Post Mortem of the World(s)

There are two reasons as to why I, the Daily Red like cycling so ardently.

One, it’s a sport that to find other fans is about as hard as a maths exam for an arts student, and two, the combined impact of sporting peril and scenery is unmatched, unless you count the view from the corporate box from the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground)!

Keeping a close eye on the 2011 UCI World Championships held in Copenhagen, this passing week was filled with excitement, who would win? Would Australia come and show that they are more than just formidable in Le Tour de France?

The answer is a resounding yes.

Our first gold medal came from youngster Jessica Allen, quickly followed by Luke Durbridge who sounds n a new generation of time triallist’s.

Also in the U23 time trial which Durbridge won, fellow Aussie Michael Hepburn claimed bronze for the medal tally, though it could have been silver f he had not crashed on the course. But, a bronze medal is nothing to cry home about.

With the elite men’s time trial, the rise of a new time trial champion in Tony Martin with defending champion Fabian Cancellara claiming the bronze.

In this time trial, there was also plenty of hope for the Aussie contingent with Jack Bobridge (signed with new Australian team GreenEdge for the 20102 season) placing fifth and Tasmanian Richie Porte placing sixth in the TT.

Porte’s result illustrates some degree of consistency as he also placed in the top ten at this years final time trail of the Tour De France.

And how about the Women’s road race? Debutante and Canberra girl, 20 (soon to be 21) Chloe Hosking who placed a respectable sixth in the race, riding against those much older than her, it displays to selectors and fans alike that there is a new generation of up and comers for Australian cycling.

And in the men’s road race, while Mark Cavendish was victorious it was Australia’s Matt Goss that claimed silver, after finishing wheel’s length behind Cavendish at the end of a 266km race.

The inner Australian in me last night was a little stunned, the bias took over and disappointment was fledgling inside my emotional epicentre... so close! But so far! 

However as you’ll read in my next post, perhaps this is not such a bad thing for Goss and GreenEdge to not have the Rainbow on his back.

Overall I’d say that, from an Australian perspective it was a successful championship, which played out amidst excitement and ponderings of what ifs?

Just goes to show, cycling, no longer an obscure sport in the land down under, rather a sport to be watched with all this new talent coming to the fore.