Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under is an 89-mile (140km) race from Norwood to Mawson Lake, running from approximately 11 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. Tuesday, South Australia time. It features two King of the Mountain climbs and two intermediate sprints.
Times in the U.S. are:
Start: 7:30 p.m. Monday (Eastern); 4:30 p.m. (Pacific)…
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/19/u-s-schedule-for-stage-1-of-tour-down-under/
Lance Armstrong marked his return to professional cycling firmly entrenched in the peloton, safely surrounded by his Astana teammates as he completed his first pro cycling race in 3 1/2 years.
Meanwhile home-country hero Robbie McEwen won the Cancer Council Classic on Sunday, the fifth time the cyclist has won the criterium that introduces Australia's Tour Down Under, which starts Tuesday.
A record 138,000 spectators showed up at Rymill Park in Adelaide to watch the 51km criterium that lasted a little more than an hour. Armstrong's return to pro cycling has been credited with the unprecedented interest in the 11th edition of the Tour Down Under …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/18/australias-robbie-mcewen-wins-tour-down-under-preludelance-armstrong-finishes-among-teammates/
The wait is almost over. Lance Armstrong's official return to professional cycling finally comes Sunday with the Cancer Council Classic.
The 30-lap, 51km criterium in Adelaide is a prelude to Australia's Tour Down Under that runs Tuesday through Sunday. Armstrong has admitted that he'd rather not come out of 3 1/2 years of retirement in a crit.
Schedule
The Cancer Council Classic rolls out from 7 to 8:10 p.m. Sunday in Adelaide; that's 3:30 to 4:40 a.m. Sunday on the East Coast and 12:30 to 1:40 a.m. on the West Coast.
The usual suspects, such as CyclingNews, will offer updates throughout the race, and Versus will broadcast a 1/2-hour highlight show from 4-4:30 p.m. (East Coast) and 1-1:30 p.m. (West Coast) on Sunday …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/17/criterium-kicks-off-armstrongs-return-to-pro-cycling-on-sunday/
“I'm doing all right for an old man.”
That's what Lance Armstrong told Australia's Ten network after completing his first day of riding around Adelaide in 104-degree heat. “I feel like I’ve trained hard. The difference will be (in) going from training pace to actually racing.”
Even at 37, though, Armstrong isn't the old man in the peloton. At least one, Jens Voigt, (right) is older. By one day.
Armstrong was born Sept. 18, 1971. Voigt was born in Germany on Sept. 17, 1971……
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/13/armstrong-isnt-oldest-cyclist-in-tour-down-under-peloton/
Here's Lance Armstrong's photo of his just-delivered Trek Madone 6.9 delivered from Madison to Adelaide for the Tour Down Under.
In posting this to TwitPic (higher resolution photo), Armstrong quizzed his Twitter followers about the two special numbers appearing on the frame — 1274 and 27.5.
The “1274” on the seat tube corresponds to the number of days Armstrong has gone without a pro cycling race. The “27.5” represents the 27.5 million people worldwide who have died from cancer in that time …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/12/lance-armstrongs-tour-down-under-bike-by-the-numbers/
“I just don't want to get clobbered too bad. … I don't have any illusions of grandeur. … I hope I get in the race and get re-acclimated to the tempo and the speed and what it is like to be around 200 guys in a fast-moving group.”
Lance Armstrong touched down in Sydney, Australia, to a gaggle of reporters …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/11/quote-armstrongs-expectations-for-tour-down-under/
Lance Armstrong will be easy to spot in the Tour Down Under peloton beginning next weekend, regardless of whether he's wearing the leader's jersey.
The 37-year-old comeback cyclist has said he'll be wearing his own black-and-yellow kit during the week-long race and will be riding his own distinctively decorated Trek Madone 6.9 bike.
[Update: Jan. 11 — Armstrong said Saturday morning on Twitter that he'll wear Astana kit in races, but train in Livestrong gear. See the new Astana team jersey that features a yellow Livestrong band on the left sleeve.]
Armstrong is racing on Team Astana for no salary and no bonuses. He has said one of his main purposes in returning to cycling is to draw attention to the global epidemic of cancer. A good way to call attention is to fly the black and yellow colors of LiveStrong. …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/09/lance-armstrong-will-stand-out-visually-at-tour-down-under/
The return to pro cycling by Lance Armstrong after three years of retirement puts the 2009 Tour Down Under on the map, but he isn't the only high profile cyclist at the bike race.
Five former Tour Down Under champions will be racing. They are Andre Greipel (2008, Germany) on Team Columbia, Martin Elmiger (2007, Switzerland) on AG2R, Luis Leon Sanchez (2005, Spain) on Caisse Epargne, Michael Rogers (2002, Australia) Team Columbia, and Stuart O'Grady (1999 and 2001, Team Saxo Bank).
The 2006 Tour de France winner, Oscar Pereiro, also will compete for Caisse Epargne …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/06/five-former-tour-down-under-champions-at-2009-bike-race/
If you're looking for the surging interest in cycling that Lance Armstrong's return to the peloton is sure to bring, consider these two facts:
— Nearly double the number of recreational riders have signed up to ride Stage 4 of this year's Tour Down Under ahead of the pro peloton.
— And South Australia has pumped another $1.5 million into the ride to handle the influx of visitors and media.
With five days remaining to register for the citizen's challenge ride, Tour Down Under reports that 6,312 are ready to ride this year, compared to 3,400 bicyclists last year …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/01/05/thousands-to-ride-with-lance-armstrong-at-tour-down-under/
An old hand at helping Lance Armstrong win championships — he once even gave up his bike to Armstrong — has been named to the Team Astana roster to compete at the Tour Down Under in Australia.
Jose Luis Ruberia, 35, of Spain bicycled with Armstrong on the Postal Service and Discovery pro cycling teams, participating in some of Armstrong's Tour de France championships.
Other teammates Assan Bazayev (Kazakhstan), Steve Morabito (Switzerland) and Maxim Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan) all rode in the 2008 Giro d'Italia. ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/12/19/astana-names-armstrong-teammates-for-tour-down-under/
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