Young Aussies Jack Haig, Caleb Ewan, Jack Bobridge send warning to English rivals
JACK Haig has yet to formally meet Chris Froome. “I guess I had better introduce myself at some point,” he laughed. But introductions may not be necessary.
Cycling
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JACK Haig has yet to formally meet the king of the road, Chris Froome. “I guess I had better introduce myself at some point,” he laughed.
That may not be necessary. The dual Tour de France winner found out who he was at the end of the second road stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour when Haig was one of three hugely talented young Australians who served it up to him and his Team Sky colleague Peter Kennaugh in a riveting finish in Moe.
Orica-GreenEDGE’s Caleb Ewan, 21, and Haig, 22, were first and sixth, with Jack Bobridge, 26, riding with American team Trek-Segafredo, finishing fifth. Kennaugh and Froome were third and fourth with American Tanner Putt, 23, second.
It was a battle defined in several ways. The rivalry between Australia and England is as fierce in cycling as it is in cricket, rugby and a few other sports, and GreenEDGE and Sky enjoy beating each other. And if Froome has come to Australia to check out the next wave of opposition, this was a good glimpse of some of it.
He may not have seen or heard the last of it. Bobridge and Haig are now third and fourth in the general classification and if anybody is a chance of intruding on the Sky victory march to the top of Arthur’s Seat on Sunday, it’s them.
South Australian Bobridge is the better-known rider - he is four years older than Haig and has done much more, including a string of international medals on the track and, most recently, a second national road championship - but is still several months away from dedicating himself solely to a career on the road, where even Lance Armstrong once said he could be anything. That will happen after the Olympics in August, he revealed this week.
Haig finished second in this race two years ago and is now considered one of GreenEDGE’s brightest rising stars. The perception is that he is the team’s main man for the GC this week, although former under 23 time trial world champion Damien Howson also being encouraged to see what he can do.
Haig is slightly bemused to find himself in such sharp focus.
“It’s kind of strange, a bit intimidating to hear them say how good I could be because I feel I’m just the same person ticking along and doing my own thing. But it’s really nice,” he said.
The flame-haired Victorian enjoys the hard yakka of climbing and is looking forward to the three trips to the top of Arthur’s Seat that will decide the Tour champion, especially as he was denied a crack at winning there two years ago when dangerous weather forced the stage to be cancelled.
“It’s probably a tad short for me but I am going to give it a red hot crack,” he said. “It would be really nice to get on the podium.”
Like everyone else he thinks its cool having Froome drawing positive attention to the sport.
While he hasn’t had a chance to speak to the great man, he said there is a lot to learn.
“Just seeing what they do, how they ride, how they control the race, it’s something pretty special to watch,” he said.
Ron.rfeed@news.com.au
@Reedrw
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