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2014
Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic
Preview |
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Women
The women's field is the most competitive and international it
has ever been. Defending Champion and two time winner Melissa
Hoskins will not race due to a focus on track commitments but
the competition will be high.
All eyes may be on the World Number One team ORICA-AIS and
Rochelle Gilmore's British super team Wiggle-Honda but the
competition does not stop there.
ORICA-AIS
With little racing on home soil the defending champions and
now World Number One team have a point to prove. 8 of the
teams 11 riders will line up but only five riding for
ORICA-AIS. In the almost inevitable sprint finishes on at
least some of the stages Nettie Edmondson will be the
protected rider. Still recovering from surgery in December but
showed at Omnium and Madison Nationals she is back on track
and she did beat Bronzini last year. Valentina Scandolara
makes her debut for the team and like any race she is in is
sure to light things up with a series of attacks.
Wiggle Honda
When a team brings two time former World Champion Giorgia
Bronzini eyes are bound to look at her as a potential winner.
Bronzini took an impressive 16 wins in 2013 (second only to
Vos) including six consecutive stage victories at the Route de
France. Something to note is she started slowly in 2013 with
her first win coming in her fifth race of the year in mid
March at the Classica Citta di Padova. With the importance of
the race to her team expect to see her come out firing.
Bronzini who will hope to become the first international rider
to win is back by a strong team. Last years runner up Peta
Mullens will be crucial support for Bronzini in the sprints.
Roxsolt Sydney Uni
Chloe Hosking leads the specially assembled team for the
Summer Criteriums. Hosking is one of the fastest Australian
sprinters and will hope to get her season off to a good start.
Managed only two wins in 2013 but importantly she beat Kirsten
Wild confirming her speed. Support in the sprints will come
from 2014 teammate and stage winner at NSW GP Lauren Kitchen
and British lead out specialist Lucy Martin. Both riders are
also equally capable of results themselves.
Jayco National Team
The team is headlined by seasoned professionals Carlee Taylor,
Gracie Elvin and Shara Gillow who all ride for ORICA-AIS
during the season, but the name that might most surprise is
reigning U23 Criterium Champion Emily Roper. The talented
youngster packs a very fast finish so expect to see her
towards the end of the stages. With sprint finishes not the
ideal scenario for Taylor, Elvin and Gillow they are likely to
be very aggressive.
Specialized Securitor
Tiffany Cromwell makes her debut on a Specialized bike but not
quite in the colours of Specialized-lululemon yet. Cromwell
had a very strong 2013 that finished with 9th at the World
Championships. Cromwell took a stage in a solo break last year
and will no doubt hope to repeat that. In sprint finishes the
team will look to Loren Rowney who took two sprint victories
in Europe last year.
Other names to watch include Jessica Mundy, Sophie Williamson,
Chloe McConville and Rochelle Gilmore (riding as an
individual).
Full start list
here
Men
A few days ago all eyes would have been on Caleb Ewan to
defend his title however a crash has now added some
uncertainly to that. The 2011 and 2012 winners in Matt Goss
and Allan Davis will also be on the start line.
Subaru NSWIS
The very young team has one of the biggest names in the race
in Caleb Ewan. Seven victories in 2013 including two at the
Tour de l'Avenir, Australia's first National Cup win at La
Cote Picarde and two stages and the points jersey at
Internationale Thuringen-Rundfahrt. If the impact of Ewan's
crash is more than expected the team of Jack Edwards, Scott
Law, Aaron Donnelly and Nathan Bradshaw still have a number of
cards to play both in a sprint and breakaway moves.
ORICA-GreenEDGE
Goss was one of the world's top sprinters in 2011 and he
started it off winning here but his first two years with
GreenEDGE have seen him take just two individual victories.
The women's team have won in both years of existence but the
men haven't and Goss will hope to change that here. The
strongest team on paper with Docker and Howard providing a
strong lead out with 2013 stage winner Luke Durbridge and
multiple track World Champion Michael Hepburn adding to the
teams strength in a lead out or in breaks.
Budget Forklifts
One of Australia's top domestic teams brings a strong team
headlined by sprinter Jesse Kerrison. Kerrison took seven (of
9) top 5 finishes including a stage win at the Tour of Taihu
Lake in November as well as finishing 4th overall and winning
the best young riders jersey. Two days later he also took 4th
at the Tour of Nanjing. At 19 this will provide him with an
opportunity to race against some of the best sprinters in the
world.
Chain Reaction
Allan Davis was left without a team when ORICA-GreenEDGE
didn't re-sign him. Davis won in 2012 while riding for the
Mitchelton Wines team beating the GreenEDGE team. Still
looking for a contract and a hoping for a ride at the Tour
Down Under with UniSA expect him to be competitive in the
sprints.
Other names to watch Bradley Linfield (U23 Criterium
Champion), Steele Von Hoff as well as the SASI and the Rapha
Condor JLT squads.
Full start list
here |
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