Close the polls. Shut the books. No need to tally the votes. It’s only three weeks into the new year, but folks, we may have already witnessed the V Ride of the Year.
While the Euros are trying to escape the bitter chills of winter, the Aussies and Kiwis were turning up the heat with their National Championships being contested last weekend. And both races threw up some true hard racing, and produced two outstanding rides for the titles. Here in NZ, it was a hardass masterclass from HTC’s Hayden Roulston, but the ride that has everyone gushing came from Garmin’s young gun Jack Bobridge.
We know this kid’s got talent, already a World Champion on the track plus a road U23 time trial gold, but the way he decimated a ProTour rider-laden field in the hills of regional Victoria was the stuff of legend. To wait for the ‘right’ break to form, and then leave it to the last minute to attack or sprint from the group is one thing, but to bridge across solo to the early break, drive it for hours to breaking point, then decide to go it alone for the last 30km, well that’s a whole other deal; Merckxian, if you will.
“Just… sometimes, things click”
We received an impassioned email this week from one of our Aussie contingent, Matt, imploring us to dedicate a post to Jacky Bobby’s win. Well Matt, we’ll gladly doff our caps to young Bo Bridges, but leave the final words to you…
“I believe there may be a new champion of The V Cause. Jack Bobridge won the Australian Open Road Cycling Championships last week with what can only be described as a true ‘hardman’s’ ride.
Although it wasn’t mud, sleet and cobbles, 160km around Buninyong (featuring 16 laps up a 2.2km, 6% climb) off the front of a bunch featuring half of the Sky and HTC teams (among others) is harder than most riders will ever be.
Hopefully in a generation they will describe Jacky Bobby by some nickname like ‘The Animal’ (as ‘The Cannibal’ has already been taken!)
Until then, I’ll be enjoying him attacking everybody all the time.”
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Heh. I actually have no evidence for it Oli. I've only ever actually heard it spoken of as a stated fact when ever his time is mentioned.
Maybe he was clean. Who am I to say? Either way, his time of 4:10 on that superman bike was well out of everyone's reach for... forever. Now Bobridge and Phinney have popped up, and are peppering 4:13-ish. The boys have talent. IF either had a crack and concentrated on it, they'd get awful close. Pity neither has a team that would support such efforts.
Imagine the times that those boys could do in the Superman position!
@Oli Brooke-White
SUPERMAN POSITION NOT REQUIRED - JACKY BOBBY JUST BEAT BOARDMAN'S INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT RECORD. WOOT WOOT!
BOOOOOOOOOOOM! JackyBobby just pumped it!! Pushing out a few 60" kilos in the middle there! Holy. Crap.
4:10.5 for the IP. RiDICulously fast time!
Incredible!! No sign of le dopage there - Boardman vindicated!
Agreed mate. Yowza!!
@Hawkeye
It's such a shame the IP isn't in the Olympics anymore. Jacky Bobby and Minnie Phinney would have been such an awesome showdown.
@Hawkeye
Prognosticator much? Between you and @Steampunk, I'm not looking forward to the beating we'll get at the VSP.
And good on Jacky Bobby!
@Oli Brooke-White
Not sure I'm getting your logic; how does Jacky's ride vindicate Boardman? Who I love, by the way.
@Marko
In further answer to your query, there has definitely been a nincrease in TV coverage by the commercial channels. SBS always had a certain amount of coverage but it has gone from 30 minute highlights during the TdF to all stages being broadcast live (many a sleepless night to be had but who cares about work at this time of year?) What started with mentions in the news with the likes of Steve Hodges & Phil Anderson, grew with Patrick Jonker then Robbie McEwen then we had good cadel up there on the podium & suddenly cycling was in the mainstream mdeia.
For the last few years sales of bicycles have been steadily increasing & now outsell new car sales! There are certainly more cyclists on the road then there was say even 5 years agao (albeit a lot are the cafe crowd but hey, at least they're out there).
The state & local governments are building more cycleways (it's a start!) & slowly but surely we are being given a small amount of respect on the road by car drivers (too little but it is happening)
My hope is, as you suggested, that Australia will become a "cycling nation" in the not too distant future. We are certainly showing the world that we are consistently capable of producing pro quality riders.