Thought people might be interested in some info on the last World Cup.
Just talked to Jonathan on the phone, as they just got back (9 hrs
driving each way with the 2 week old).
So, he lined up THIRD row cause the start was very narrow and so the
rows were really short. He had a fast start, as usual, and was in the
top ten pretty quick.
The course was very tough, but very fast, so a strange mix of hard
group racing ensued, with pretty big time gaps, but with groups.
He, of course, got a flat at the beginning of the second lap, I think,
cause he was a long way from the pit he said.
He also only has two bikes still, as Cervelo still has not given him
carbon bikes (in testing STILL) and Toby Stanton has made him some
nice steel frames. A third is in progress, so I guess the Cervelo's
are a way out. Plus he hasnt got a training bike with only two.
Anyway, he had to ride a long way to the pit, and lost about 40
seconds. He then "rode like the wind" chasing forever, but it took
till a couple laps to go before he made it back to the chase group.
This group ended up sprinting for 9-18th.
Unfortunately, and he thinks the reason for the groups/gaps, is the
course ended with a really hard muddy hill, that he was swinging on
each lap once he got back to the group, cause he said he was really
spent from the chasing. After the hill was a long series of he said
6-8 corners, and narrow, and then the only like 20 meters and then the
road sprint area. So there was no chance for sprint positioning, and
the guys who had it on the hill could hold a gap all the way thru.
I guess this really broke up the chase groups efforts as well, and
helped Ausbuher hold his gap all day.
Anyway, several guys got off the front of the group by a few seconds,
and then the little remaining pack sprinted for 13-18th. He said he
was just pretty spent so didnt do great in what should have been him
and commeyne then the rest.
HOWEVER - UCI placed him 18th when in fact he was 16th!! He or some
one watched the tape or something ending in a protest, and the UCI guy
called him just now and told him they placed him wrong, and he was
16th, ahead of the two french riders, Gadret and Labbe (not kenny).
The series pays pretty good this year, so he was happy to get bumped.
Thats pretty much it. He said he has great legs, for example
Groenendal, who is doing well right now, got a flat or something after
him and he never made it back (JP passed him chasing back). He said
he was pretty much the only guy who had an incedent to make it back to
the group. So the world cup curse continues.
All in all, he said it was a good race and a really good course, which
led to exciting racing!
J