Is it the season already? Certainly feels that way with all the results coming out of Australia—though any result with Graeme Brown at the top makes me wonder just a bit. Nothing against Brownie, really—I just seem to know him better for his talking than his riding.
Speaking of talking, Robbie McEwen has been making noise recently, both about his comeback and about foreign infiltrators in the Australian national championships.
I’ll pass on commenting on the first item until McEwen ramps it up in Europe, but I think the complaint about foreign riders is an interesting one, especially to a US audience. Until ’06, the American race was open to foreigners, and—with the exception of Freddy Rodrguez—was dominated by domestic pros.
The closing of the race to foreign riders, along with its relocation to a slower period in the calendar (and George Hincapie’s backyard) finally put top-level American competitors back into the Stars and Stripes. But excluding foreigners from Australia’s national title seems highly unlikely to attract the best Aussies in peak condition, simply because it occurs two-and-a-half months before the start of the European season.
While I can certainly relate to McEwen’s distress at seeing foreign riders on the podium at his National Championship event, unless he can rally enough countrymen make a mid-season flight halfway around the world, into the middle of winter, an Aussies-only championship would offer little in terms of quality over the existing race format.
Wasn’t it the case in those days the first American across the line was the new U.S. National Champion?
I would argue an all comers race format creates a bigger/better show for spectators. It’s a minority of people interested in the National Championship title. When Americans are fast/smart enough to be best for the day, then they pick up both the Title and the prize money. Until then, the Continental one-day specialists will probably win. That’s okay!
I think Robbie is trying to control the field before the race starts to improve his own chances. The reality is that like American, Australia has several smaller countries nearby who don’t have as high racing standard. So those foreign riders from near by counties live and train in the host county for that higher level of racing to improve their own skills and to get recognized. Or perhaps he’s trying to start a movement that’s ultimate conclusion is to have the Tour de France only open to French riders. I’m sure CP would love to have a French winner on home soil too. Anyway who am I to guess what going on in Robbies small mind.
I think Robbie’s comments were more directed at an aussie on a pro tour team bring over 4-5 of their non aussie team-mates for the nationals, then using them as domestiques. Well that was what I read in to it anyways.
rainbow, the smaller countries around us either don’t have a cycling infrastructure or have their own elite national race. Robbie is complaining, as Russ has said, about teams that bring people along with their Aussie rider in support. In the woman’s elite nationals a German came third, in my opinion, stealing the place from the Australian girl who came fourth. Germany has their own national race, why come to Australia and ride in ours? Training? For sure, come to Oz in our summer to escape your winter, but don’t steal our nationals.