The Tour Down Under’s must-read daily column The Coffee Ride features all the goss from inside and outside the peloton
Legendary cyclist Fabian Cancellara says he has Italian relatives all over the world...and there may be some here in South Australia. That and more in the final edition of The Coffee Ride column for 2020.
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Welcome to The Coffee Ride, where we talk about everything that’s happening on the 2020 Tour Down Under circuit.
SMALL WORLD
Fabian Cancellara says he has Italian relatives all over the world and perhaps we found some in Adelaide.
Cancellara said his father was born near Campobasso in Italy which is close to San Fele in Basilicata.
Pietro Tauriello - father of News Corp journalist Giuseppe Tauriello - says he has a family connection to Cancellara.
“We are connected through family in San Fele,’’ Pietro said at the Norwood start line on Friday.
“I have got photos of Fabian on Facebook with him visiting relatives in San Fele.”
CLOSE SHAVE
Lachlan Morton really has gone the whole hog with his body hair this week.
The EF Education First rider defied cycling norms by racing the Sunday night classic with hairy legs which matched the long, flowing locks on his head.
By mid-week the leg hair was gone and on Friday night the hair on his head came off as well for a good cause.
Morton and his teammate Mitch Docker - who also lost his mullet and moustache - shaved down to raise over $5000 for the bushfire relief fund.
HAND CRAFTED MOMENTO
Still on Cancellara who has delighted cycling fans in Adelaide all week, SA’s Pink Carat Jewellery was expected to present him with handmade Australian cuff links at the legend’s night dinner on Saturday.
Hopefully Cancellara was wearing the right shirt to don the new accessory which have also been presented to the TV broadcast commentary team this week. We are told they are sparkling kangaroo pins to fit with the Down Under theme.
INKED UP
He might not have the nickname ‘Spartacus’ but Koen De Kort is the Tour Down Under peloton’s gladiator according to his tattoos which cover his shoulders, chest and torso.
“I always wanted a tattoo but my mum didn’t really like that idea, then I once crashed really hard and took all the skin off the right hand side of my body and I figured I might as well get a tattoo,” De Kort said.
“It’s never going to look nice anymore so I might as well cover it up.
“The first tattoo I got a warrior idea, people who fought for entertainment and risked their lives like the gladiators and people say you get addicted to tattoos and you really do, I got into a whole scene and kept going.”
NO TIME TO BLINK
Koen De Kort is known as the team captain of Trek-Segafredo this week but even he admits to being a little shaken when there is a high-speed crash in the bunch.
“It’s pretty hectic and all we are thinking about is ‘is Richie OK?’,” he said.
“I can remember one crash when I was here working for Marcel Kittel and one of my teammates crashed right in front of me in the lead-out train and for four or five seconds I thought ‘oh, I was really lucky there’ when Marcel who was behind me yelled ‘Focus!’, and that’s just how it goes.
“Marcel unfortunately didn’t win but I got him in the front anyway.”
TDU DAY 5: FRIDAY’S COFFEE RIDE
COLD COMFORT
Australian rider Jay McCarthy was looking a bit sore and sorry at the start in Norwood on Friday.
McCarthy crashed heavily approaching the Stage 3 finish at Paracombe and suffered nasty skin grazing, meaning he was well bandaged to continue the race.
“I’m not sure if it was meant to make me feel better, but my coach came up to me afterwards and said ‘do you know you were going 82km/h when you crashed?’,” McCarthy mused yesterday.
FABIAN ON A ROLL
Fabian Cancellara is still riding his bike, but clearly enjoying retirement from professional cycling.
As the peloton raced its way from Norwood to Murray Bridge, Cancellara got out early and enjoyed his own stroll to the finish of Stage 4.
“It was very nice,” he said.
“We had a bit of everything, a tail wind, side wind, even a bit of rain and I was like ‘Stuey, what is this?’
“And we stopped at the Mannum Bakery – it was beautiful.”
The reigning time trial Olympic champion is in Adelaide as the TDU’s special guest and will headline the Legend’s Night dinner on Saturday.
He also hasn’t ruled out coming back.
HERE’S CHEERS
Much has been made of Lotto-Soudal’s team-wide alcohol ban introduced this season, which prevents even team staff from having a beer at night.
Riders and staff are allowed a sip of champagne after victories and for birthdays, but nothing more when on a race.
But that begs the question as to what the ban means for Aussie rider Adam Hansen who famously takes a cup of beer from the fans on Dutch corner on Alp d’Huez during the Tour de France.
“Nothing, as long as he doesn’t drink it,” his Belgian teammate Thomas De Gendt said.
BEST SPREAD
The international cycling media took to Twitter on Friday to heap praise on the press buffet lunch at the finish in Murray Bridge.
The Rural City of Murray Bridge Council blew all of its rival towns away by putting on a 10m-long spread featuring gourmet local produce.
European journalists were quick to tag @PressBuffet on Twitter who rates media tucker all around the world.
Photos have been sent and we are expecting a 10/10 for this one.
.@PressBuffet would love the @tourdownunder. They set the bar high for other race organizers and help the media work more efficiently. pic.twitter.com/dyYKPQH3Xv
— Stephen Farrand (@stephenfarrand) January 24, 2020
FLAT CHAT MAT
Mat Brumfitt, husband of the founder of Body Image Movement director Taryn Brumfitt, was the first person to finish the gruelling 163km Westpac Challenge Tour presented by The Advertiser at Murray Bridge on Friday.
The 46-year-old then rode another 163km all the way home to Adelaide.
Taryn pedalled 33km from Mannum to Murray Bridge and is about to start work on another documentary after the first one in 2016, ‘Embrace’, won rave reviews.
Mat is also executive producer of Embrace Kids, which goes into production next month.
“It’s a doco, our executive producers are Natasha Stott Despoja, Celeste Barber and Teresa Palmer on this particular project,’’ Taryn said.
“Everything is linked into Embrace, love, respect and embrace their bodies.”
She also has a kids book coming out in June.
TALKING TOUR
What better way to unwind after a day on the bike than to catch The Advertiser’s Talking Tour in the Tour Village.
Every night from 5.45pm join The Advertiser’s Reece Homfray and expert cycling commentator Matt Keenan for a Q&A with special guests.
Friday night is Dutchman Koen De Kort and Swiss superstar Fabian Cancellara.
Saturday night is the final instalment of the week and will feature Aussie favourites Nathan Haas and Luke Durbridge.
TDU DAY 4: THURSDAY’S COFFEE RIDE
NO SECRET IS SAFE
German Jens Voigt has officially crossed to the dark side and switched allegiances from professional cyclist to journalist.
Speaking before the start of Stage 3 in Unley on Thursday, Voigt revealed the details of a private conversation he had with defending TDU champion Daryl Impey just minutes earlier.
Voigt said Impey wanted to follow George Bennett’s wheel up Paracombe and not Richie Porte’s.
“Are you sure you were meant to reveal that?” commentator David McKenzie asked him.
“Yes,” Voigt replied.
“There are no secrets with me, they know I am a media professional now and whatever they tell me I’m going to tell the world.”
CUTE LUCKY CHARM
Caleb Ewan has discovered his new lucky charm and she also happens to be very cute.
After winning the eighth TDU stage of his career this week, Ewan was greeted at the finish by his wife Ryann and baby daughter Lily.
“It’s always so nice, my daughter has been to three races so far since she’s been alive and I’ve won all three so I think I need to keep bringing her,” Ewan said.
“She didn’t come yesterday (Tuesday) and I lost and today she was there and I won.
“The other two were the second stage I won at the Tour (de France) and the next one was the Classic on Sunday night and this is the third.
“She must be my lucky charm, I think I’ll bring her tomorrow.”
NEW BIKE, GOOD CAUSE
Segafredo Zanetti Australia is auctioning a UCI WorldTour Trek-Segafredo racing bike with all proceeds going to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery, and the bids are flying in.
The money will help provide emergency grants for the homes that were lost during the recent bushfires across the country. The bike has a retail value of just over $10,500 and as of yesterday the leading bid was $7500.
As an added bonus the bike has been signed by the entire Trek-Segafredo team which is racing the Santos Tour Down Under this week including Richie Porte and the current road race world champion Mads Pedersen.
Bidding ends on Australia Day and the link to get involved is www.segafredo.com.au/product/bushfire-relief-charity-auction/.
RIDING FOR A REASON
Many cyclists will be joining the Cancer Council’s ‘Ride for a Reason’ including Donny Walford, Nick Heuzenroeder and The Broadway Bunch this Friday.
Donny is riding for her husband who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2018 and she has raised more than $60,000 to lead the way for the Cancer Council SA.
Nick is riding for his father-in-law Kevin, who passed away from glioblastoma last year and will be joined by his wife and Kevin’s family. Nick is even expected to complete the journey on Kevin’s very own bike as a personal tribute. The Broadway Bunch is a group of mates from Glenelg supporting close friend Justin who was last year diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“I think that they were pretty shocked when they found out. The amount of money that they’ve raised is phenomenal,” Justin said.
FOLLOW THE BELGIANS
The voice of cycling Phil Liggett was guest of honour and speaker at the SA Press Club luncheon for the 12th time this year and it was arguably his most controversial.
It may have been a throwaway line at the end of an entertaining discussion but when asked by a member of the audience what advice he would give to Sports Minister Corey Wingard to improve the race, Liggett said to look at how Belgium does cycling.
“In Belgium it’s against the law to ride on the road if there is a cycle path and that works,’’ he said
“Belgium is among the best cycling countries in the world ... and by the way they don’t wear crash helmets because that’s a load of bull****, so you know.”
TALKING TOUR
What better way to unwind after a day on the bike than to catch The Advertiser’s Talking Tour in the Tour Village. Every night from 5.45pm in Victoria Square, join The Advertiser’s Reece Homfray, expert cycling commentator Matt Keenan and special guests for a Q&A. Thursday night was Mitch Docker, and track sprinters Anna Meares, Stephanie Morton and Kristina Vogel. Friday night is none other than Fabian Cancellara.
TDU DAY 3: WEDNESDAY’S COFFEE RIDE
$5K AND THE MO WILL GO
It’s one of the most iconic looks in the peloton, but by Friday night it could be gone – if people reach into their pockets.
Australian cyclist Mitch Docker and his EF Education First teammate Lachlan Morton have promised to shave their long locks as a fundraiser for the bushfire recovery fund.
The pair, who both have long hair – and in Docker’s case a mullet – have set up a Gofundme page to raise much-needed funds.
But in an added twist, Docker has also vowed to shave his moustache, which has been a thick and constant companion for years – if they can raise $5000.
TABLES TURNED
Still on Docker, and his podcast ‘Life in the Peloton’ continues to grow in popularity and he has revealed it will return in 2020 with several episodes already recorded.
Among them is a sit down with commentator Matt Keenan, which was recorded at Docker’s family home over summer.
The interview was a strange role swap for Keenan, who is usually more at home asking the questions not answering them.
HARPER HEADS HOME
Wednesday’s Stage 2 was a nice moment for Chris Harper and his family with the race passing by his family home in Aldgate.
Harper is a first-year professional with Jumbo-Visma and used to watch the TDU whiz past his place as a kid.
He joined the WorldTour team this season and teammate George Bennett spoke very highly of him.
“I didn’t know him personally, but I knew we should sign him,” Bennett said.
“We were training in the Alps (in June 2019) when he won the Le Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc by six minutes or something like that, and that is a bloody tough race so I’m very happy to have him on the team.”
IN SAGAN WE TRUST
Former world champion Peter Sagan is not at the TDU for the first time in three years, but his family is.
His older brother Juraj, who also rides for Bora-Hansgrohe, is in the TDU peloton for the first time since 2013.
Sagan Snr, 31, is a three-time Slovakian national champion who is currently wearing the national champion’s jersey in this race.
And there is still plenty of support for the family name in the crowd with a group of fans spotted at the finish line in Tanunda on Tuesday wearing t-shirts with the slogan ‘In Sagan We Trust’.
CAM-RY CROWS
There has been some debate in cycling circles this week as to whether Cameron Meyer identifies as a Western Australian or South Australian and not even he could answer the question on stage this week.
Speaking at the Tour Village he was asked ‘what is it about WA cycling?’ given they won the criterium, time trial and road race at the national titles this month.
Meyer might have been born in WA, but now lives in Adelaide where he is based as part of the national track team and he is a former TDU winner.
Oh, and he also barracks for the Adelaide Crows.
“I used to barrack for West Coast in the early ‘90s when they won the premierships, then I followed a few other teams and one day my dad said to me ‘I’m sick of you swapping teams just pick one’.”
Given Adelaide had just won back-to-back flags in 1997-98, he went with the Crows and has been on board ever since.
RIDING FOR A REASON
Many cyclists will be joining the Cancer Council’s ‘Ride for a Reason’ including Donny Walford, Nick Heuzenroeder and The Broadway Bunch this Friday.
Donny is riding for her husband who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2018 and she has raised more than $60,000 to lead the way for the Cancer Council SA.
Nick is riding for his father-in-law Kevin, who passed away from glioblastoma last year and will be joined by his wife and Kevin’s family.
Nick is even expected to complete the journey on Kevin’s very own bike as a personal tribute. The Broadway Bunch is a group of mates from Glenelg supporting close friend Justin who was last year diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“I think that they were pretty shocked when they found out. The amount of money that they’ve raised is phenomenal,” Justin said.
FAST LEARNER
Stuart O’Grady is learning on the job, and fast.
He has been shadowing Mike Turtur every step of this week’s Santos Tour Down Under as he prepares to take over as race director next year.
And the first order of business before Sunday night’s classic was to fuel up on the start line when Turtur and O’Grady were hand-delivered a tray of burger sliders to keep them going.
TALKING TOUR
What better way to unwind after a day on the bike than to catch The Advertiser’s Talking Tour in the Tour Village.
Every night from 5.45pm in Victoria Square, join The Advertiser’s Reece Homfray and expert cycling commentator Matt Keenan and special guests for a Q&A.
Wednesday night is Thomas De Gendt, while up on Thursday are world champion track sprinters Kristina Vogel and Stephanie Morton.
TDU DAY 2: TUESDAY’S COFFEE RIDE
SOCK IT TO ‘EM
We are loving the new custom-made socks worn by the Lotto-Soudal team yesterday, which featured kangaroos and koalas to raise funds and awareness for Australia’s bushfire victims.
The Belgian team includes two Aussies at this week’s race – sprinter Caleb Ewan and workhorse Adam Hansen – and the cause is close to their heart.
The socks, made by DeFeet International, are for sale and proceeds are going towards wildlife recovery from the fires which have ravaged the country.
Ewan has also decided to auction three of his signed jerseys to raise money for the Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund.
ROAST ON THE MENU?
Could the voice of cycling Phil Liggett be about to get roasted Hollywood style in Melbourne next month?
We are hearing whispers of a big night being planned during the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race where Liggett will be commentating.
It’s understood philanthropist and Mitchelton-Scott owner Gerry Ryan and Aussie cycling legend John Trevorrow have called upon some of the biggest names in cycling in the country – on and off the bike – to honour the Englishman’s spectacular career at a private function.
GOLDEN GESTURE
Australian sprinter Chloe Hosking has revealed what she has done with her gold medal from the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and it says a lot about her.
Hosking delivered one of the great interviews immediately after winning the race at Currumbin in April 2018 when she dropped an ‘F-bomb’ and poured praise on her teammates for delivering her to the line.
But it’s what she’s done since that speaks the loudest.
Hosking had the name of her teammates all engraved on the back to honour their contribution.
“That’s the really cruel thing about cycling, it is a team sport but they only give one medal,” she said.
“If I could have cut it up five or six ways I would, but this was something I could do instead.”
And as for where the medal is?
“Wrapped up in a drawer somewhere,” she said.
VINO, MERCI
Frenchman Romain Bardet is making his long-awaited debut at this week’s Tour Down Under, but he’s also been sampling some South Australian wines for the first time.
The talented climber who rides for Ag2R-La Mondiale has won three stages of the Tour de France and the mountains classification last year, and is a bit of a wine buff as well.
Bardet has been training in Adelaide for two weeks leading up to the TDU and managed to sneak in some wine tasting along the way.
“We went to Penfolds and the McLaren Vale region,” Bardet said.
“It was very nice, quite different to mix shiraz and cabernet and takes a bit of getting used to, but we enjoyed it.”
It’s just lucky he doesn’t ride for Lotto-Soudal, which has introduced a team-wide alcohol ban this year.
SWEET TOOTH
Barista Tony Fitzmaurice has long been popular among the riders who make sure to call into the TDU media centre for their morning caffeine hit before every stage.
But this year they’ve had another reason to drop by – a new sweets stand.
The lolly jars have been raided every day and judging by his efforts this week, German sprinter Andre Greipel has a very sweet tooth.
TALKING TOUR
What better way to unwind after a day on the bike and before going to dinner than to catch The Advertiser’s Talking Tour in the Tour Village.
Every night from 5.45pm in Victoria Square, The Advertiser’s own Reece Homfray joins expert cycling commentator Matt Keenan and special guests on stage for a Q&A.
Tuesday night is Elia Viviani and Cameron Meyer, and on Wednesday it’s Belgian Thomas De Gendt.
***
TDU DAY 1: MONDAY’S COFFEE RIDE
HIGH PRAISE
Kudos to Adelaide motorists from British superstar Simon Yates.
The 2018 Vuelta a Espana winner has been training in Adelaide since just after Christmas and says it’s been more than pleasant on the roads.
“I’m really impressed, I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it is,” Yates said.
“I’ve heard about the climbs, but even just riding through the city they’ve got these big bike lanes which I’m not used to in Europe, they’re these little things that people park in, but here people respect them.
“Of course, I’ve been training on my own, which is different to a group, but it’s been nice.”
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
One reporter at this year’s race was left red-faced after Stage 3 of the Women’s TDU on Saturday.
The journalist was chasing Amanda Spratt, who had just surrendered the lead, and looking only at the colour of her jersey and not the team or the face.
He preceded to question what had happened to her lead when he was met by a strange look.
He had the wrong cyclist, who said “you don’t know who you are speaking to, do you?”
The cyclist then politely tapped out of the interview by putting her hand on the reporter’s shoulder and pedalled off.
The reporter eventually caught up with Spratt before their deadline.
LATE SCRATCHING
Mitchelton-Scott director Matt White fancies himself as a runner now that he’s retired from pro cycling, but was a late scratching from Saturday’s 5km Park Run in the city.
“I rode to Victor Harbor with the boys on Friday and pulled up a bit ginger,” White said.
“It was the biggest ride I’d done in two years and under advice from medical staff I pulled the pin.
“But I’ve got it pencilled in for this Saturday.”
White did the Park Run in Ballarat during the national championships this month and has done a few half-marathons, but is yet to tackle the full 42.2km.
“I’m not that silly,” he said.
JENS VS SECURITY
MORE TDU NEWS
Ruth Winder crowned queen of the road
Women’s race: Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4
In pictures: The Tour Down Under family ride
Roberts stewed over Turtur’s TDU role
Two veteran security guards at Sunday’s classic had their hands full dealing with former pro Jens Voigt.
The cycling legend is working for the TV host broadcaster and he along with some media were not allowed to cross the track to get to their work posts despite having the right accreditation.
So Voigt took matters into his own hands, walked 100m further down the track and jumped the fence which sent the security guards running, but they weren’t fast enough and he joined the commentary team.
WANT CALEB’S JERSEY?
Want to get your hands on a signed Caleb Ewan jersey?
The Aussie sprinter is auctioning three of the jerseys he will wear this summer to aid the Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund, which is still reeling from the nation’s bushfire disaster.
Ewan grew up in Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands, which have been severely affected by the fires and where Brad McGee’s family was forced to evacuate over the holiday period.
Ewan will donate a signed jersey from the TDU, Cadel’s Race and Race Torquay to be auctioned by Lloyds online on February 11.
His actions kick-started a wave of momentum throughout the peloton to raise much needed funds for the bushfire victims this week.
GERRO RETURNS
The Tour Down Under’s only four-time winner Simon Gerrans has returned to cycling two years after retiring from the pro peloton.
Gerrans spent last year working with global finance company Goldman Sachs in London, but has just been appointed chief operating officer of The Service Course – a high-end bike shop in Girona.
The Service Course is owned by Gerrans’ former teammate Christian Meier and specialises in bike tours, rentals, clothing and experiences.
TALKING TOUR
What better way to unwind after a day on the bike and before going for dinner than to catch The Advertiser’s Talking Tour in the Tour Village.
Every night from 5.45pm in Victoria Square, The Advertiser’s own Reece Homfray joins expert cycling commentator Matt Keenan and special guests on stage for a Q&A.
Monday’s guests include Chloe Hosking, Romain Bardet and George Bennett.
Tuesday night is Elia Viviani and Cameron Meyer.
Originally published as The Tour Down Under’s must-read daily column The Coffee Ride features all the goss from inside and outside the peloton