The Coffee Ride #79, with Reece Homfray
AUSTRALIAN cyclist Alex Edmondson has returned home from Europe to recover from knee surgery which he is confident will not derail his Rio Olympic campaign.
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ALEX ON ROAD TO RECOVERY BUT NOT THE WORLDS
AUSTRALIAN cyclist Alex Edmondson has returned home from Europe to recover from knee surgery which he is confident will not derail his Rio Olympic campaign.
The 21-year-old had surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee which he injured during the national track team’s Mexico training camp last month.
Edmondson — who will join professional team Orica-GreenEDGE after next year’s Olympics — is already back on the stationary trainer but will miss next month’s under-23 road world championships.
“My two main goals for this year were Flanders (which he won) and road worlds and of course Mexico was a part of that, but when I first found out (about the injury) I was devastated about missing the worlds because that’s what I’d been training for,” he said.
“So there were a few decisions whether I could get by and get to road worlds but it was pretty clear I needed to have the surgery and make sure the ultimate goal is Rio.
“I’m back here (in Australia), I can see the specialists and with all the Cycling Australia support staff make sure I have the best recovery possible.”
Edmondson was in the gym just a few days before riding the unofficial world record with Australia’s team’ pursuit in Mexico when he realised something wasn’t quite right with his right knee.
An MRI scan in Italy, at the same time as his Jayco AIS Under-23 teammate Robert Power, confirmed both their seasons were over.
“We both went to get the MRI at the same time, he went first and the doc comes out and says ‘your season is done, you’ve got this’ and then he says ‘yeah Alex you’re done as well’,” Edmondson said.
“So the two of us were knocked out in that.”
The former team and individual pursuit world champion flew home from Europe on August 10, saw the surgeon in Adelaide that afternoon and had the operation the following day.
His daily ergo sessions are broken up by rehab in the gym putting him on the road to recovery.
“All of a sudden I’m back home now for the longest time since junior worlds in 2011,” he said.
“It might have been a blessing in disguise looking at it now, of course I really wanted to go to road worlds but I need to make sure I do the right things and just being able to be at home.”
PORTE OUT OF ROAD WORLDS WITH INJURY
AUSTRALIAN cycling star Richie Porte will miss next month’s Road World Championships in the USA as he recovers from hamstring tendinitis.
Porte has not raced since the Tour de France in July when he was crucial to helping Chris Froome claim his second yellow jersey.
Australia’s top male cyclist would have been a contender for the time trial and would have almost certainly been selected for the road race had he been fit.
Porte, who has signed with BMC for next season, will continue light training and plans to return to racing in October.
Cycling Australia will break from normal practice of naming a long squad for the road world championships and instead announce the final line-up for both men’s and women’s teams next Wednesday.
The 2015 UCI Road World Championships will be held in Richmond, Virginia, in the United States from September 19-27.
Unlike previous years when it has initially released a ‘long squad’ before naming the final team, CA will instead make just one announcement on September 2 for logistical purposes.
“When the worlds are in Europe it’s a lot easier to make late decisions, flights are easy and you can travel by car if you have to,” Cycling Australia high performance manager Kevin Tabotta said.
“But we’ve just decided to pull back a bit, make the decisions earlier and get flights booked.
“We will certainly have reserves, but rather than naming 14 people and having those spending a week waiting to see who’s coming into form, it just doesn’t give us enough security.”
Australia has earnt the right to start three riders in the men’s individual time trial after Michael Hepburn won the Oceania title in February.
Australia may only start two riders expected to include Rohan Dennis who won last week’s USA Pro Challenge.
Australia has two starters in the women’s time trial expected to come from Katrin Garfoot and Shara Gillow.
Leadership for the men’s road race remains open with nine spots on the team up for grabs.
The course is not expected to be as hard as in Ponferrada, Spain, last year and should suit riders like Michael Matthews and Simon Gerrans — who won silver in the corresponding race last year.
At 259.2km, it will require a rider capable of going the distance and producing something special at the finish as Gerrans and Matthews have both proven in classics such as Milan-San Remo.
FAMILY MEMORIES DRIVE BAKER TO VICTORY
THERE have been few better stories in Australian cycling in the past week than Georgia Baker’s victory in the Tour of King Valley.
Having her first serious hit-out since returning from Europe where she was training and racing, Baker won a stage and the overall title amid a drama-packed final day.
But the drama of a race protest aside, the win had special meaning for the 20-year-old who rides in memory of her father Patrick who died suddenly from a heart attack earlier this year.
“Dad was my number one fan and he was always there especially this tour last year — I was racing as an individual and both mum and dad came to watch,” Baker told The Coffee Ride.
“So to win overall and a stage makes it even more special because of the memories the race holds, it’s really nice.
“Every time I race I think of him and nothing is ever as hard as what I’ve been through so I keep pushing myself.”
Baker was riding the Tour of King Valley with the High5 Dream Team, having returned from Europe a month ago where she rode the Thuringen Rundfahrt tour with the national development squad.
“I had a bit of time off when I got back from Europe, there was a bit of illness going around with the cold but I got back into things and this was my first major hit-out,” she said.
“I’m pretty happy with where I’m at, all the High5 Dream Team is riding well and it was good to put in a strong team performance.”
Baker is now looking towards the Oceania Track Championships in New Zealand in October where she will ride the team pursuit and possibly the omnium or individual pursuit to help Australia secure qualification points for next season’s world cups.
“I’d really like to put in a good performance,” said Baker as she made her way back to Tasmania on Sunday night.
NO FLOUTING THE ROAD RULES ON THIS RIDE
THERE shouldn’t be any worries about cyclists who take part in the inaugural ‘Road Raise’ from Adelaide to Melbourne in October following the road rules.
Front and centre in the peloton will be Chief Inspector Wade Burns who is coming along for the ride to help raise awareness and funds for CanTeen.
Wade is the son of recently retired SA Police Chief Commissioner Gary Burns and has been busy training for the six-day, 970km event from October 11-16.
If the ride wasn’t enough, when they reach their destination Wade plans on fronting up to run the 42km Melbourne Marathon two days later.
“I’m throwing out the challenge if I should be able to achieve $10,000 in personal fundraising I will tackle the Melbourne Marathon,” he said.
“And after 1000km in six days on the bike this is going to push me.”
Fitness shouldn’t be an issue for Wade, 36, who is a regular triathlon competitor and has completed three Ironmans which consist of a 3.8km swim, 180km ride and 42km run.
This summer he plans to race in Mandurah, Cairns and Barcelona in the hope of qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman, meaning Road Raise will be a perfect training hit-out for him.
“I’ve got an interest in cycling and was approached by the organisers to take part,” he said.
“It will be a bit of fitness and fun but mostly I’m excited about raising funds and awareness for CanTeen.
“Time is the most precious gift — Road Raise allows me to raise awareness and funds to support CanTeen and help those young Aussies who have been impacted by cancer.
“The ride signifies the long road ahead for those families who’ve had their lives turned upside down by cancer.
“Open roads, not emails — that’s my motto for the ride. A time to reflect and really make a difference to the lives young Aussies impacted by cancer.”
Meanwhile Gary says he’s enjoying retirement but is no rush to take up cycling and would rather offer support from the sidelines.
“I think I’ll get into kayaking instead,” he said.
Road Raise will also mark the 30th anniversary of CanTeen forming and helping young people affected by cancer.
According to CanTeen, every day in SA and NT about five young people begin living with cancer in some way whether themselves or through a parent or sibling.
Riders will leave Adelaide and visit Meningie, Kingston, Mount Gambier, Warrnambool and Geelong on their way to Melbourne.
For more information or to help with fundraising, visit www.roadraise.com.au.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK ...
“I know I have incredible people in my life and I’m thankful for that because even though I’m an individual athlete, there’s nothing individual about anything I’ve achieved.”
- Dual Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares talks to Channel Seven’s Bruce McAvaney on the weekend.
“I might have won, but I really didn’t feel all that good out there, that was a harder effort than yesterday.”
- Rohan Dennis after winning the time trial to make it back-to-back stage wins at the USA Pro Challenge last week.
“To be a world champion is something I’ve strived to reach since day one of my cycling life, and it’s an indescribable feeling to have achieved this.”
- Derek Radzikiewicz on winning gold in the men’s keirin at the junior track world championships in Astana last week.
“There was a protest against Anna-Leeza Hull for collusion between herself and the Specialized-Securitor team. She’s actually entered as an individual rider but is a member of the Specialized Securitor team, so Under Annexion Nine, Item 7.2 — collusion, that is the reason for the penalty.”
- Chief Commissaire at the Tour of King Valley Bill Walker explains why judges handed out a penalty for collusion in the women’s race.
TWEET, TWEET
Huge day in France... with the help of amazing @AusDevTeam I took the stage win & now leading GC!!!😆ðŸ†ðŸ‘š#yellow pic.twitter.com/K1uUmkDef4
— rachel neylan (@rachneylan) August 24, 2015Originally published as The Coffee Ride #79, with Reece Homfray
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