Hot racing coming up in Australia

[yaco]

Which riders who normally race the nationals and would actually be competitive are missing? O'Connor might be one, possibly Drizners and Schultz. The last time Ewan raced in Australia he skipped the nationals and the year before was a DNF, Storer also skipped them the last time he raced here, Haig hasn't started the nationals since 2016, Porte 2018, Lucas Hamilton missed this year but made it in 2021 and Matthews has already been discussed. The field might have been a little weaker on paper but in reality not that much weaker and certainly not a good reason to cancel the race.

Lets take this a step further - Very few riders who travelled home for the 2020/2021 summer in which they had to complete 14 days quarantine reached their normal level in 2021 - Only Brown and Porte and possibly Durbridge reached their level in 2021, hence more riders stayed in Europe for the 2021/2022 off-season to prepare for the 2022 season. It's not just about the weakness of the fields BUT it's also the ability to actually enter Australia to ride the National's. Anyway we'll get a truly representative field in 2023.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Lets take this a step further - Very few riders who travelled home for the 2020/2021 summer in which they had to complete 14 days quarantine reached their normal level in 2021 - Only Brown and Porte and possibly Durbridge reached their level in 2021, hence more riders stayed in Europe for the 2021/2022 off-season to prepare for the 2022 season. It's not just about the weakness of the fields BUT it's also the ability to actually enter Australia to ride the National's. Anyway we'll get a truly representative field in 2023.

But for the AUS based riders who did take part, it could possibly have been worse for their development if races like that had been cancelled. Of course it would have been better if all the pros have had better opportunities to be there, but that was obviously not possible.

 

[yaco]

But for the AUS based riders who did take part, it could possibly have been worse for their development if races like that had been cancelled. Of course it would have been better if all the pros have had better opportunities to be there, but that was obviously not possible.

Do you realise there were hardly any NRS races in Australia during 2020/2021 because of state border restrictions ? Then the leading Conti Team Bridgelane did not travel overseas in 2020, while they rode a more limited overseas calendar in 2021 - At the same time unless you had a pro-contract you were not allowed to leave Australia, which stopped riders from riding for CT teams in Europe or riding in the amateur ranks - Also no junior riders left Australia in 2020 and 2021 to ride overseas and in fact, Australia had no junior team at the World Championship's - The last two years have been a disaster for the development of young up and coming Aussie cyclists - Anyway it appears that 2022 will be a better year.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Do you realise there were hardly any NRS races in Australia during 2020/2021 because of state border restrictions ? Then the leading Conti Team Bridgelane did not travel overseas in 2020, while they rode a more limited overseas calendar in 2021 - At the same time unless you had a pro-contract you were not allowed to leave Australia, which stopped riders from riding for CT teams in Europe or riding in the amateur ranks - Also no junior riders left Australia in 2020 and 2021 to ride overseas and in fact, Australia had no junior team at the World Championship's - The last two years have been a disaster for the development of young up and coming Aussie cyclists - Anyway it appears that 2022 will be a better year.

But still would it have been better not to have had any racing at all?

 

[42x16ss]

Do you realise there were hardly any NRS races in Australia during 2020/2021 because of state border restrictions ? Then the leading Conti Team Bridgelane did not travel overseas in 2020, while they rode a more limited overseas calendar in 2021 - At the same time unless you had a pro-contract you were not allowed to leave Australia, which stopped riders from riding for CT teams in Europe or riding in the amateur ranks - Also no junior riders left Australia in 2020 and 2021 to ride overseas and in fact, Australia had no junior team at the World Championship's - The last two years have been a disaster for the development of young up and coming Aussie cyclists - Anyway it appears that 2022 will be a better year.

The reduced NRS calendar made races like Nationals and TDU more necessary if anything. Racing is needed for development

 

[Sciatic]

Do you realise there were hardly any NRS races in Australia during 2020/2021 because of state border restrictions ? Then the leading Conti Team Bridgelane did not travel overseas in 2020, while they rode a more limited overseas calendar in 2021 - At the same time unless you had a pro-contract you were not allowed to leave Australia, which stopped riders from riding for CT teams in Europe or riding in the amateur ranks - Also no junior riders left Australia in 2020 and 2021 to ride overseas and in fact, Australia had no junior team at the World Championship's - The last two years have been a disaster for the development of young up and coming Aussie cyclists - Anyway it appears that 2022 will be a better year.

 

[Sciatic]

The expectations about what would be a “quality” field is perhaps skewed the the prior history of Australian nationals taking place so very early in the pro calendar. In the U.S., and probably in other northern hemisphere countries outside Europe that have their nationals in May/June, the top WT pros typically don’t compete; ‘they are certainly not going to fly home from Europe for a single race and miss participating in the Giro or mess up their Tour prep. Nonetheless it remains an important race for domestic riders and has at least a small role in continuing to build support for bike racing in the U.S.

 

[yaco]

The reduced NRS calendar made races like Nationals and TDU more necessary if anything. Racing is needed for development

The TDU is happening in a reduced format and will be part of the NRS series, although it is not part of the UCI's world calendar.

 

[StryderHells]

Lets take this a step further - Very few riders who travelled home for the 2020/2021 summer in which they had to complete 14 days quarantine reached their normal level in 2021 - Only Brown and Porte and possibly Durbridge reached their level in 2021, hence more riders stayed in Europe for the 2021/2022 off-season to prepare for the 2022 season. It's not just about the weakness of the fields BUT it's also the ability to actually enter Australia to ride the National's. Anyway we'll get a truly representative field in 2023.

It can be argued that Damien Howson, Lucas Hamilton, Kaden Groves and Chris Harper who was going well with a 4th overall at the UAE Tour after having to do the 14 day quarantine but his season got derailed by health issues all reached a high level in 2021. In fact it's hard to find anyone in the men's race who raced the 2021 nationals who had a bad year because of the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

 

[yaco]

It can be argued that Damien Howson, Lucas Hamilton, Kaden Groves and Chris Harper who was going well with a 4th overall at the UAE Tour after having to do the 14 day quarantine but his season got derailed by health issues all reached a high level in 2021. In fact it's hard to find anyone in the men's race who raced the 2021 nationals who had a bad year because of the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

Why did so many Aussies stay in Europe this off-season when it was announced allbeit at short notice, they could have travelled to Sydney and Melbourne quarantine free from November one and to most other parts of Australia in Mid-December ? I think the proof is in the pudding.

 

[oldcrank]

Looks like overseas visitors to the Wollongong Worlds will have a choice of two gran fondos just prior to the festivities in NSW. Amy's Gran Fondo in VIC and the new Port Doogie event up in QLD are both on 11 September (one week before the Worlds) so you'll have to choose just one.

 

[42x16ss]

Blake Quick with an impressive win in the opening TDU crit.

WT teams have to be looking at this kid, so far this year he's won both races of the Bay Crits, won he U23 Nats RR easily with a storming ride and now this.

 

[RedheadDane]

Blake Quick with an impressive win in the opening TDU crit.

WT teams have to be looking at this kid, so far this year he's won both races of the Bay Crits, won he U23 Nats RR easily with a storming ride and now this.

He needs to sign with a WT, or very least PT, so we can get a sprint between him and Ben and/or Connor Swift.
Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any active riders named 'Fast'.

 

[yaco]

Hope that BEX choose suitable races for Roseman Gannon - Undoubtedly they will throw her into one day races BUT she will be stronger in stage races because of her recovery and consistency.

Junior riders McKenzie and Rogers will join the BEX team for Santos Festival of Cycling - They are both promising juniors - McKenzie won the National junior ITT, while Rodgers ( nephew of Mick Rodgers) won the junior RR - One or both will be at BEX in 2024.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

He needs to sign with a WT, or very least PT, so we can get a sprint between him and Ben and/or Connor Swift.
Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any active riders named 'Fast'.

Actually, there is one: Konstantin Fast

 

[RedheadDane]

Actually, there is one: Konstantin Fast

I saw the name when I searched PCS, but assumed that with his birth year he was unlikely to still be active.
He's still unlikely to ever go up in a sprint against the other mentioned riders.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

16 year (and 4 month) gap between his first and second CQ scoring performances is noteworthy.

 

[will-10]

Actually, there is one: Konstantin Fast

None of them have the speed of this guy

 

[42x16ss]

Dumped WT guys are going nuts at the TDU - Whelan very strong yesterday and now Dyball and Sunderland getting in on the action today

 

[42x16ss]

Another good win for Quick. This kid is a beast in strong man sprints

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So Whelan was handed a one mintue penalty because he got paced back to the peloton on stage 1 after having had a mechanical in the neutral zone, which meant the race should have been stopped to allow him to get back before the start.

Quick was the quickest on the line, Ben Hill is leading the mountains classification. and tomorrow Richie will win on top of Porte Hill.

 

[Tim Cahill]

One more round.

 

[42x16ss]

I hope Porte has it in him to make one last statement today

 

[yaco]

It's a Mickey Mouse race with no UCI points on offer, while the results don't get published in PCS - The Adelaide Government dropped the ball on the 2022 TDU - It should have been held, especially seeing they ran International tennis tournaments in January.

 

[42x16ss]

It's a Mickey Mouse race with no UCI points on offer, while the results don't get published in PCS - The Adelaide Government dropped the ball on the 2022 TDU - It should have been held, especially seeing they ran International tennis tournaments in January.

It was uncertain what the quarantine requirements were going to be at the time though TBF. The race should be back in full World Tour form next year.

Whelan holds his own comfortably on Willunga for GC