Tour of Toowoomba Stages 1-2

With two key stages done, the provisional GC in the Tour of Toowoomba is dominated by Bennelong: Joseph Cooper rode an impressive timetrial to move up to 1st with 16 seconds on his teammate Michael Freiberg and 21 seconds on Michael Vink (Brisbane), who missed out on a Top-5 in the timetrial though. Pat Lane (InForm) took the opening stage with an uphill finish in Highfields, outsprinting Freiberg and Vink by 5 seconds eventually.

The top teams controlled the opening stage easily, but the GC contenders waited until the final 3km uphill finish to attack each other. Late (but minor) splits occured, with Pat Lane being the strongest of the main group. A promising start for Lane, who rode to a great 2nd place in the Grafton to Inverell classic most recently. Bennelong the strongest team in numbers, finishing 2-4-6-10 on the stage: Freiberg a good 2nd ahead of Vink and his teammate Timothy Roe as 4th. Up and coming James Whelan (Drapac) completed the Top5. Keagan Girdlestone (Team Ultra Racing) his team's best as 40th on the stage, losing one and a half minutes on the final ascent though.

The following 11km timetrial in Helidon as maybe the most important stage here: Joseph Cooper lived up to his role as the top favorite, destroying the competition by 14 seconds on Jordan Kerby (Brisbane) as 2nd and 20 seconds on Freiberg as 3rd on the day. GC leader Lane lost 45 seconds and Bennelong's depth made them crowding the GC's Top-6 with five riders! Will they hold on to this dominance in the last three stages?

Keagan Girdlestone with a solid showing so far, finishing a good 32nd in the ITT to move up to 38th in the GC. Still quite far off the points scoring Top-20 however.

Pat Lane leading the main group into the final kilometre of the opening stage..

..getting a small gap on Freiberg, Whelan and Vink on the final hundred metres..

..to take the only hilltop finish of the race: a key victory for Lane?

Keagan Girdlestone did fine enough in the Helidon timetrial, finishing 32nd..

Joseph Cooper dominated the day, beating his teammate Freiberg by quite a margin..

Jordan Kerby came closer, but he had to settle for a clear 2nd place anyway!

With three stages to come, Cooper is on a good way to achieve his third ever NRS GC-win.. will he hold off Vink and his very own teammates until the end?

Tour of Toowoomba Stages 3-4-5

Joseph Cooper (Bennelong) is the Tour of Toowoomba winner 2018: his third NRS GC-victory in the last three years. The veteran timetrial specialist avoided any bigger drama in another key stage on third day, when heavy crosswinds made the peloton go into pieces: Michael Potter (ACA) took out the Helidon Road Race in a thrilling two-men sprint against Ben Dyball (St. George), moving up to 2nd in the GC by only six seconds on Cooper. Michael Freiberg (Bennelong) completes the podium thanks to his stage-win in the final criterium through Toowoomba city.

The Helidon road race on third day made for some tough and great racing: crosswinds and some powerful teams made for a challenging stage and several small groups gained some valuable seconds on each other. Potter and Dyball as the strongest, with former GC-leader Pat Lane (InForm) completing the stage podium with six seconds lost. A group with Keagan Girdlestone (Team Ultra Racing) 15 seconds behind: Girdlestone with a great finish to cross the line as 6th on the stage (moving up to 21st in the provisional GC). Cooper lost 23 seconds on Potter, which was just enough to retain the purple leader-shirt for at least another day.

Another hilly, but less selective stage four saw a bigger main group sprinting for line honours: Nicholas White (Oliver's Real Food) sprinted to his team's biggest success in 2018, with Freiberg and Michael Vink (Brisbane) gaining crucial bonifications as 2nd and 3rd on the day. Ian Talbot (Team Ultra Racing) made it into the break of the day and gave the chasing bunch a huge fight until the final kilometre. Eventually, he got caught close to the flamme rouge though. An unlucky ending of a brave effort.

Some notable crosswinds in the race concluding criterium in Toowoomba then: Freiberg dominating the bunch sprint ahead of Ryan Thomas (Brisbane) and Brad Evans (Mobius), who moved up to 5th in the final GC that way. A great day for Girdlestone, too: the Adelaide Tour winner finished 13th on the stage and with a few minor GC contenders losing some time on the just 33-men strong main group, the young gun moved up to 17th in the final GC.

Drapac EF and Bennelong destroying the peloton on a windy third day!

The leading group going into pieces in the final kilometres, with Dyball and Potter going clear with just one kilometre remaining..

..a thrilling sprint between the duo, with Potter as the stage-winner!

Girdlestone finishing a great 6h on the stage, moving up the GC..

Talbot trying to hold off the nearing bunch in stage four..

..no luck though, as White wins the stage from a reduced main group!

Freiberg celebrates another stage-win for Bennelong in the final criterium..

..and his teammate Joseph Cooper defends the leader-shirt until the end: a great win and of course a big step towards his NRS title ambitiouns!

#INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Rk	Name	Team	Points
1	Joseph Cooper	Bennelong SwissWellness	395
2	Michael Freiberg	Bennelong SwissWellness	345
3	Michael Potter	Australian Cycling Academy	340
4	Pat Lane	InForm - Make	291
5	Chris Harper	Bennelong SwissWellness	290
6	Scott Sunderland	Bennelong SwissWellness	280
7	Cyrus Monk	Drapac EF Cycling	280
8	Angus Lyons	Mobius - BridgeLane	244
9	James Whelan	Drapac EF Cycling	240
10	Jordan Kerby	Brisbane Continental	240
11	Sam Welsford	Australian Cycling Academy	220
12	Keagan Girdlestone	Team Ultra Racing	214
13	Nicholas Kergozou	Mobius - BridgeLane	170
14	Michael Vink	Brisbane Continental	167
15	Ben Dyball	St. George Continental	165
16	Ryan Thomas	Brisbane Continental	128
17	Cameron Scott	Australian Cycling Academy	125
18	Sam Crome	Bennelong SwissWellness	120
19	Brad Evans	Mobius - BridgeLane	120
20	Peter Livingstone	Mobius - BridgeLane	115
21	Oliver Kent-Spark	Drapac EF Cycling	110
22	Ryan Cavanagh	St. George Continental	110
23	Raphael Freienstein	InForm - Make	108
24	Brendon Davids	Bennelong SwissWellness	95
25	Daniel Fitter	Australian Cycling Academy	94
26	Kaden Groves	St. George Continental	80
27	Liam Magennis	Drapac EF Cycling	78
28	Peter Milostic	Rauland Cycling Team	60
29	Sean Lake	Bennelong SwissWellness	55
30	Timothy Roe	Bennelong SwissWellness	50
31	Cameron Ivory	GPM Stulz	50
32	Toby Orchard	Australian Cycling Academy	48
33	Ian Talbot	Team Ultra Racing	35
34	Karl Evans	Team Ultra Racing	35
35	Nicholas White	Oliver's Real Food Racing	30

#TEAM RANKINGS

Rk	Team	Points
1	Bennelong SwissWellness Cycling	1305
2	Drapac EF Cycling	697
3	Australian Cycling Academy	677
4	Mobius - BridgeLane	514
5	Brisbane Continental Cycling	374
6	InForm - Make	329
7	St. George Continental Cycling	320
8	Team Ultra Racing	274
9	Rauland Cycling Team	60
10	GPM Stultz	50
11	Oliver's Real Food Racing	16
12	Team McDonalds Down Under	15

Battle Recharge Preview

Back on the NRS schedule after not being held since 2016, the Battle Recharge (formerly named Battle on the Border) definitely makes for one of the toughest stage races on the calendar. Rather long and challenging stages in general, the tour kicks off with a frightening stage featuring a brutal climb up Mt Warning. Certainly the key stage here, pure climbers will enjoy this unique chance to go for glory.

But also those following days probably can do some damage in the pack and of course the 11km timetrial will be another key to any GC-success here.

2017 | Race cancelled
2016 | Joseph Cooper (Avanti Racing)
2015 | No edition
2014 | No edition
2013 | No edition

Battle Recharge Stages 1-2

Chris Harper (Bennelong) is leading the GC with still three stages to come: his victory on the grueling summit finish up Mt Warning and a strong performance in a challenging and quite selective hilly stage on second day made him lead the provisional GC by 19 seconds on Ben Dyball (St. George) and 20 seconds on up and coming climber Alexander Evans (Mobius). Cyrus Monk (Drapac), winner of the second stage, moved up to 5th in the GC thanks to his solo victory in a tough and windy road race around Salt Resort.

The opening stage with a steep finish up Mt Warning has always been the key to any GC success at the Battle. And the top teams rode it hard and fast: with still 32km to go, the main group was already down to just 21 riders, with a few GC contenders - like former NRS leader Angus Lyons (Mobius) - already being dropped on the undulating route (also some crash victims amongst those names). A surprisingly strong Lachlan Darch (Van D'am) would then attack early into the final climb with 8km remaining. He was allowed to go clear for quite a while.

Darch still held on to 40 seconds advantage, when the top favorites would finally attack each other from a 16-men-group: Ben Dyball as the first go, Harper and Evans would join him soon after - going past Darch just a few moments later. Harper as the strongest then, winning the stage with a late acceleration by 14 seconds on a group with Dyball, Evans and Jason Lea (Bennelong). Darch a strong 5th ahead of Timothy Roe (Bennelong). A great day for Keagan Girdlestone (Team Ultra Racing), who won this stage two years ago: the young gun managed to stay in the main group and climbed to a respectable 9th place on this brutal stage.

The challenging road race around Salt Resort wouldn't be much easier though: Bennelong, Mobius and ACA would make it a tough race again, with only 12 riders left in the main group with only 5km to go. Girdlestone, Lea couldn't follow anymore, Darch got dropped earler in the stage. Monk would still have enough power to get away from the leading group 3km before the finish. An impressive solo ride, he finished it off with a 36 seconds gap on the first chasing group with a Bennelong trio at the front: Roe 2nd, Harper as 3rd and Joseph Cooper as 4th. Group Girdlestone (15th on the day) would lose about two minutes on this group. What a demonstration of power from the big teams. A great stage to follow from a neutral point of view.

Dyball attacking the main group with 1.5km to go on the Mt Warning climb..

Harper, Evans and Dyball go past solo leader Darch with 500metres to go. Lea/Roe fight to hang on..

Bennelong takes the queen stage with Harper having a great finish to get away from Dyball and Evans!

Two years after winning this stage in his first appearance in the Battle of the Border, Girdlestone sets another milestone in his comeback year: finishing 9th on this brutal climb!

Another selective race on the next day: the main group is down to just 12 riders inside the final 5km of the day..

Monk breaks clear from the group with an impressive attack late into the stage..

..for the win! A great ride from Monk, who gains valuable seconds on the first chasing group..

Harper defends yellow by finishing 3rd on the day: Bennelong with a great 2-3-4 in this challenging stage!

valverde321 wrote:
Bennelong sure seem to be dominating the GC so far!

Battle Recharge Stages 3-4-5

Chris Harper (Bennelong) succesfully kept the race lead in the final three stages and takes the final GC at the Battle Recharge. Just a few movements inside the Top-10 of the GC, as Ben Dyball (St. George) and Alexander Evans (Mobius) also kept their podium positions in the crucial timetrial and a tricky final criterium through Murwillumbah. Two breakaway wins in the final three days and Morgan Smith (St. George) as the big winner in the crucial timetrial, earning himself a respectable 12th place in the final GC of this tough stage race. Keagan Girdlestone (Team Ultra) rode a strong timetrial, but dropped two places to still a good 11th in the GC: NRS leader Joseph Cooper (Bennelong) and Daniel Fitter (ACA) had some strong final two days to go past him.

The only flat stage of the tour was won by Tristan Webber (Phoenix Cycling), just ahead of Theodore Yates(Drapac EF) as the fastest in the bunch sprint. A bittersweet day for Team Ultra Racing, who had Tristan Jones in the break of the day (3 riders). Webber though as the only one, who could hold off the chasing peloton until the finish line.

The 11km timetrial around Murwillumbah would be the next key stage for the GC then: Smith outperformed top favorite Cooper by 13 seconds, stage two winner Cyrus Monk (Drapac) rode to a strong 3rd place with 17 seconds lost on Smith. A good day for both Harper (defending his GC lead as 7th on the stage) and also Girdlestone, who finished 13th on the day. Cooper went past him in the GC anyway. But that was to be expected.

A tricky criterium would conclude the race then: a stage, where Cooper soloed to a GC winning victory with a late attack two years ago: this time, the early break would take the stage though. Ben Van Dam (Nero Racing) as the winner of the day. The GC contenders attacked on the bell lap, with Pat Lane (InForm) and Sam Crome (Bennelong) as the best finishers as 7th and 8th on the stage. Monk ten seconds behind as 10th, Harper in the first main group another 4 seconds later. Some minor movements inside the GC then, as the tricky profile would cause quite some splits inside the pack. Girdlestone suffering as 41st on the day, losing about a minute on Crome. Tough luck for NRS title contender Michael Potter (ACA), who dropped to 13th in the GC by losing four minutes on the stage due to a crash.

Webber as the only survivor of a 3-men-break, celebrating a rare victory!

Yates winning the bunch sprint for 2nd place ahead of Welsford/Giacoppo..

Kiwi Morgan Smith setting a great best time in the 11km timetrial..

..his compatriot and NRS leader Cooper has to settle for a 2nd place eventually!

Van Dam (Nero) vs Reid (Skoda) in the final hundred metres of the Murwillumbah criterium..

And the Aussie (Van Dam) beats the Kiwi (Reid) for a nice victory from the early break!

Pat Lane and Sam Crome as the first stage favorites, coming in as 7th and 8th..

Chris Harper keeps yellow and celebrates his first ever NRS race victory, putting quite some pressure on NRS leader and teammate Joseph Cooper (who did quite well as 9th in the GC here though)..

Tour of the Great South Coast Preview

The Tour of the Great South Coast (Victoria) is the longest stage race in the NRS with 7 stages to be held. A few short criteriums and some road races - all flat rated this year, but with some tricky profiles and of course the crosswinds, that can turn this race into a battle between the strongmen. It's the second "real" sprinters stage race in the NRS this year though.

In the past years, the race used to produce rather surprising winners - including two breakaway victories for the "home team" Jayco - Victorian Institute of Sports. Since two years, there ain't the concluding (and key) hilly stage around Campertown though and so we may expect the sprinters to fight for the GC again. Will Sunderland do the triple?

2017 | Scott Sunderland (no team)
2016 | Scott Sunderland (Budget Forklifts)
2015 | Oscar Stevenson (Jayco - VIS)
2014 | Thomas Hamilton (Jayco - Honey Shotz)
2013 | Bradley Hall (Satalyst Giant)

Tour of the Great South Coast Stages 1-2

Pat Lane (InForm) is leading the GC after two of seven stages at the Great South Coast, thanks to surviving the opening stage in a small main group and finishing as second in a partly hilly stage around Blue Lake (Mount Gambier) on the second day. Sam Welsford (Australian Cycling Academy/ACA) took the opener from a very reduced bunch sprint, beating Theodore Yates (Drapac EF) and Nicholas Kergozou (Mobius). Two-time Great South Coast winner Scott Sunderland (Bennelong) hasn't really found to his form, sitting on 12th place in the GC so far.

The opening Mount Gambier criterium was ridden fast and team Australian Cycling Academy destroyed the peloton: only 24 riders entered the final 7km as the main group with a so far dominating Bennelong team only present with top favorite Scott Sunderland. The sprinter, who took out the Tour of Murray River earlier this season, wasn't at his best though and so the sprint for line honours happened between Yates and Welsford. The latter outsprinted the former, continuing to impress on the NRS level this season.

The only stage here, that could be considered a hilly one, saw the crucial moves happening in the final lap around Blue Lake: three riders - Michael Freiberg, Brendon Davids (both Bennelong) and Lane - went clear with 3km to go. Freiberg and Davids both lost more then two minutes in the opening stage, with Lane being the only real threat for the GC. The trio managed to hold off the first peloton by 21 seconds and Davids sprinted to a quite dominating stage-win ahead of Lane and Freiberg. Tom Kaesler (Drapac EF) won the sprint from the big peloton and Lane moved up to 1st in the GC thanks to his strong performances in the first two stages. With still five (flat) stages to come, his GC lead is anything but safe though. Welsford is 17 seconds behind as 2nd, Yates 21 seconds as 3rd.

ACA setting a high pace in the opening stage, making for a highly selective race..

Yates sprinting from the leading position with just a kilometre to go..

..but it's Welsford, who takes the stage ahead of Yates and Kergozou!

Freiberg, Davids and Lane going clear from the pack 3km before the finish..

Davids gets away from Lane and Freiberg on the final few hundred metres..

..to take the maybe most trickiest stage with a small gap on the bunch!

Lane leading the GC thanks to his two strong performances so far..

Tour of the Great South Coast Stages 3-4-5

Sam Welsford (ACA) is the most impressive sprinter of the race so far, adding two more stage-wins (three in total) to take over the GC-lead from Pat Lane (InForm). Theodore Yates (Drapac EF) remains 3rd in the GC with some consistent results so far, his teammate Liam White impressed with a stage-win in stage five, moving up to 4th in the GC.

A quite challening road race from Mount Gambier to Port McDonnell made the peloton go into pieces late into the stage, but luckily for several GC contenders, no gaps were rewarded for the small groups at the front of the pack. Welsford kept going strong to sprint to his second stage-win, beating Ryan Thomas and Jordan Kerby (both Brisbane) in the sprint to the line. Yates 4th on the day, Raphael Freienstein (InForm) with his best performance so far, finishing as 5th. He already had lost three minutes in the opening stage though.

Australian Cycling Academy went on to deliver big time and Scott Sunderland (Bennelong) continued to struggle in this race, that he had won two times in the past two seasons: Welsford easily sprinted to his third stage-win ahead of teammate Daniel Fitter and Yates as 3rd.

The fifth stage from Penola to Casterton had some crosswinds and a group of 35 riders caused a split late into the stage: White took the stage ahead of his teammate (and captain) Yates, with Stuart Smith (InForm) a strong 3rd on the day. Welsford struggled, but finished in the main group (no gaps rewarded for the group, that went clear). And so Welsford leads the GC thanks to his two consecutive stage-wins: a 3 seconds advantage on former GC leader Lane and 11 seconds on Yates, who seems to be the most dangerous contender for the GC lead. Sunderland obviously not at his best here, currently sitting on 10th in the GC, but struggling to sprint to podium results or even Top-5.

Welsford going past Brisbane's duo Vink/Kerby at Port McDonnell..

..to win his second stage in three days! Brisbane Continental still with a good day..

ACA continues to impress: Fitter with a premium lead-out for Welsford in stage four..

..for a dominating Welsford victory and the GC lead in the Penola criterium!

Quite some splits close to the Casterton finish: White going clear..

..for line honours! A great day for White, who was supposed to lead out Yates..

Welsford a well deserved GC leader with already three stage-wins! Will he hold on to this small gap on Lane and/or Yates?