TOUR DE FRANCE DREAMING:
Great news for the Bathurst Cycling Community with local star Mark Renshaw named in the Credit Agricole team for the 2008 Tour de France. An Athens Olympian and Commonwealth Games Gold medallist, Mark Renshaw has been desperate to get a ride in the World greatest cycling event for a number of years.
After brilliant performances on the track in 1999 & 2000 winning 3 Junior world Championships, including the 1km Time Trial, the Bathurst youngster was selected to carry out the Olympic flag at the 2000 Sydney Olympic. Gold medals would follow in the next few years at the Goodwill Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Cups; the Bathurst star was a part of the World Champion and World Record Breaking Team Pursuit team in 2002, and the Australian Olympic team in 2004.
Yet the Champion cyclist for as long as he could remember had a burning desire to ride the Tour de France, built around many years of following the grand tour and analysing every kilometre of every stage on those cold winter training rides in Bathurst. Joining the Brad McGee FDJ/NSWIS development initiative and he started working on training those powerful track legs to a tough hard set of pins that would see him succeed in the professional road peloton in Europe. After a year with Dijon in 2003 he signed a protour contract with FDJ in 2004 at the young age of 21, where he would spend 2 years before switching to rival French protour team Credit Agricole.
2007 looked to be the year that Mark Renshaws Tour de France Dreams would be fulfilled however a mystery illness after some brilliant pre season form (with wins in the Jayco Bay Classic & TDU Classic) seen Mark again watching the tour on TV. The year taught him that you need more than fast legs to get a start in the Tour de France: you need connections, a determined mindset, good health and a whole lot of luck.
You could then excuse Mark for doubting weather it would ever happen when sickness again struck in 2008 after the Tour of California. Yet he remained focused and his form returned in the Tour de Catalogne and 4 day Dunkerque, convincing his Credit Agricole team bosses that 2008 would be year that the boy from Bathurst would achieve his career goal of riding the Tour de France.
Of course, the story and mammoth task has only just began, with 21 stages and over 3000kms infront of him. Mentally Renshaw has one of the toughest jobs in the tour, with he and William Bonnet committed to helping team Captain Thor Hushovd win sprint stages and maybe a green sprint jersey. Some how convincing themselves at the end of each stage that the hundreds of kilometres haven’t deaden their legs, and they can summons the power that will be essential to complete their role in the Credit Agricole machine. Their performances at the Tour more important that ever due the recent tightening sponsorship, adding more and more pressure to the team.
However even with the pressure and the sheer physical task ahead; the classy Aussie Sprinter from the country city of Bathurst, NSW Australia, will be pinching himself when he lines up on the start line at Brest, with a lift time of childhood dreams built up inside.
Great news for the Bathurst Cycling Community with local star Mark Renshaw named in the Credit Agricole team for the 2008 Tour de France. An Athens Olympian and Commonwealth Games Gold medallist, Mark Renshaw has been desperate to get a ride in the World greatest cycling event for a number of years.
After brilliant performances on the track in 1999 & 2000 winning 3 Junior world Championships, including the 1km Time Trial, the Bathurst youngster was selected to carry out the Olympic flag at the 2000 Sydney Olympic. Gold medals would follow in the next few years at the Goodwill Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Cups; the Bathurst star was a part of the World Champion and World Record Breaking Team Pursuit team in 2002, and the Australian Olympic team in 2004.
Yet the Champion cyclist for as long as he could remember had a burning desire to ride the Tour de France, built around many years of following the grand tour and analysing every kilometre of every stage on those cold winter training rides in Bathurst. Joining the Brad McGee FDJ/NSWIS development initiative and he started working on training those powerful track legs to a tough hard set of pins that would see him succeed in the professional road peloton in Europe. After a year with Dijon in 2003 he signed a protour contract with FDJ in 2004 at the young age of 21, where he would spend 2 years before switching to rival French protour team Credit Agricole.
2007 looked to be the year that Mark Renshaws Tour de France Dreams would be fulfilled however a mystery illness after some brilliant pre season form (with wins in the Jayco Bay Classic & TDU Classic) seen Mark again watching the tour on TV. The year taught him that you need more than fast legs to get a start in the Tour de France: you need connections, a determined mindset, good health and a whole lot of luck.
You could then excuse Mark for doubting weather it would ever happen when sickness again struck in 2008 after the Tour of California. Yet he remained focused and his form returned in the Tour de Catalogne and 4 day Dunkerque, convincing his Credit Agricole team bosses that 2008 would be year that the boy from Bathurst would achieve his career goal of riding the Tour de France.
Of course, the story and mammoth task has only just began, with 21 stages and over 3000kms infront of him. Mentally Renshaw has one of the toughest jobs in the tour, with he and William Bonnet committed to helping team Captain Thor Hushovd win sprint stages and maybe a green sprint jersey. Some how convincing themselves at the end of each stage that the hundreds of kilometres haven’t deaden their legs, and they can summons the power that will be essential to complete their role in the Credit Agricole machine. Their performances at the Tour more important that ever due the recent tightening sponsorship, adding more and more pressure to the team.
However even with the pressure and the sheer physical task ahead; the classy Aussie Sprinter from the country city of Bathurst, NSW Australia, will be pinching himself when he lines up on the start line at Brest, with a lift time of childhood dreams built up inside.
From Auray to St Brieuc - What a Start for Renshaw!!
Bathurst’s Mark Renshaw has started the Tour de France in Style leading out Credit Agricole team leader Thor Hushovd for a sensational win in stage 2. The big Norwegian embracing his lead out man after the stage and then praising the Bathurst sprinter to the press for his excellent timing & team work at the finish into St Brieuc.
After the stage Renshaw said he was feeling good today, but the climb at the finish made his job very hard. “With so much going on it was difficult for Thor and I to keep together. We got set about 600 meters out then it was a matter of timing”.
Green Jersey contender Hushovd has always had big plans for Renshaw, the Credit Agricole leader telling Mark’s family and supporters that he believe that the Aussies power would set him up for many important victories when he first signed with the French ProTour team 3 years ago. The association between the pair certainly paying off in the stage into St Brieuc, as the stage win couldn’t come at a better time with the team chasing a new sponsor for 2009.
Bathurst’s Mark Renshaw has started the Tour de France in Style leading out Credit Agricole team leader Thor Hushovd for a sensational win in stage 2. The big Norwegian embracing his lead out man after the stage and then praising the Bathurst sprinter to the press for his excellent timing & team work at the finish into St Brieuc.
After the stage Renshaw said he was feeling good today, but the climb at the finish made his job very hard. “With so much going on it was difficult for Thor and I to keep together. We got set about 600 meters out then it was a matter of timing”.
Green Jersey contender Hushovd has always had big plans for Renshaw, the Credit Agricole leader telling Mark’s family and supporters that he believe that the Aussies power would set him up for many important victories when he first signed with the French ProTour team 3 years ago. The association between the pair certainly paying off in the stage into St Brieuc, as the stage win couldn’t come at a better time with the team chasing a new sponsor for 2009.
You can’t win em all:
Things didn’t go exactly to plan for Bathurst’s Mark Renshaw’s Credit Agricole team on day 3 of the 2008 Tour de France. Firstly the main bunch not able to catch a group of 4 riders before the end of the 208km stage to Nantes, and secondly Credit Agricole team leader Thor Hushovd finishing behind green jersey opponents Robbie McEwen, Erik Zabel and Oscar Freire in the bunch sprint for 5th.
Behind the scenes it not surprising that sometimes hiccups could occur when you consider the complex, finely coordinated process that has to occur to deliver the big Norwegian to the finish. The Hushovd sprint involves his whole 9 man Credit Agricole team with Australian Mark Renshaw his right hand man in the dash to the line.
With the signs that a bunch sprint is on the cards, the second Aussie on the team Simon Gerrans will lead a green and white battalion towards the front of the peloton to get the sprint troupe in position, while others such as Frenchman Jimmy Engoulvent have the highly visible duty to get on the front of the peloton and bring back the leaders.
French speedster William Bonnet’s role is to get Renshaw and Hushovd in position in the hassle and bustle of the final few kilometres of the stage allowing both to be ready for maximum efforts in last 600m.
After the well drilled sequence that seen “Thor Score” in Stage 2 of the Grand Tour, a cross wind caused the problem in stage 3 when Bonnet got caught in the chasing group due the strong cross winds that splitting the peloton.
As a consequence Renshaw had to start his support of team leader Thor Hushovd much earlier than planned.. With no Bonnet and also the rough and tumble nature of the closing stages into Nantes, it was a giant task for the Credit Agricole fast men. Hushovd well satisfied in the 8th placing in the stage which seen him move in closer on the team major focus of the 2008 Grand Tour the green jersey competition.
Things didn’t go exactly to plan for Bathurst’s Mark Renshaw’s Credit Agricole team on day 3 of the 2008 Tour de France. Firstly the main bunch not able to catch a group of 4 riders before the end of the 208km stage to Nantes, and secondly Credit Agricole team leader Thor Hushovd finishing behind green jersey opponents Robbie McEwen, Erik Zabel and Oscar Freire in the bunch sprint for 5th.
Behind the scenes it not surprising that sometimes hiccups could occur when you consider the complex, finely coordinated process that has to occur to deliver the big Norwegian to the finish. The Hushovd sprint involves his whole 9 man Credit Agricole team with Australian Mark Renshaw his right hand man in the dash to the line.
With the signs that a bunch sprint is on the cards, the second Aussie on the team Simon Gerrans will lead a green and white battalion towards the front of the peloton to get the sprint troupe in position, while others such as Frenchman Jimmy Engoulvent have the highly visible duty to get on the front of the peloton and bring back the leaders.
French speedster William Bonnet’s role is to get Renshaw and Hushovd in position in the hassle and bustle of the final few kilometres of the stage allowing both to be ready for maximum efforts in last 600m.
After the well drilled sequence that seen “Thor Score” in Stage 2 of the Grand Tour, a cross wind caused the problem in stage 3 when Bonnet got caught in the chasing group due the strong cross winds that splitting the peloton.
As a consequence Renshaw had to start his support of team leader Thor Hushovd much earlier than planned.. With no Bonnet and also the rough and tumble nature of the closing stages into Nantes, it was a giant task for the Credit Agricole fast men. Hushovd well satisfied in the 8th placing in the stage which seen him move in closer on the team major focus of the 2008 Grand Tour the green jersey competition.
The road to Châteauroux: A Jersey for Thor
The Tour de France’s Stage 4 Individual Time Trial was pretty much a rest day for the Bathurst Sprinter Mark Renshaw in preparation for the expected sprint stage into Châteauroux the next day.
The Stage six 232km marathon would be a pressure stage for the Credit Agricole, with the fight for the green jersey well and truly on; Team Columbia’s Kim Kirchen lead in the point category starting to cause some concern due to the form he has on the Rolling type stages in the 2008 tour. While the super fast men such as Mark Cavendish and Robbie McEwen where expected to show them selfs at Châteauroux finish.
Although Hushovd finished 4th behind Cavendish it was a grand day for Credit Agricole with Hushovd taking the lead in the Green jersey competition, Bathurst’s Mark Renshaw’s lead out very impressive as he brought the big Norwegian sprinter through to the lead in the final 300m of the stage.
The Tour de France’s Stage 4 Individual Time Trial was pretty much a rest day for the Bathurst Sprinter Mark Renshaw in preparation for the expected sprint stage into Châteauroux the next day.
The Stage six 232km marathon would be a pressure stage for the Credit Agricole, with the fight for the green jersey well and truly on; Team Columbia’s Kim Kirchen lead in the point category starting to cause some concern due to the form he has on the Rolling type stages in the 2008 tour. While the super fast men such as Mark Cavendish and Robbie McEwen where expected to show them selfs at Châteauroux finish.
Although Hushovd finished 4th behind Cavendish it was a grand day for Credit Agricole with Hushovd taking the lead in the Green jersey competition, Bathurst’s Mark Renshaw’s lead out very impressive as he brought the big Norwegian sprinter through to the lead in the final 300m of the stage.
Bit of Fun
Its alway good to get home to B.Town, and catch up... And do some important pre season Training... Attached is a video of a secret training session on Mt Panorama... Don’t show anyone!!!
Its alway good to get home to B.Town, and catch up... And do some important pre season Training... Attached is a video of a secret training session on Mt Panorama... Don’t show anyone!!!