Good luck for Lotto in Austria

Bjorn Leukemans has given the Predictor-Lotto team a big win in the Tour of Austria. This was the queen stage - ie the one all of the climbers wanted to bag - so it's really quite special. (Makes me wonder why he's not supporting Cadel Evans at Le Tour, but I'm sure Horner will do the job even better - we hope.) Matt Lloyd clearly gave great support to Leukemans (or so I assume from the placings!) and on GC is both highest-placed Aussie and best of the Lotto riders. Should be inspirational for the team slogging away in France right now.

Drapac Porsche appears to have found - not unsurprisingly in this company - the going a bit tough, with 3 of them now lining up for the Lanterne Rouge.

Race of attrition in Austria

That other Tour - the Austrian one that gives the ProTour riders who didn't make the main game in France something challenging to do is still proving to be worth a look. For the Aussies it's a race of attrition, and a tough ask indeed in this wild, cold weather and mountainous terrain. It's meant to be summer, isn't it?

Drapac Porsche are doing well but clearly using up their resources to keep in the game. But everyone is suffering. Phil Thuaux continues to bring up the rear on GC but he's obviously playing the team game here, as is Robert McLachlan, just 10mins ahead of him overall. Matt Lloyd is best Aussie for Predictor-Lotto, 5 minutes off the lead. Frankly I'd rather be at home watching Le Tour on TV, and I bet a few of these guys are thinking the same...

Aussies elsewhere

Best we note that Aussies Sam Hill and Tracey Hannah have each had a win in their respective World Cup MTB Downhill events.. and remarkably that Drapac-Porsche development squad rider Stuart Shaw (10th) was best placed Aussie in a wet and wild Stage 2 of the Tour of Austria. Bravo! Plenty of good riders dropped on this stage, and local Point Clare rider and CCCC member Phil Thuaux is either suffering from supporting Stuart during the stage, the bad weather, illness, or perhaps the sheer effort of the stage itself, coming in 17 minutes behind the leader. Did he make the time limit? He's Lantern Rouge at the moment.

Tour of ... Austria?

Previously won by the likes of Tom Danielson (2006) and Cadel Evans (2004) this race is definitely one to watch - the Tour of Austria starts on the 8th and has a stellar cast of riders lining up, including Matt White, Scott Davis, Adam Hansen (returning after injury) and this bunch:

Drapac Porsche Development Program

101 Mitchell Docker (Aus)
102 Darren Lapthorne (Aus)
103 Robert McLachlan (Aus)
104 Stuart Shaw (Aus)
105 Casey Munro (Aus)
106 Phillip Thuaux (Aus)
107 Robbie Williams (Aus)
108 Dean Windsor (Aus)

Worth a look, eh? Even with that 'other' race on at the same time...