Australian National Road Championships - Ballarat, 8-12 January 2014

[auscyclefan94]

Australian National Road Championships - Ballarat, 8-12 January 2014

Official site

Road Race Circuit
http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Race-Road-Map.jpg

http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Race-Road-Profile.jpg

Time Trial Circuit (Elite Men)
http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Time-Trial-Elite-Men-Map.jpg

http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Time-Time-Elite-Men-Profile.jpg


Official Schedule
Wednesday, 8 January – Time Trial
Burrumbeet

10:30am: U23 Men’s Time Trial (28km)
12:00pm: Elite & U23 Women’s Time Trial (28km)
2:30pm: Elite Men’s Time Trial (45km)

Thursday, 9 January – Criteriums
Sturt Street, Ballarat

4:30pm: U23 Men’s Criterium (33km – 30 x 1.1km laps)
5:30pm: Elite & U23 Women’s Criterium (33km – 30 x 1.1km laps)
7:00pm: Elite Men’s Criterium (44km – 40 x 1.1km laps)

Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 January – Road Races
Geelong Rd, Buninyong

Saturday

9:00am: U23 Men’s Road Race (132.6km – 13 x 10.2km laps)
1:30pm: Elite & U23 Women’s Road Race (102km – 10 x 10.2km laps)

Sunday

11:30am: Elite Men’s Road Race (183.6km – 18 x 10.2km laps)

There will be a live feed for Australian viewers only for the Men's Road Race.

 

[movingtarget]

Australian National Road Championships - Ballarat, 8-12 January 2014

Official site

Road Race Circuit
http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Race-Road-Map.jpg

http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Race-Road-Profile.jpg

Time Trial Circuit (Elite Men)
http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Time-Trial-Elite-Men-Map.jpg

http://roadnationals.org.au/rn/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Time-Time-Elite-Men-Profile.jpg


Official Schedule
Wednesday, 8 January – Time Trial
Burrumbeet

10:30am: U23 Men’s Time Trial (28km)
12:00pm: Elite & U23 Women’s Time Trial (28km)
2:30pm: Elite Men’s Time Trial (45km)

Thursday, 9 January – Criteriums
Sturt Street, Ballarat

4:30pm: U23 Men’s Criterium (33km – 30 x 1.1km laps)
5:30pm: Elite & U23 Women’s Criterium (33km – 30 x 1.1km laps)
7:00pm: Elite Men’s Criterium (44km – 40 x 1.1km laps)

Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 January – Road Races
Geelong Rd, Buninyong

Saturday

9:00am: U23 Men’s Road Race (132.6km – 13 x 10.2km laps)
1:30pm: Elite & U23 Women’s Road Race (102km – 10 x 10.2km laps)

Sunday

11:30am: Elite Men’s Road Race (183.6km – 18 x 10.2km laps)

There will be a live feed for Australian viewers only for the Men's Road Race.

That's a shame as some of our comrades from outside Australia were interested. Cadel will probably ride but I think it's too early in the season for him. He might have to change his Giro prep if they cancel the Trentino stage race which was having some financial difficulty.

 

[auscyclefan94]

That's a shame as some of our comrades from outside Australia were interested. Cadel will probably ride but I think it's too early in the season for him. He might have to change his Giro prep if they cancel the Trentino stage race which was having some financial difficulty.

I hope Cadel does ride, because I am sick of the boring GreenEdge domination of this race. The race needs more protagonists who will race to win.

 

[movingtarget]

I hope Cadel does ride, because I am sick of the boring GreenEdge domination of this race. The race needs more protagonists who will race to win.

I think the race needs tweaking as well. It's a bit tired looking. I know Ballarat really supports cycling but I would like the race to go interstate every few years. See if other states are interested. I'm sure NSW would be but SA because of the TDU probably wouldn't be unless they used it as a lead up to the TDU and could handle to extra costs and road disruptions etc.

 

[2beeDammed]

I think the race needs tweaking as well. It's a bit tired looking. I know Ballarat really supports cycling but I would like the race to go interstate every few years. See if other states are interested. I'm sure NSW would be but SA because of the TDU probably wouldn't be unless they used it as a lead up to the TDU and could handle to extra costs and road disruptions etc.

I agree, Ballarat....yawn....ditto for SA sharing it around would make for a more exciting event and while I'm at it, live TV coverage ! It amazes me that I have almost four versions of the same domestic free to air channels all showing the same show? Surely they could use these channels better for things like this.

 

[bike_boy]

I think the race needs tweaking as well. It's a bit tired looking. I know Ballarat really supports cycling but I would like the race to go interstate every few years. See if other states are interested. I'm sure NSW would be but SA because of the TDU probably wouldn't be unless they used it as a lead up to the TDU and could handle to extra costs and road disruptions etc.

They moved it to South Australia for a couple of years and nobody turned up to watch.

 

[search]

I hope Cadel does ride, because I am sick of the boring GreenEdge domination of this race. The race needs more protagonists who will race to win.

Evans start was confirmed last week

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...-championships-for-first-time-since-2005.aspx

 

[trevim]

Wow road racing again!...

 

[Gloin22]

Meh, no way anyone else other than GE wins it.

All they have to do is to place strongest rider in the break, and that is all. If there is a stronger rider in the break than the OGE rider, they chase it down and put another one up the road.

And they sit up. Or they can make it into a selected bunch which Matthews should win most of the time.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans start was confirmed last week

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...-championships-for-first-time-since-2005.aspx

He has registered. His start is still not confirmed although likely.

 

[Ferminal]

Meh, no way anyone else other than GE wins it.

All they have to do is to place strongest rider in the break, and that is all. If there is a stronger rider in the break than the OGE rider, they chase it down and put another one up the road.

And they sit up. Or they can make it into a selected bunch which Matthews should win most of the time.

Not exactly. They will only be lining up ~10 this year which is fewer than previous years. Drapac and maybe Avanti will have more than that. Last year Drapac more or less had their strongest rider in the break so they were happy to just let it unfold the way it did, especially in the early stages where the break got a free ten minutes or whatever it was*. This year they will be stronger and more organised. If they find themselves in a break with Durbridge/Meyer/Howson they aren't going to accept it, they will try and attack out but keep the gap to the peloton close enough to bring things back when they fail.

It's unlikely the break wins unless it's big enough and good enough to be considered a split peloton. That means Porte/Evans/Dennis get an easy ride into the final couple of laps. Of course the class of GreenEdge's various types of finishers should prevail on the day, but it will be more like 2012 than 2013.

*Also note they gained all their time on the random flat circuits where the bunch totally switched off, that's not really possible on the 10km hilly circuit.

 

[theyoungest]

Not exactly. They will only be lining up ~10 this year which is fewer than previous years. Drapac and maybe Avanti will have more than that. Last year Drapac more or less had their strongest rider in the break so they were happy to just let it unfold the way it did, especially in the early stages where the break got a free ten minutes or whatever it was*. This year they will be stronger and more organised. If they find themselves in a break with Durbridge/Meyer/Howson they aren't going to accept it, they will try and attack out but keep the gap to the peloton close enough to bring things back when they fail.

It's unlikely the break wins unless it's big enough and good enough to be considered a split peloton. That means Porte/Evans/Dennis get an easy ride into the final couple of laps. Of course the class of GreenEdge's various types of finishers should prevail on the day, but it will be more like 2012 than 2013.

*Also note they gained all their time on the random flat circuits where the bunch totally switched off, that's not really possible on the 10km hilly circuit.

If the course is hard enough it will just be a matter of the strongest rider wins. And that won't be a Drapac rider, looking at their roster.

It will be interesting between Greenedge and the combined forces of Porte/Evans/Dennis. A really good Porte can ride them all off his wheel.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Stage 2, crits. Goss clocks up a win:

1 Matthew GOSS (Orica GreenEDGE) 1:01:54
2 Caleb EWAN (Subaru NSWIS) +0
3 Leigh HOWARD (Orica GreenEDGE) +0
4 Brenton JONES (Procon Telematics') +0
5 Graham BRIGGS (Rapha Condor JLT) +0
6 Raphael FREIENSTEIN (Charter Mason/Brennan IT) +0
7 Allan DAVIS (Chain Reaction) +0
8 Felix ENGLISH (Rapha Condor JLT) +0
9 Zakkari DEMPSTER (SASI) +0
10 Russell GILL (SASI) +0

and leads the series overall.

 

[Ferminal]

If the course is hard enough it will just be a matter of the strongest rider wins. And that won't be a Drapac rider, looking at their roster.

It will be interesting between Greenedge and the combined forces of Porte/Evans/Dennis. A really good Porte can ride them all off his wheel.

Gerrans may not be the strongest rider but will win easily if it's selective, he's not going to be outsprinted by Richie Porte. On 5% a well prepared Gerrans is as good uphill as anyone (see 2012) and probably better on the way down (+Clarke/Meyer/Matthews to help if needed), Porte or whoever would have to be overwhelmingly stronger to take a solo win. A vintage Evans "sprint" could challenge if he's in very, very good shape.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Looking forward to it. I'll be there all week driving lead in race convoy.

 

[Anderis]

What about Garmin? Do they bother to participate? With Dennis, Von Hoff, Morton and Haas they could have a team capable of doing something in this race.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Von Hoff, Morton and Dennis do participate, Haas does not.

 

[Nicosix]

Why aren't David Tanner or Rory Sutherland participating although they will ride the TDU?

 

[movingtarget]

Gerrans may not be the strongest rider but will win easily if it's selective, he's not going to be outsprinted by Richie Porte. On 5% a well prepared Gerrans is as good uphill as anyone (see 2012) and probably better on the way down (+Clarke/Meyer/Matthews to help if needed), Porte or whoever would have to be overwhelmingly stronger to take a solo win. A vintage Evans "sprint" could challenge if he's in very, very good shape.

Yeah too early in the season for Porte and he can't sprint. Gerrans is targeting the TDU so should be in good shape.

 

[gustienordic]

I think we're going to see an outsider win this race. Perhaps one of the younger Garmin guys or OGE guys. Gerrans will be marked since he is such a favorite IMO. If Dennis races or Morton I could see them coming away with a surprise win. My dark horse is Meyer though. It would be interesting to see him come away with the title.

 

[movingtarget]

I think we're going to see an outsider win this race. Perhaps one of the younger Garmin guys or OGE guys. Gerrans will be marked since he is such a favorite IMO. If Dennis races or Morton I could see them coming away with a surprise win. My dark horse is Meyer though. It would be interesting to see him come away with the title.

Maybe. Plenty of good young sprinters. Durbridge also has be a big chance to win again.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I like Rohan Dennis actually. A guy who can time trial and climb strongly.

 

[MatParker117]

Durbridge may miss the TT in which case it's Porte vs Dennis.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Porte is not on the startlist for the TT.

Why would Durbo not be riding he did very well during the Bay Crits.

Its Durbridge vs Dennis vs Howson. But I think Durbridge will win it by quite a margin.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Porte is not on the startlist for the TT.

Why would Durbo not be riding he did very well during the Bay Crits.

Its Durbridge vs Dennis vs Howson. But I think Durbridge will win it by quite a margin.

There are some reports saying he has a sore throat. I think he will start anyway.