Austin

Nolan has a two year deal with Neotel till end 2009.

Jacques fell ill in Aviner, maybe back on form, maybe not. JL is best bet and Jacques told me last night that he feels they should support JL. If I were them I would race aggressively and be represented in all major breaks with Jacques and JL covering the moves with the race favourites.

You will have to kick them in the ribs, cause I would have kicked their butts already and they'd be lying face down in the dirt....

Jacques fell ill on stage 5. been tryinh to ride through it. Even went in the break today, but legs not there after two days of illness. Jaco helping his other teammates, cause he is a bit out of it. Those two are amoung the top 4 in RSA. When we have 8 on their level we can send a team and spend the R200 000.

Christoff rode Worlds View this year, it wasnt on last year. Super efforts there for sure that are worthy to note, but he is elite already. JL has Pro Team duties at the same time. At least JL will be at Worlds for SA! Austin2008-09-09 07:23:58

Ye, it is a pity. Thing is that two very strong candidates for the team had to do Tour of Britain( Jay and Bradley) which left the only one other guy really ready for U23 Euro competition along with Jacques and Jaco and that is Johann Rabie. With just Johann adding to quality, do you spend R150 000 on Aviner or use the UCI that currently has Jacques and Jaco there? I for one really feel for Johann and would try some other resources to help out, but understand the option taken at the time. Also would have loved for Jaqcues and them to have a complete team racing with them and for each other. We can all just back the two guys trying their best out there for RSA. Jacques finished in the front group in a semi mountain stage yesterday with Jaco working for him to real in a break that went up the road early in the stage. We need them to do well so to inspire and lift the effort from riders and support for riders. Go look at the time gap between podium U23 at SA Champs and the rest and you will see we have so much work to do here. I think the shift from interest on The Hub in RSA riders risking it and giving it stick in general has dwindled if you look at any response to performances posted of smaller overseas races. That is why I also do not really post here anymore as real passion, real tifossi, real cycling has move elsewhere( except for select few)... and really wished it did not as it is this understanding of the sport that would create a framework of support in RSA that would understand effort and passion needed to win Olympic medals and would help drive this and inspire this

The Danes are the same guys who rode the Giro del Capo and won stage 2. Really nice guys and as a group quite a bit younger than the British team. Huge potential. We spent some time with them in Golden gate at a lodge 2400m above sea level and I saw those big guys climb a long 20%+ climb every day. Saw the hard work and have total respect!

Lots of plans afoot... ask around on the 7th of Sept.. the day after the Silveback 09 launch...I(we) will not be stopping here and the progression will continue with partners who have the same will to succeed...

ye. well I am planning going to the top with my guys, with or without CSA...just wish it could have been a nationwide thing...

If your personal best is not alongside world best, then it is still worth a serious looking into. Even if we break every SA record, but not winning on World stage then we are lacking. I support the athletes fully, make no mistake. But I have no doubt that SASCOC and our various Sports bodies need a serious wake up call!!! I do not for one second believe the SA athletes at the games didnt want to give it 200%, they just lacking the correct framework of preparation. And that is the responsability of the Sports bodies and SASCOC. Denmark didnt even feature in track cycling just four years ago and now they will walk home with either Gold or Silver in team pursuit. Danish federation invested in Salzwedel as coach and left the ball in his hands without any political interference. In SA sport we have more politicians than we have qualified individuals( especially in cycling)..Austin2008-08-17 10:04:48

Experience and age in cycling is not measured in years racing and years, but number of "hits" at a certain level of cycling. Like training, the more you do the quality races('hits"), the better you become. SA cyclists get sort of 3/4 hits per day of event on the Worldsview races and the Giro and possibly one other big tour a year. So that totals around a good 10 to 15 days of quality riding at that level, therefore only those amount of training days. Euro youngsters do 15 days per months for avg 9 month of the year. Therefore once we are over there, we are playing catch up and you will generally see SA riders only ever peaking or showing their promise later on. Keep you eyes on JL and be patient..

We have had a guy do 6.9 before the Giro del Capo for 5min. His UCI tested and accredited power at VO2 is 7.2

To be able to do that after 3 days of riding 5 hours at over 300w' date=' that is the difference. The numbers do seem to be quite achievable, what amazes me is their ability to produce them day after day for such long periods of time. Main GC contenders are in the vacinity of 6w/kg. When Landis won, he was 68kg and FTP 400w - so 5.88w/kg. [/quote'] The real top trainers have all the Pro values and 5.33 is about the norm. Millar was going flatout and did 396Watts at 77kg. The pro's will not be averaging 300watts each day, far from that. Only once in a tour stage on a break will a rider avg around 270-280 Watts. The avg for tours is around the 210-240W mark. The impressive thing is being able to ride endurance rides at 220 to 240 watts and that is what is the difference from our Pro's to them. Our Pro's can sometimes do long 400W efforts, but need to recover at 180Watts. These guys can do 380W efforts and recover at 280W. Add that up and you have a far higher avg power at lower HR. Very, very few SA cyclists grasp that concept....

Congrats to Rob. And the people who post rubbish about other peoples descisions is revolting. It could just as well be the other way around that Rob knows what the tour means for an athlete and the possible future earnings from it to better look after his new daughter! Then that too a caring father with future insight... just be happy for them! ai!

Jacques keeping it together on the front end Jacques, Jaco and Johann( with Nolan in backround) mving up for final kick Nolan winning! Team recieving team prize-

Was Jacques in other pic But Rabie rode well too, as did Jaco. Not seen in results, but Rabie and Jaco did a huge load of work and that after two tours right before this one. Super, Super stuff! Nolan was 2nd on stage 9( Stage 8 on some results sheets as one of the stages was listed a and b on cyclingnews.Austin2008-07-03 06:01:37

Winning break, st8 Bunch sprint, st9

Yes, was a good TT. Can see they have 8 days of racing in their legs though. Rabie moved further clear in the U25 lead and Jaco jumped one up to 3rd.

Neotel will have some guys there( Nolan, James, Jacques, Hendri) and three of the SA Junior team for Worlds will also be there

Personally I think just JL must go. But he's my chommie, so I am out of the vote...

There is no love lost between myself and the Konica team, but I was there and Michele did deserve to win- period. Don't ctually give a rats ass about stupid allegations as I have had many jelious people trying to stop my guys from winning the backhand way. Please next time, only comment when you have first hand experience, not just from a pic. You have now created unneaded stress for one youngtser fighting many hurdles to do her best at the upcoming world champs... Super ride on Stage 3 Michele!