Our season starts in Oceania and for the month of January we stay home. The boys get a nice easy lead in to the season with some extra time at home and not as far to travel when we need to race. We are very excited to start of the season and we are aiming to start of strong as a lot of these races suit our leaders!
Tour of Tasmania
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jack Bobridge
71
67
81
75
71
71
66
51
67
77
64
64
75
Angel Madrazo
64
81
72
73
75
74
75
51
59
66
62
65
73
Madushanka Perera
71
53
64
58
69
73
77
64
79
80
50
61
74
Cameron Scott
72
63
66
56
72
71
74
61
78
78
60
64
57
Hayden McCormick
70
66
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
Bilguunjargal Erdenebat
75
60
65
78
77
78
74
51
59
64
69
68
79
Narankhuu Baterdene
74
58
61
59
72
70
83
67
76
77
59
66
64
Jake Marryatt
71
61
68
77
67
74
67
57
60
58
67
63
77
While we don't get any points gain from this race, we promised when we brought in Bobridge that we would give him one last go at the Tour of Tasmania to potentially get the win that has been evading him for years! We are hoping for a good team performance and we can't wait to see the colours in the world stage for the first time!
Down Under Classic
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Leigh Howard
74
61
66
66
72
67
74
61
80
76
62
63
66
Patrick Bevin
68
74
73
76
68
64
73
53
64
74
74
69
72
Luke Mudgway
70
59
64
60
71
66
76
65
76
78
65
65
65
Jimmy Muhindo
74
58
67
65
74
71
68
75
68
64
76
65
65
Flavio De Luna
66
73
70
74
65
70
67
65
55
66
65
66
73
Munkhtulga Erdenesuren
72
59
62
59
72
70
63
75
69
66
62
59
61
Markus Kopfauf
69
62
67
65
67
74
67
52
74
73
70
68
81
Amartuvshin Battsengel
62
60
58
67
67
64
71
63
60
68
68
67
67
Leigh Howard leads us at the Down Under Classic for the first race of our season to affect us with points. We are hoping for a top 5 finish here at home and with Luke Mudgway and Markus Kopfauf here to lead out Howard we should be able to achieve that.
Gisborne GP
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jordan Schleck
64
77
73
53
71
71
78
53
52
73
61
61
61
Joel Yates
71
65
78
69
77
74
71
63
62
69
73
69
69
Tyler Brandt
66
75
68
72
72
67
70
61
59
64
65
70
71
Vadim Ratiy
62
76
66
70
64
67
70
50
50
52
50
51
70
Carlos Rodriguez
67
70
67
67
68
69
68
55
65
69
65
70
64
Noppachai Klahan
68
64
66
65
67
67
72
68
63
68
64
70
66
Kiaan Watts
64
66
65
66
62
72
68
60
64
66
73
72
64
Blake Quick
65
58
61
59
65
66
58
58
67
69
58
62
59
Joel Yates leads his first ever race at the Gisborne GP. He will be a strong rider here this season and we hope to get a high finish. Top 10 is the goal for Yates and we hope to have a few other riders in the higher end of the standings as well! Jordan Schleck comes here as the main support for Yates.
Tour Down Under
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jack Bobridge
71
67
81
75
71
71
66
51
67
77
64
64
75
Leigh Howard
74
61
66
66
72
67
74
61
80
76
62
63
66
Cameron Scott
72
63
66
56
72
71
74
61
78
78
60
64
57
Hayden McCormick
70
66
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
Joel Yates
71
65
78
69
77
74
71
63
62
69
73
69
69
Luke Mudgway
70
59
64
60
71
66
76
65
76
78
65
65
65
Jake Marryatt
71
61
68
77
67
74
67
57
60
58
67
63
77
Carlos Rodriguez
67
70
67
67
68
69
68
55
65
69
65
70
64
The Tour Down Under sees mostly an Oceanian squad with Bobridge here to lead the team and Howard here for the sprints. Carlos Rodriguez will compete in his first ever stage race as well. We expect to do very well here and we would like to see the boys on the podium of the GC by the end.
Great Ocean Road Classic
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jack Bobridge
71
67
81
75
71
71
66
51
67
77
64
64
75
Madushanka Perera
71
53
64
58
69
73
77
64
79
80
50
61
74
Narankhuu Baterdene
74
58
61
59
72
70
83
67
76
77
59
66
64
Flavio De Luna
66
73
70
74
65
70
67
65
55
66
65
66
73
Tyler Brandt
66
75
68
72
72
67
70
61
59
64
65
70
71
Markus Kopfauf
69
62
67
65
67
74
67
52
74
73
70
68
81
Carlos Rodriguez
67
70
67
67
68
69
68
55
65
69
65
70
64
Amartuvshin Battsengel
62
60
58
67
67
64
71
63
60
68
68
67
67
An Aussie won this race last year however we hope to win it with a Sri Lankan. Madushanka Perera will lead us here and hopefully sprint for the win however this race is extremely unpredicatable. Markus Kopfauf will help with the lead out for Perera as well as Baterdene. Bobridge is also here to have a go at attacking near the end of the race.
Interested to see how your team shapes up during this window. Some tough decisions to make and some which maybe could have been made during renewals but keeping domestiques is never a bad thing as signing in FA is often more expensive.
The Tour of Tasmania was our first PT race ever and we thought we would give Jack Bobridge one last time in the big time of the Pro Tour before he declines any further. He finished 63rd overall with our highest finisher being young TT rider, Bilguunjargal Erdenebat. McCormick brought our only exposure of the race in stage 2 getting into the breakaway and very nearly winning the KOM jersey coming 2nd by 1 point. A nice opening race for us in a Australia.
Down Under Classic
The Down Under Classic was our first points scoring opportunity and wow did Leigh Howard deliver! An incredible 3rd place against a lot of world class sprinters! It was an incredible effort from him and has put him in currenlt 10th place in the PCT individual rankings! Extremely happy with how he raced!
Gisborne GP
We attempted the breaking with Brandt and got into the breakaway with Watts and that was basically our race. Yates had a hard day and was unable to finish in the top 20. Still only his first race leading the team though so a good effort!
Tour Down Under
Stage 1 saw Howard get a great 6th place and continue his great sprinting form! Jack Bobridge took up his leadership and did it well with a 5th place on stage 2 and a good start for the GC race. Again Bobridge finished in the top 10 on stage 4 with Hayden McCormick in 10th right behind. In the final stage Leigh Howard was sprinting very well and challenging for the lead but unfortunately ran out of energy and drifted back to a respectable 7th place. Great showing from Howard in the Tour Down Under. Jack Bobridge finished in 9th place overall with a good showing and plenty of high placings as well. A good showing for the team however areas to improve!
Great Ocean Road Classic
The Great Ocean Road Classic is our final race in Australia until the Herald Sun Tour and it also brings our January to a close. Our other sprint leader, Perera, managed to continue the teams good start with another top 10 in this race. Great effort from him and the team and hopefully signs of these good things to come!
So a great January for us and a really good start. We are currently sitting in 10th place in the PCT rankings (see below) which is a great place to be! Hopefully this form continues and we can avoid relegation and build on our team for next season!
@Laurens147 - Happy that we have been able to start out with a bang! We are just hoping we can continue this form!
February Preview
After a good start to the season in January, we are hoping to continue that form in February with another 5 races and our first goal of the season, Tour of Ukraine. We are excited to see Madrazo finally in action as well as seeing how Bobridge goes in the Tour of Ukraine.
Volta a Portugal
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Angel Madrazo
64
81
72
73
75
74
75
51
59
66
62
65
73
Andrei Sakalou
66
76
75
65
63
72
72
54
60
72
77
62
65
Joel Yates
71
65
78
69
77
74
71
63
62
69
73
69
69
Bilguunjargal Erdenebat
75
60
65
78
77
78
74
51
59
64
69
68
79
Vadim Ratiy
62
76
66
70
64
67
70
50
50
52
50
51
70
Markus Kopfauf
69
62
67
65
67
74
67
52
74
73
70
68
81
Carlos Rodriguez
67
70
67
67
68
69
68
55
65
69
65
70
64
Amartuvshin Battsengel
62
60
58
67
67
64
71
63
60
68
68
67
67
The Volta a Portugal is an extremely important stage race for us early in the season! Its the first chance for Angel Madrazo to score points as well as see Kopfauf and Erdenebat have a great opportunity to score points in these races as well! We are hoping for a top 5 overall and we are also excited to see how the support of Ratiy and Sakalou will aid in Madrazo's race.
Le Samyn
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Madushanka Perera
71
53
64
58
69
73
77
64
79
80
50
61
74
Narankhuu Baterdene
74
58
61
59
72
70
83
67
76
77
59
66
64
Luke Mudgway
70
59
64
60
71
66
76
65
76
78
65
65
65
Jimmy Muhindo
74
58
67
65
74
71
68
75
68
64
76
65
65
Jake Marryatt
71
61
68
77
67
74
67
57
60
58
67
63
77
Munkhtulga Erdenesuren
72
59
62
59
72
70
63
75
69
66
62
59
61
Carlos Rodriguez
67
70
67
67
68
69
68
55
65
69
65
70
64
Amartuvshin Battsengel
62
60
58
67
67
64
71
63
60
68
68
67
67
We are just hear to fill in the numbers. We have Muhindo and Erdenesuren to lead us as well as Perera if he makes it oer the cobbles however I don't think anu of this will happen and we definitely will just be filling in the numbers. To be honest this was apart of a band and we had to be here...We will see.
Tour of Ukraine
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jack Bobridge
71
67
81
75
71
71
66
51
67
77
64
64
75
Andrei Sakalou
66
76
75
65
63
72
72
54
60
72
77
62
65
Jordan Schleck
64
77
73
53
71
71
78
53
52
73
61
61
61
Joel Yates
71
65
78
69
77
74
71
63
62
69
73
69
69
Bilguunjargal Erdenebat
75
60
65
78
77
78
74
51
59
64
69
68
79
Jake Marryatt
71
61
68
77
67
74
67
57
60
58
67
63
77
Markus Kopfauf
69
62
67
65
67
74
67
52
74
73
70
68
81
Carlos Rodriguez
67
70
67
67
68
69
68
55
65
69
65
70
64
This is our win goal. A race almost perfect for Jack Bobridge. A short hilly TT to start with, then a hill stage which is where Bobridge should be able to do very well! Finally, a longer flat TT that will find out who the winner will be! With Bobridge being a strong hill climber we are hoping to get the win and start off our season with 2 strong months! We have full faith in Jack Bobridge and the support of riders like Joel Yates should be able to help!
Circulo de Juarez
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Madushanka Perera
71
53
64
58
69
73
77
64
79
80
50
61
74
Cameron Scott
72
63
66
56
72
71
74
61
78
78
60
64
57
Hayden McCormick
70
66
76
65
74
71
70
53
73
73
67
59
65
Patrick Bevin
68
74
73
76
68
64
73
53
64
74
74
69
72
Luke Mudgway
70
59
64
60
71
66
76
65
76
78
65
65
65
Flavio De Luna
66
73
70
74
65
70
67
65
55
66
65
66
73
Munkhtulga Erdenesuren
72
59
62
59
72
70
63
75
69
66
62
59
61
Amartuvshin Battsengel
62
60
58
67
67
64
71
63
60
68
68
67
67
We are excited for this race as well have always managed to do fairly well! Perera will lead us this team with Scott as his main leadout. A race for the sprinters and our main goal in this race is for a stage win and a top 10 if we can! Just as many points as we possible can!
Coppa Placci
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jordan Schleck
64
77
73
53
71
71
78
53
52
73
61
61
61
Joel Yates
71
65
78
69
77
74
71
63
62
69
73
69
69
Vadim Ratiy
62
76
66
70
64
67
70
50
50
52
50
51
70
Carlos Rodriguez
67
70
67
67
68
69
68
55
65
69
65
70
64
Noppachai Klahan
68
64
66
65
67
67
72
68
63
68
64
70
66
Kiaan Watts
64
66
65
66
62
72
68
60
64
66
73
72
64
Blake Quick
65
58
61
59
65
66
58
58
67
69
58
62
59
Amartuvshin Battsengel
62
60
58
67
67
64
71
63
60
68
68
67
67
Another hill C2 race that will be lead by Joel Yates. After his disappointing debut at the Gisborne GP Yates will be hoping to be able to get a strong result! We are hoping for a top 10 this time. He has the support from Schleck and should be able to have a strong crack at this race!
Madrazo might not have been great in Portugal, but it's still a Top 10 in a PTHC race. It's probably not the kind of result you really need, but it wasn't a complete failure, either.
The win goal in Ukraine is pretty bold I'd say, with Bobridge finishing 15th last year iirc. I hope he'll do better than that for you, I think a Top 10 might be doable. But winning against the likes of Phinney? Probably not - except if he surprises everyone and really gets a big gap on that hilly stage!
Perera could do well in Juarez, even though the field will be wide open. He's shown some good performances in recent years, though, fingers crossed he'll be among the lucky ones in Mexico as well!
@Fabianski - The win goal was probably a bit of a stretch but we didn't know the competition at that point which makes it tough. Phinney was insane in that race though. Still a good start and I'm pretty satisfied with how we are going at the moment!
February Review
Volta a Portugal
After a consistent 7 days from Madrazo and finding himself in 5th overall he had just a mountain stage to negotiate to find himself in a great GC place! The race had also seen some great top 10 finishes for Erdenebat and Kopfauf in the prologue and another top 10 for Erdenebat in the long ITT. A good overall race however Madrazo had his bad day on the finall big mountain stage. This saw him finish 1 minute down to the winner and drop down to 10th overall. Still a great top 10 overall however we were hoping for a higher finish with him being one of the best mountain climbers in the race. A good start for his season and hopefully he can keep going and improve in the mountains moving forward!
Le Samyn
Le Samyn isa cobbles race which we don't like. Erdnesuren and Muhindo were attacking for half of the race but once the cobbles got tough they were unable to stick with it. Mudgway did enjoy a bit of time in the breakaway which we are happy with the exposure but nothing more to report. Moving on.
Tour of Ukraine
The Tour of Ukraine was our win goal and boy did that not happen. The best finish was Bobridge taking 14th in stage 2. We were not on the map other than that. 23rd place overall and that was our trip to Ukraine.
Circulo de Juarez
Perera was our lead sprinter here and did well considering the competition! He managed a 4th place in stage 4 as well as a couple of other top 10s. He finished 13th overall but overall we are quite happy with the race as we had no expectations going in. We didn't quite get a podium but still a great race for Perera and the team!
Coppa Placci
Coppa Placci is tough as we have 2 leaders when we shouldn't. Yates is our best hill climber in the race however Schleck likes to assume the leadership of the team. In the Gisborne GP it didn't work at all. However, here it worked a bit better. Yates was out of the picture however Jordan Schleck was able to stay in the lead group. He did only manage to finish 13th place but still a step in the right direction moving forward in C2 races with this squad (as we have a few more of these coming up).
A fairly decent February for the squad but we definitely could have improved and had a better month. We had opportunities we didn't capitalise on however it is early in the year and we have a quiet month in March with only 1 stage race so plenty of time to get our heads right and start capitalising on these opportunities. Now to finish here are the current PCT rankings. We are now 16th in the rankings so moving down but still able to improve and move up again. We will see how we go moving forward!
So we have slowed down after January and February. Things are looking a bit bleak for us. March we only have 1 race so just to score points would be the goal. Its hard to call though being a HC race.
Tour of South Africa
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Jack Bobridge
71
67
81
75
71
71
66
51
67
77
64
64
75
Joel Yates
71
65
78
69
77
74
71
63
62
69
73
69
69
Bilguunjargal Erdenebat
75
60
65
78
77
78
74
51
59
64
69
68
79
Patrick Bevin
68
74
73
76
68
64
73
53
64
74
74
69
72
Jake Marryatt
71
61
68
77
67
74
67
57
60
58
67
63
77
Flavio De Luna
66
73
70
74
65
70
67
65
55
66
65
66
73
Tyler Brandt
66
75
68
72
72
67
70
61
59
64
65
70
71
Vadim Ratiy
62
76
66
70
64
67
70
50
50
52
50
51
70
Hard race to call. Bobridge leads us for the hills here. After a decent start to his season in the TDU, he is looking for a big result. He was expected to be one of the highest scorers for the season and is struggling so we need a big race from him. He is supported by Yates. We also have a strong group of TT riders to support in chases as well as the Time trial.
Tour of Tasmania
Volta a Portugal
Le Samyn
Coppa Placci
Tour of South Africa
