MAAP is nice kit. My son loves it. It’s on the more pricey end of the market.
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I am meh about the kit change, however, at least it’s not blue or red, so will stand out in the peleton. I am more interested in Jayco attracting an Australian sponsor which has been a struggle for them since their inception. Gotta think that Aussie companies who have or want to have an overseas imprint have missed opportunities in the past.
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Ais team for the TDU has been released. mens team is Howson, Porter, Browning, Bleddyn, Walsh, Scott and Marriage. Browning is the interesting one as it is hard to believe he can’t find a spot on a development team. the women’s team is Bates, Dixon, Plouffe, Frain, Edwards and Polites. Dixon is a good prospect and one who should make the WT.
The mens race will have a good start field on a harder edition of the race. two riders of interest are Gloag and Kwiatowski. They can do well if they are in shape.
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I did the zwift maap tour 50% discount and still to pricey for me 
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Liv Alula Jayco team for the TDU is Baker, Pate, Talbot, Wylie, Smulders and Roseman-Gannon. The team is a chance to win a stage with Baker, however, they should have brought Garcia who is well suited to Willunga Hill.
Men’s team is Hepburn, Durbridge, Plapp, Schmid, Stewart, O’Brien and Harper. Plapp and Schmid for GC, while Stewart will hope for luck in the sprints. Note that Groenewegen and Dunbar will be leaders at the Alula Tour.
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Final start lists have been released for the men and womem’s TDU. The women’s event is wide open, however Liv Alula made a mistake in not bringing Mavi Garcia who would have been hard to beat. The men’s field is strong and probably ten riders could win. The glaring omission is the paucity of sprinters. I don’t understand why Visma did not bring Kooij or why QS did not bring Magnier or Lamperti. Anyway watch Tim Torn Teutenberg who could win a stage.
Lucas Hamilton was doing laps of Yarra Boulevard (Richmond) in his Ineos kit today.
Two days ago, or was it yesterday, he was there in his Jayco kit, but riding a Pinarello.
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I imagine that Hamilton was in the old Jayco kit. I wonder if he will ride the National’s? I suspect there may be reduced fields with the location in Perth. Anyway, the main feature will be the the battle between Plapp and Vine in the men’s ITT. You have to wonder about Ewan. He was rejected by Astana while rejected INEOS’ offer. he will ride races and some could be WT races, howver, i suspect he will ride a reduced calendar.
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Checked out the profiles for the upcoming National RR and ITT. The ITT is on a fast,flowing course and will suit the powerful riders. RR course has 2500 metres of elevation, so you will need an extremely strong rider to get away.
I feel the summer calendar in Australia is disjointed. Cadels race should be on the second weekend of january, then have a midweek one day race, then the next week is the TDU and the Nationals is the last weekend in January. This works better as the riders would prefer lead up one day races before the TDU. It will not affect the overseas peleton because many spend a month in OZ training and racing.
The crit circuit for the Nationals is 1.2km long with 6 turns and a slight downhill run could cause carnage. It’s disappointing the Women’s RR is only 109kms. They could have added two or three laps to make it either 136 or 149km. It’s even more concerning when the womens junior RR is 81kms.
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I’ve just been talking to my brother-in-law who is a UCI Official.
I showed him your post re the calendar and he made the following observations.
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Running the Nationals prior to the TDU allows the Australian Champions to wear the National Champions Jersey at the start of the World Tour Season (TDU being the first race of the season)
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Re Cadel’s race, it is actually four events over five days so wouldn’t fit into a tidy weekend slot.
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TDU is run by SA Government and Cadel’s race by Victorian Government…they do what suits them and there is minimal cooperation between them in terms of any event coordination.
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I just can’t see the other WT teams wanting to be here 2nd week (well it would be 1st week, if you include preparation time) of January. Sure, some riders will come out just to get away from winter in the NH, but the rest of the staff, mechanics etc, no way.
Nothing wrong with showing off the Aussie jersey in the following summer. It would actually be the WA and the Vic Government who would need to co-operate as the TDU would keep the same dates. When you consider that most of the riders arrive in OZ in early Jan and budget to spend close to a month in Australia, then switching the dates of Cadel’s and National’s makes sense, because what happens is after the TDU half of the WT teams return to Europe which weakens Cadel’s race.
Teams would still spend around the same amount of time in Australia, just the order of races would change.
Looks like Jayco want Plapp to broaden his horizons and have him on the start list for Dwaars De Vlaanderen. Nothing wrong with dipping his toe in the water as he has the power for some of the Flemish races.
Elite Women’s and Men’s ITT results
Chapman wins by a healthy 32 seconds from Pate
Plapp gets almost caught by Vine after leading handily at every intermediate. Only 8 seconds in the end,
Durbridge was up to 3rd at the last intermediate but failed to finish. Not sure if mechanical or a crash.
He missed the finish chute entirely, and then went to turn in and missed it again, and then just kept riding on the course. Came back in the opposite way and headed straight to the pit. DNF.
At the finish Durbridge missed the last turn as if he was going to do another lap. Got a dnf. Kel O’Brien finishes and pulls his ear piece out and yells at Durbo “Dude never trust the radio” radio has told Luke to do another lap extra lap.
Vine is improving his ITT and the UAE set up is the best in the peleton, however, expected Plapp to win by 20 or 30 seconds. Anyway both will be at the World’s ITT and a medal is a possibility. Plapp should aim to win a ITT in Europe this year. I’m bullish about Plapp as he showed some outstanding signs in 2024. Ewan off the team roster for Jayco in 2025, whereabouts unknown.
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Some talk that Plapp was riding with a broken wrist, crashed on a buffalo descent this week.
Thoughts on the Crit today @yaco55 @barry_day ?
Are either you here in Perth?