MS will be disappointed they failed to win the Women’s criterium.
Anyway C.Scotson will join the MS CT team for 2018 - Rate him higher than Mitchell and could end up in the WT in 2019 - And Robert Stannard who could be the next Michael Matthews returns for a second year - And Stannard is 19 - he should be at WT level in 2020.
Dennis wins the iTT, durbo 2d and Porte 3rd.
Chaves training at Falls Creek. I have first hand reports of him training yesterday and day before.
Canty in good form on his last hitout before the Nat RR.
Just obliterated the KOM on The Wall.
Chaves is definitely training around Falls Creek. Makes sense for him to stay in Oz until the Herald Sun Tour. He may pop up at the Nationals.
Thought Porte was disappointing in the ITT. He could now be vulnerable in the TDU. Bora has named a strong team.
The ITT wasn’t his major goal.
Dennis was always going to win that, he’s in the top few TTers in the world. Durbo has a fine ride too.
An in-form Porte should have finished within 45 seconds of Dennis - It was also disappointing that Durbridge lost 10 seconds to Dennis compared to last year - Anyway if Dennis can avoid bad-luck or misjudgement the only TT’er who is better is Dumoulin.
Riddle - Ewan is not riding the Comm Games RR on a flat course - Yet he rides little of the classic season so will never ride PR or Ardennes classics, will not be at altitude in April because he is not riding the Giro - It’s hard to fathom this decision.
I suspect the Commonwealth Games RR team will be primarily U23 riders with perhaps one or two “seasoned” pros to guide them along.
Some promising Oz women riders announcing themselves at Nats.
Sarah Gigante coaches herself to win all three under 19 titles - Crit (where she lapped whole field), ITT and RR.
Lucy Kenney in first year for Michelton Scott, 2nd in ITT to Garfoot, but beating Shara Gillow. She is not young (29), a former runner and triathlete switched to cycling, rode with Oz devt team in europe last year (+ had top 5 finishes in Cadel’s Race and Nat RR). Interesting because she seems to be able to TT, climb and finish with sprinters, and so can do well in GC.
All/most(?) Michelton Scott women seem to have been training in Oz over summer. They were in Bendigo at one stage.
On right is new signing Jolien d’Hoore current Belgian RR champ - with form in classics and sprints, which should add a bit to the team.
Cyrus Monk is very good rider.
Women’s team had a camp in Melb/Can in late November and early December - D’hoore is a key signing because she addresses a need in the team that being a rider who can win from a bunch kick - Love Lucy Kennedy as a rider - She’s versatile and strong who will serve an apprenticeship in 2018 before winning races in 2019 - My only query about the team is having only 10 riders - Have injury/illness/track committments and you are stretched .
Men’s team has had no team camp or had a team presentation - There was an unofficial camp ( more for fitting out bikes and kits ) in early October - I believe there is a camp after the Herald Sun Turn and before Abu Dhabi.
Any idea what time the men’s race is supposed to start/finish?
Its already started
2018 ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS today
Start: 12:15 AEDST
TV: SBS Viceland from 13:00 (check local guides)
Internet: Check back here for live interweb video options…
Team BMC (Bid numbers)
21 Rohan Dennis
35 Simon Gerrans
88 Richie Porte
101 Miles Scotson
Ha, right. Only just got back.
And Shannon Malseed wins the women’s RR from Kitch, Brown, Spratt and Garfoot - Malseed along with Lucy Kennedy were the two promising riders from the 2017 NRS - Kennedy went to MS and Malseed to an American PCT in Tibco.
Impossible for me to find a stream as it’s geoblocked - From following tweets its like MS are setting the rece up for Ewan.
Edo had a great finish. Thought that was Ewan’s to lose the way it was shaping up.
They rode past me during letape lieke I was standing still lol
