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2015 Mitchelton Bay Cycling
Classic
Preview |
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The fastest citerium series in
the world starts off the 2015 Aussie Summer of Cycling, with
four criteriums over four days. For those who haven't followed
the event before or need a refresher. Points and not time are
what matters for the general classification. The top 10 riders
on each stage receive points - 12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Six riders are allowed to start each stage but riders are not
required to ride all four stages. A number of teams have
brought just six riders while others have larger squads and
will substitute riders in and out.
2014 Recap
Stage 1 - Giorgia BRONZINI
Stage 2 - Chloe HOSKING
Stage 3 - Giorgia BRONZINI
Stage 4 - Giorgia BRONZINI
General Classification
1 Giorgia BRONZINI 46
2 Annette EDMONDSON 34
3 Tiffany CROMWELL 30
4 Chloe HOSKING 30
5 Gracie ELVIN 23
6 Valentina SCANDOLRA 10
7 Lizzie WILLIAMS 9
8 Sophie WILLIAMSON 8
9 Joanne HOGAN 7
10 Barbara GUARSCHI 6
The Stages
Stage 1 - Ritchie Boulevard
Stage 2 - Eastern Park
Stage 3 - Portarlington
Stage 4 - Williamstown
The Contenders
Full start list available
here
Wiggle Honda (Wiggle Down Under)
Veni, vidi, vici - I came, I saw, I conquered is a good way to
describe how Wiggle-Honda (Wiggle Down Under) went at the Bay
Crits in 2014. Two-time road World Champion Giorgia Bronzini
won three stages and the overall and finished second on the
other when Chloe Hosking took a jump on the field.
The team is very strong with several genuine winners. Bronzini
is one of the fastest sprinters in the world and will be keen
to defend her title. With Chloe Hosking the team has another
sprinter who could lead the charge after several wins over the
top sprinters in 2014. British Criterium Champion Eileen Roe
is another contender but lacks the pure finishing speed of
Hosking and Bronzini.
The team is completed by Emilia Fahlin, Jessica Mundy and
Georgia Baker, who are strong riders in their own right but as
a team they form a very strong leadout.
Orica-AIS
The team has lost Annette Edmondson to Wiggle Honda and two
time overall winner Melissa Hoskins is not competing with her
focus on the track. New signing and reigning national
Criterium Champion Sarah Roy will get the opportunity to race
with the team for the first time in the last race in the Green
and Gold jersey at least for now.
Roy is a fast finisher but lacks the speed of some of the pure
sprinters in the race. With the rest of the team including the
best road captain in the business Loes Gunnewijk, Amanda
Spratt, Lizzie Williams and Gracie Elvin expect to see the
team attack and attack to try and take advantage of any
opportunity that presents itself.
EDIT: Roy will not start stage 1 due to illness.
Roxsolt
Kimberley Wells won at Noosa, Stan Siejka Cycling Classic and
Shimano Super Crit at the end of 2014 after picking up several
NRS wins. Wells' has also been spending time on the boards
winning silver in the scratch race at the Oceania
Championships and more recently silver in the omnium.
If Wells has the form she has been showing will be a major
threat to the Wiggle Down Under squad and could even surprise.
The team has other options in the form of former Australian
Criterium Champion Lauren Kitchen and sprinter Lauren Rowney
who will also be crucial in a leadout.
Tiffany Cromwell is the wildcard, packs a strong finish but
unable to match the pure sprinters and with Wells on the team
expect her to mostly play a support role. Important to
remember however than Cromwell finished third overall in 2014
based on three stage podiums. A contender in her own right.
Emily Collins (SUVELO Racing)
The former Wiggle Honda rider had a mostly quiet 2014 riding
in a support role other than fourth at the National
Championships and Diamond Tour. A strong finish but not a pure
sprinter and riding for the SUVELO team with just three
teammates will put her at a disadvantage. Don't discount a top
five overall finish or even a podium in the right
circumstances.
Georgia Williams (Novotel Geelong)
Williams is a track specialist, the name might fly under the
radar but Williams finished top 10 on two stages last year and
eight overall. Doesn't have the team support of some of the
bigger names but shouldn’t be discounted for another top 10
finish.
Other names to watch include Peta Mullens (stage 1 and 3),
Ellen Skerritt (stage 3), Chloe Baggs (stage 2 and 4) and Lisa
Jacobs (stage 2 and 3). Not riding all four stages will make
it difficult if not impossible to have any real impact on the
overall standings but expect to see them in contention on the
relevant stages. |
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