Australia s34

[Vos]

Unfortunately again not a good NT season schedule, because this is in favor of (flat-)hills-specialists, and Australia is not good at that.
And no expectations this season, because Australia is not good in 4 out of the 7 races, see stars-rating :

season 34 schedule =

1. ⭐   Galicia  FFFFH  145 km

2. ⭐⭐⭐   French Pyrenees  FMMMM  205,5 km

3. ⭐   Mediterranean coast  FFFFF  173,5 km

4. ⭐   Virginia  TT-FFFFF  53 km

5. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐   Castilla- La Mancha  HHFCC^ 180 km

6. ⭐   Emilia-Romagna  HHHHH  153 km

7. ⭐⭐   Breskens  CFCCC  190 km

[ophiuko]

I say goodbye to Australia, at least for a while. I had too many country change cards (6) 

[Vos]

 

[Vos]

RACE 1 : Galicia

29ºC

Cangas, a Spanish coastal town in Galicia, close to the norther border of Portugal,
Unfortunately, Australia does not have a golden cyclist that is ranked as flat-hills specialist.

According to my estimated GV ( what can be very wrong in this hard to estimate race ) ;
the best suited 4 hills specialists are selected, "added" with 5 cobblehills-specialists, however, one of them is the nr 2 in my race GV.
What is not a good sign, and says something about the low flat-hills-quality of the Australian hills-specialists.
But in a positive way, it says also something about the amazing cobblehills-quality, that they pop up in the approx. top 9 of this race GV.

Despite Derek Jons is the nr 3, most likely he will be the teamcaptain because he is twice as much experienced as the nr 1 ( and nr 2 ).
But no matter who the teamcaptain will be, a perfect race is needed to score a few points, in this very tricky NT race with 1x wind.

Australia NT selection :

Virgil Seaman ( 29 ) Álvaro_Pino_Boys
Gus Furlong ( 25 ) Elgrand
Derek Jons ( 32 ) ZG
Oliver Lewis ( 26 ) azerite
Pete Dix ( 26 ) KL_Cycling_Team
Walt Furey ( 25 ) Villavante
James Crickton ( 29 ) Álvaro_Pino_Boys
Emerson Brown ( 28 ) IKIBASQUE
Shaun Sifford ( 25 ) Villavante

[Vos]

11    Derek Jons      32   0: 05"   110      ZG

A good result to start this season with. Next week a stormy race in the French Pyrenees with summit finish on Pla d'Adet.

[Vos]

Australia u24 ( 108 cyclists ) :


Very nice to see that 2-times international Ashley Pinkman is twice in the u23 DT, and ( as expected ) on nr 1 in his speciality.   
Somewhere in previous season he already entered the u23 DT as only 21yo of all nations.

CFF u23 Dream Team =
hills
8.  Ashley Pinkman  ( 22, Plopsala )
sprint
5.  Leroy Lovedale  ( 22, Aurora_Australis )
hillsclimb
1.  Ashley Pinkman  ( 22, Plopsala )


Everyone good luck with recruiting and scouting in Australia ! 

[Vos]

Australia u22 ( 71 cyclists ) :

[Vos]

RACE 2 :  French Pyrenees

21ºC

Lézat-sur-Lèze, France,
In previous season a great NT race victory of Rick Cann, but that was a pure climb race in Colombia, and this NT race suits him a lot less.
Therefore, now it is up to Ken Holland in his very first time as NT teamcaptain.
I do not expect a top result, also because he does not have a very good xp skill.
And maybe I should not have no expectations at all, due to the storm, what makes this race ( & result ) very unpredictable.

Australia NT selection :

Ken Holland ( 31 ) Shiro_Lions
Rick Cann ( 31 ) RealMurciaCycling
Rick Pierre* ( 31 ) ZG
Allan Sheehan ( 31 ) Stuttgarter
Stu Vaughn ( 34 ) Facha_Bartolo
Paddy Hines ( 33 ) SanJose
- - - - - - - - - -
Shaun Sifford ( 25 ) Villavante
Gordon Kettrey ( 21 ) PDM_cycling_team
Brand Warrenburg ( 21 ) Texas

[Aurora Australis]

I have a business, I don't see myself being active here for some time; besides pulling & initial training cyclists I'm not checking the talent levels on.

[Vos]

5    Ken Holland      31   0: 24"   180      Shiro_Lions
6    Rick Pierre      31   0: 50"   160      ZG
13    Rick Cann      31   1: 14"   90      RealMurciaCycling

Very good results ! In fact, Australia scored even the most points in this mountain race. 

[Vos]

Australia u20 ( 18 cyclists ) :

[Vos]

RACE 3 : Montpellier

14ºC

Miramas, France,
All just 3 ( ! ) Australians with a golden sprint icon are selected, added with the 2 best 23yo silver sprinters.

For the first time Pete Odom is the sprint-teamcaptain.
He is not high ranked and therefore the expectation is not high in this windy sprint race.
Hopefully he can surprise due to his wind icon* if this tactically difficult race goes very well, then maybe top10 is possible.
Of course, also possible is a tactical disaster race with 0 points, after all, it is a windy NT sprint race and almost always unpredictable.

edit ; Somewhere in the past few days, the 23yo Pursley achieved his golden sprint icon.
But that is based on his excellent hill-sprint, and not a golden icon for flat-sprint. His flat-sprint GV will not be high when he is 24yo.
Despite NT hill-sprint races are very rare, Pursley deserves a NT debut ( as xp-cyclist ) and hopefully he can help a little bit in this race.

Australia NT selection :

Pete Odom* ( 26 ) Cabrasverdes
Virgil Kelly ( 26 ) Rekutxuteam
Horace Stamer ( 34 ) TeamEuroscalt
- - - - - - - - - -
Dan Gayford ( 23 ) PescaraBike
Vinnie Clawson ( 23 ) Loshombresdelmazo
- - - - - - - - - -
Bob Pernom ( 30 ) TeamEuroscalt
Paul Pursley ( 23 ) HTCHungria     ( debut )
Shaun Sifford ( 25 ) Villavante
Brand Warrenburg ( 21 ) Texas

[Vos]

5    Pete Odom      26   0: 00"   180      Cabrasverdes
16    Horace Stamer      34   0: 16"   60      TeamEuroscalt

Excellent results ! 
Thanks to good tactics based on the 2x wind, and thanks to s4 helper Kelly ; Odom could sprint in the s5 front group of just 8 cyclists.
Also excellent ; the already 34yo( ! ) Stamer scored a few extra points in a free role.

TOP 6 season ranking after 3 races =

1.    875
2.    790
3.    780 
4.    560
5.    540
6.    540

Unfortunately next week a flat time trial, what should cause a drop in the season ranking.
But after these first 3 races already 780 points, that is much more than what I expected.

[Vos]

Australia u20 ( 39 cyclists ) :

[Vos]

RACE 4 : Virginia TT

25ºC

Richmond, USA,
The same best 8 TT-specialists are selected as in the past 2 seasons. The expection is low, because ;
In previous s33 = Alfier scored a good 7th place ( 150 points ), but none of the others were lucky enough to score a few points.
And in s32 = 15th Ferdinand and 17th Alfier. This total of just 110 points was even an Australian all-time low record in a NT flat time trial.
 
Based on Alfier's previous NT results + max. xp + 15th flat-TT-ranking of CFF + excellent stamina ; I expect he will score some points.
All other Australians need a very lucky race to finish top 20. Hopefully one of them can achieve that, but the expectation is zero.

Australia NT selection :

Sammy Alfier ( 31 ) Catalonia_Team
Rick Herd ( 31 ) RHyNeStOnEs
Steve Boit ( 31 ) Bergtoppers
Edward Garza ( 26 ) Catalonia_Team
Dean Butcher ( 26 ) DeporGalegoOscense
Baron Ferdinand ( 31 ) Nibbixwoud
Maurice Hunter ( 32 ) vercors
Pat Foley ( 32 ) bestiesnegres
- - - - - - - - - -
Shaun Sifford ( 25 ) Villavante