-GreenEDGE race director Matt White last night told SBS TV, that he is, “on the look-out for a GC rider for next season” and hopes to know more “in the next four to five weeks”.
So maybe Dennis is already in Orica-GreenEDGE’s sights, but while he may be a quick learner, Dennis can’t hone his undoubted skills by himself.
As I said Porte would be a great mentor, but will he come back to Orica-GreenEDGE?
Either way, he can’t come back next season, so Michael Rogers would be my pick. Turning 35 in December and out of contract with Tinkoff-Saxo at season’s end, he would be a no-brainer signing for Orica-GreenEDGE.
As we saw at last year’s Tour, Rogers is a brilliant road captain and knows what it takes to challenge at the top end of the GC in a Grand Tour. Rogers could also pass on his experience to Simon Clarke, who while a good climber, doesn’t seem to have the time trial in him to challenge for GC honours at Grand Tour level.
Dennis does though, and could learn a lot from Rogers if the deals can be done.
Just ask his boss at Garmin Sharp, Jonathan Vaughters.
“Rohan is the rare talent that can ride a 3:54 team pursuit, climb with the best in the world and win in tactical situations,” Vaughters said.
“He will be one of the best riders in the world, the only question is when.”
No doubt we will know the answer soon enough, but how much sweeter would it be if Rohan Dennis was in an Orica-GreenEDGE kit in 2015?
John Thompson-Mills
Expert
Since writing this piece I've had a couple of conversations with people who've told me that OGE is simply not interested in signing Rohan Dennis. There are even rumours he's signed for another team. The GC debate for OGE is a fascinating one, because as stated, it's not just about bringing in the designated rider, he will need support too. OGE don't quite have that aspect of their roster finalised yet either, well not in terms of mature riders. The team should look at a genuine GC Grand Tour campaign as a four year project.
Colin N
Guest
I assume you're referring to Geraint Thomas? I actually think a lot of people have hopes/expectations that he will turn into a GT contender. Before 2012 he was switching between track and road, but since then he's focused on the road. He showed some good climbing legs pre-Tour de France in 2013 and finished 15th at the Criterium du Daphine despite supporting Froome and Porte, but obviously his injury sustained in the Tour prevented him from really making an impact in that race.
Colin N
Guest
Re: Yates, possibly, but from what I've seen of him so far is that he's got that acceleration, but he doesn't quite have the strength to hold it. He did well in Turkey but in the Queen's stage he had Taaramae alongside him and he only just held on in the second mountain stage. At 21 he's an outstanding talent though and I think his brother's even better. As for Wiggins, yes he was racing for Garmin in 2009. He initially went as a support rider but ended up being leader during the race. He looked in fine form in California and I would like to see him support Froome in the Tour de France, but I can't see it happening.
commonwombat
Guest
Ok, I overlooked Talansky at Garmin who, apparently, goes off contract at the end of this season. Probably one of the more complete packages as goes TT & climbing, albeit still unproven as to whether he can make the step from top 10 to "contender". Methinks, however, he would be Vaughter's highest priority to retain which may be at the expense of others (Martin/Dennis) ?
commonwombat
Guest
Can agree with this move. He does have strong links (via track) with the likes of Durbridge, Meyer & Hepburn so the chemistry should be OK. Actually, Dennis WAS a bit of a naughty boy some years ago which saw him dropped from a program so it's good that he's knuckled down and worked hard. Question is whether Garmin can take him that extra step further or have the workforce to support him ? What are their climbing stocks beyond Martin & Hesjedal ? He is NOT yet the GT contender that OGE is in the market for, nor is it any certainty that he'll ever be that (he needs to finish a GT first !). Of the current younger Aussies at OGE, Durbridge and Hepburn may end up elite TTers and potential World Champs in that discipline but outside of that they look more candidates for flat/cobbled classics and big engines for flat GT stages. Meyer climbs the best of the lot and is also a TTer of similar level to Durbridge, Dennis & Hepburn. A potential winner of 1 week tours but I doubt he'll ever climb with the elite and therefore contend for GT. Stage wins yes. Of the names that I've seem touted: - Wiggins: possibly no longer the no.1 boy at Sky & nursing bruised ego. His father WAS Australian - albeit a louse. Question marks: the $$$$ he may demand; his track ambitions for Rio likely to rule out most/much of 2016; he's left previous teams in slightly acrimonious manner so will he gell at OGE where there is a v strong team ethic and bond ? - Martin: would strengthen climbing stocks so wouldn't be against making a bid but his mediocre TT does mitigate against him ever really being a GT contender or even podium. Not against signing him as long as it's acknowledged where his talents and limitations lie. - Porte: the buy-out from Sky may cost mega $$$ on top of what he may demand. Whilst he is a proven super domestique, do we really know if he IS the real deal as a contender ? Is his cost in $$$ & possibly having to cut other riders to accommodate really worth it ? - Evans: he's happy at BMC and does he really want to leave. Is this his last real year as a potential GT podium contender and does he have the personality to be a mentor/road captain to younger riders which may be part of what OGE may want from him ? - Thomas: not against signing him as he may fill a gap in OGE;s cobbled classics line-up. An excellent domestique but no real suggestion of elite climbing ability. Does he still have track ambitions for Rio ? - Ten Dam: OGE's current Dutch riders (Weening & Mouris) seem to have bonded well with the OGE team vibe and most Dutch speak good English so culture/language probably no great issue. An incredibly tough rider, he's a GT top 10 man but has never been able to last the full 3 weeks. Not against signing him as he will bring in good results in smaller tours but he's not going to win you a GT. Frankly the Yates twins would do well to stay at least another couple of years at OGE and make their GT debuts next season. It may well be that Sky's internal atmosphere is not necessarily conducive to talent development as was first thought despite the mega $$.
Alex
Guest
As for Rodgers we don't need drug cheats to further tarnish OGE
Aljay
Guest
Agree, Rohan won it through racecraft more than physical ability but a win is a win. Yates went too early and I think he also got caught in the wrong gear when the road really jacked up too. Is that what it looked like to you too? Rohan Dennis might become the GC rider that Cam Meyer was meant to be. Further to Garmin-Sharp, without looking it up I think that might've been who Wiggins was riding for after the Beijing Olympics and where he first became a legit GC contender.
Colin N
Guest
To be fair Wiggins had basically rode 5/6km on the front and Yates went too early, but it was a fine victory nonetheless and shows he has all the skills to become a top, top rider.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Can I just ask why Richie Porte would be doing the "helping" up a climb?
Ryan
Guest
Good article nice to see somebody mentioned other than Evans & Porte, but i personally think they will take a young guy out of the NRS. Avanti keep winning all the hillier stage races, they can take their pick from the top 3 at Battle of the Border all avanti riders, Jack Haig maybe?
Ben
Guest
How good would it be to see Adam Hansen, Matt Goss & Mark Renshaw leading Bling Matthews out in a sprint finish? Then having Simon Clarke, Nathan Haas & Richie Porte helping him up a climb. Use Luke Durbridge and Cam Meyer for long days on the front of the bunch - topped off Simon Gerrans as road captain. I'd pay big dollars to see that team!
Tim Renowden
Expert
+1. I'm more than happy to see Dennis stay at Garmin-Sharp. He's still got plenty of room to improve in their system, and it seems to be working a treat for him.
Aljay
Guest
Good article John, but it's almost like someone suggested it before ; ) http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/05/02/dont-go-gerro/ (comments section). I'd humbly like to state I wrote that BEFORE the Tour of California too : ) Seriously though, it's great to see Dennis do well and the way he dropped guys like Yates and Wiggins up Mount Diablo was outstanding. I too would love to see him join Greenedge for patriotic purposes but Garmin-Sharp seem to be doing a pretty good job of developing him at the moment and they have a decent track record of bringing riders through. I won't be too disappointed if he stays where he is.
Justin Curran
Roar Rookie
I hope so. I have doubts about Porte joining OGE however. When asked about joining the Australian outfit in the past he has seemed decidedly lukewarm about the prospect.