Australia NT Season 14

[Franky]

Great win today VOS. Even if we don't win in the NT ranking at the end, another 2nd place is AWESOME for us. We are the best National Team in this CFF history.

[Vos]

Thanks Franky 
And indeed, Australia is in every different NT ranking the ( by far ! ) best nation, except for 1 ranking ; most world championships.
Spain has 4 and Australia has 3, so I was really hoping we could pass Spain this season ( Spain has no silver and bronze medals ).
Also this 2nd place is not good for my average as Australian NT manager after being 1º, 2º and 1º.     
But the season is not over yet, there is still a little chance to beat current world champion Great Britain.

[Vos]

Of course I agree with you that a 2nd place is amazing for a little CFF country like Australia.
It is really special that Australia has such great NT palmares. 

[Franky]

It is something to remember, because once the TT generation that we have now is retired...it will be much harder to reach the podium 

For sure, I'm not going to be National Manager just after this massive retirement 

[Vos]

Hmmmm, I think Australia might surprise you, Franky.

I estimate that Australia can do very well, even with the massive retirement of the awesome TT specialists of Aurora Australis.
As you could see this NT season, Australia had very young teamcaptains ( or could have, for example the 24yo flat-cobble specialist Hunter ).
And they caused a situation that Australia is not heavily depended on the TT points anymore. The future looks bright.

Even besides this ; the hills TT specialists are not old, so if there is a hills TT race instead of a flat TT race, Australia still scores many TT points.
If there is a climb TT race instead, also not a problem, because we have the best (now 27yo) Australian climb TT specialist of the game.
And the amazing TT youth team of Aurora Australis is 21yo now, so in a few seasons we will score again many TT points in flat TT races.

If nobody is up to the challenge to do the honorable and fun job as Australian NT manager next season,
then I will be automatically the NT manager again, and also in next season my goal will most likely be the podium.
Of course, the goal will also depend on the unknown season 15 NT calendar.
Perhaps there will be 2 sprint races, so the Australian NT manager of next season can have fun with the then 25yo Jasper Blair.   

[Vos]

Also nice to know ;
Without the 760 TT points of this season, Australia would be on a split 5º place, 220 points behind the podium.
In hills race 1 Australia had a gigantic failure ( 132º ) with the teamcaptain. Despite this, Australia scored a good 300 points in race 1.
In sprint race 3, teamcaptain Blair ( 11º ) had a mechanical breakdown in the crucial section 5, that for sure costed many points.
So even if Australia would have scored zero points in the time trial ;
in this season calendar with one more cobble race to go, there would be still a chance to get on the podium, even including the unlucky races.

Of course, we need many TT points to battle for the world championship. Current world champion Great Britain will remain a fierce rival.
And in the situation of the next 2 seasons (not more), we are depended on the season schedule to compete for a podiumplace.
For example in a bad season schedule with 2 cobblehills races, the podium is most likely out of reach.
But even in cobblehills there is improvement, this season Australia has a golden cobblehills rider for the first time ever.
Unfortunately he is low ranked, so it is very doubtfull if he can score points if there is a for him suited cobblehills race.

[Vos]

By the way ; also Great Britain makes use of TT points.
This season GB scored 670 TT points, just 90 points less than Australia. Although it was an unusual ( flatcobblehills ) time trial.
In previous season GB was world champion, despite just 390 TT points.
But GB has young, very high ranked TT specialists now,
so I expect they will score many TT points in the next seasons, probably more than they already did this season.

[Vos]

RACE 7 : FRAUENFELD

13ºC

Frauenfeld, Switzerland,
The same strongest selection as in previous cobblestones race, because much is at stake for teamcaptain Angus Friend.
Maybe for Australia too ; there is still a very little chance to be the world champion of all nations.

In the picture ; Sagan won in his rainbow jersey this exact same race ( stage 2 Tour de Suisse 2018 ).
A good inspiration and extra motivation for Angus Friend.

Australia NT selection :

Angus Friend ( 31 ) Mlb
Keith Hunter ( 24 ) catapunchimpon
Peter Boit ( 24 ) Vitimper
Eric Kelly* ( 32 ) Antequera
John Battle ( 32 ) Antequera
Kent McClure ( 32 ) Yvo_Meppelink_ProCycling
Vince Whisman ( 23 ) Luka_Warriors   
Dylan Gilliam ( 32 ) Manicomicos_Cycling_Team
Jonny Glass ( 32 ) RemcoEvenpoelckx

[Aurora Australis]

At least we can hopefully secure another race victory.

[Vos]

At least we can hopefully secure another race victory.

That would be amazing, and hoping that at least there will be a victory is for sure an option.
But to expect at least a victory is perhaps something else.

Friend won 2 times a pure cobbles NT race.
Both times that was the CCCCC race to Fribourg ( seasons 12 and 13 ).
This different CCCCC race to Frauenfeld is 42km longer, and it was once before on the NT calender in season 11.
Back then Friend finished as 3º on 0:00" in a break away group of 3.
This season there are more rivals, because the nr1 (NL) and nr2 (GB) in the golden flat cobble ranking are 24yo.

And depending on how some rivals will do compared to previous NT race 6,
it migh be enough to secure the goal of the individual world championship if Friend does not win, but finishes as 2º or even 3º.
Of course, the best is to hope for at least a victory, to avoid an equal amount of points, then it will be a lottery who gets the jersey.
Let's hope the race ánd the tactics go perfectly, nothing is certain in NT races and sometimes anything can happen.

[Vos]

edit ; I just see now that Rolf Harboe (DEN) won this NT race to Frauenfeld back in season 11.
And with his 2º place of previous race 6, he might be the very fierce main rival of Angus Friend.

[Vos]

After a thrilling race ; 2º Angus Friend ( Mlb ) 
This means.........

But first congratulations to CC_Porco_Jones, the NT manager of Great Britain, with the very well deserved world championship !
Final podium in the season ranking =
1   2.325 points
2   1.940 points
3   1.385 points

Australia scored many points, in some seasons enough to be the world champion.
But it was clear Great Britain was better this season.
The British 24yo Barry Brady won even the final NT race, although not really surprising because he was one of the top favorites.
And there were more 24yo's who did amazing in this final NT race, as you can see when you look at the race results.

In this fierce cobble-competition of many new top rivals, only Angus Friend kept his cool by 2 top results ( 1º + 2º ) in the final 2 races.
And this means he is the .... ( see picture ! ) with a mega big lead of 190 points towards the nr 2 in the individual ranking.



Angus Friend ( 31, Mlb ) is the individual world champion of season 14 !

[Kekipi]

Season goals.
Battling for the individual world championship and battling for a podium place in the ranking by countries.
I have no idea if these season goals are possible or too ambitious (without a flat time trial).

Got the IWC and made the podium for countries ranking, so goals achieved.   

Congrats!

[Franky]

[Vos]

Thanks Kekipi and Franky.