Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Classic

Drapac Cycling celebrates a huge win on home soil, beating some WorldTour-teams' best cyclists in this inaugaral classic: Jack Anderson stormed the biggest win in his career, attacking the bunch on the last short climb 5km to the line and holding on a 19"-gap til the finish.

A windy day kicked off with a 3-men-group with former Drapac-rider Will Walker (Synergy Baku) as the most notable name going for the break of the day. This group though wasn't coming too close to victory, as the peloton (mostly led by Orica and Cannondale) pulled them back about 20km before finish. At this point, we would have seen the first serious attempts out of the bunch: Goesinnen (Drapac), as well as Fetch and Donnelly (Avanti) went for solo-attacks.

Donnelly actually looked like he could have a shot at this one, but he was reeled in on that very last climb 5km before finish.. just when he got pulled back by the 89-men-bunch, the race looked set for the sprinters to prepare their way to glory.. Anderson though had his own plan in mind, soloing away just when Donnelly was caught, establishing a 35"-gap on that short climb quickly and holding off the sprinting bunch til the end. A thrilling finish and a huge result for Drapac! Renshaw (Belkin) and Von Hoff (Garmin) completed the podium about twenty seconds later.. Cadel Evans, by the way, did quite well in the bunch sprint to finish "his" race as 6th eventually.

Break of the day with Walker (Baku), Meenhorst (NZL) and L. Keough (UHC)..

Orica, Cannondale and Lotto leading the chase..

Gerrans showing off his NC-shirt.. working for Goss and Durbridge today!

Goesinnen (Drapac) launche his move 37km before finish..

..empty-handed just like Fetch's (Avanti) attempt 18km to the line..

Team mate Donnelly kept the attacking going a few moments later!

Anderson launching his winning move on the last short climb!

Fighting his way into the final 3km.. bunch in the back..

Greipel, Viviani, Renshaw, Von Hoff kicking..

Jack Anderson raising his arm to celebrate this huge win!

Renshaw and Von Hoff to complete the podium ahead of Durbridge..

#FINAL RESULTS

1	Jack Anderson	Drapac Cycling	4h07'45
2	Mark Renshaw	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 19
3	Steele Von Hoff	Garmin Sharp	s.t.
4	Luke Durbridge	Orica - GreenEdge	s.t.
5	Elia Viviani	Cannondale Pro Cycling	s.t.
6	Cadel Evans	Trek Factory Racing	s.t.
7	Jack Bauer	Garmin Sharp	s.t.
8	Moreno Hofland	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
9	Jack Bobridge	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
10	Alexander Edmondson	Jayco U23 National Team	s.t.

New Zealand Cycle Classic UCI 2.2, Preview

All the glamour and colour of international cycle racing will sweep past the doorsteps and farm gates of many people in the Manawatu region from January 28 to February 1st 2015 as the New Zealand Community Trust Cycle Classic gets set to thrill spectators for its 28th year.

Each year the NZCT Cycle Classic unearths new talent, and a number of those riders have gone on to win stages in the Tour de France, the Tour of Italy and world championships among others. The Manawatu region has to be one of the best areas for cycling in this country. It’s really “the best place to ride a bike” in New Zealand and we are very privileged to stage this international event in the wonderful region of Manawatu.

Go and watch out for some well known NRS-riders to challenge for the overall win, facing some international competition to make for an interesting event!

The Saddle Road climb will show who's the best..
Same climb, different view..

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Wippert_zpse091c5b9.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Wouter Wippert (Drapac)
With at least two flat stages on the menu, sprinters will go stage-hunting. Wippert, who joined Drapac this year, should be considered the top-favorite for sprint finishes. Some strong support as well.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Jones_B_zps4bfcbeed.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Brenton Jones (Avanti Racing)
Surprising winner of the Bay Classics early in the year, Jones showed his talent in the National Criterium Champs as well. He should be in the mix for stage-wins here and is worth a closer look in the NRS, too.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/15NRS_NZCC_Scully_zpsc80a385e.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Tom Scully (New Zealand National Team)
Scully is not only a decent sprinter, but could well be in the mix for the prologue as well. This may favor his chances for a decent overall result here, even though the Kiwi team will be led by someone else..

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/15NRS_NZCC_Oram_zps7778acc6.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]James Oram (New Zealand National Team)
Oram is expected to be the team's guy for the GC as he combines TT- and climbing-skills quite well. Usually racing for WorldTour-team Trek Factory, Oram said he's in best shape and not here to prepare only.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/15NRS_Dyball_zpsea228cb7.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Ben Dyball (Avanti Racing)
Avanti lines up with a strong team: Dyball as the best climber, Gunman amongst the favorites for the prologue and overall, plus Jones for the sprints and two premium-domestiques. Make your choice, who will shine.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/15NRS_Horgan_zps0f4b22e9.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Sam Horgan (Budget Forklifts)
Just as Avanti, also Budget does have several threats for the GC: Horgan (coming off a 15th place in Cadel Evans Classic), Vink, Barry, Gough and their only Aussie could be all dangerous on the crucial stages!

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Cupitt_zpsc4e56da6.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Michael Cupitt (Data#3)
And there's actually another Budget-rider amongst the favorites: Cupitt will race under Data#3's colours, just as former Budget-mate Kauffmann. The veteran climber had two good years in the NRS: a contender!

roturn wrote:
What team is Alex Edmondson actually riding normally if not being with the U23?

New Zealand Cycle Classic Recap

Ben Dyball (Avanti) claimed the overall win thanks to stage victory up the Saddle Road on the final day of this 5-days-event around Palmerston North. The Aussie was part of a 3-men-group, which dropped former race-leader Patrick Lane (Synergy Baku), to take the yellow ahead of Kiwi James Oram (New Zealand) and Brodie Talbot (Budget).

The Tour kicked off with a prologue, in which Tom Scully (NZL) took the win by the smallest margin of 1 second ahead of compatriot Michael Vink (Budget).. the sprinter would also be in the mix for the two bunch sprints on the following days, yet missing another win though: Graham Briggs (Rapha) and Wouter Wippert (Drapac) took the line honours on two tricky flat parcours.

The fourth and first hilly stage saw the peloton struggling to control the race and Aussie Patrick Lane took benefit, attacking mid-stage, joining solo-leading Floris Goesinnen (Drapac), dropping him and eventually holding off the bunch by 15 seconds, which would make him grab yellow with just the queen stage to come! This 4th stage was also the first with major splits (thanks to Budget's high pace on the final kms), leaving just 28 riders in the mix for the GC.

The final day would see the peloton in control again.. while a breakaway group brought a thrilling fight for the KoM-competition between Chris Jory (GPM) and Anthony Chapman (NZ Cycling Project) - with the latter winning by one point - the hilltop finish up the Saddle Road would provide a battle between the strongest: Dyball, Talbot and Oram dropped a 10-men-group with Lane, Horgan, Vink and surprisingly sprinters like Wippert and Briggs.. the three would sprint head-to-head, as it would come down to bonus seconds for the overall win! While Dyball slipped into yellow thanks to his win, Oram's 3rd place behind Talbot was enough to at least secure him the runner-up in GC.

Scully on his way to win the prologue..

Briggs taking line honours ahead of Brent Jones (Avanti)..

Wippert and Scully approaching the line on third day..

..with top-favorite Wippert sprinting for the win!

Lane dropped his breakaway companions for a solo-attempt..

..to win stage four with a 15"-gap on a 26-men-group..

..led by Team Budget's Kiwis Barry and Vink!

The favorites attacking on Saddle Road, catching Bonello (GPM)..

Oram, Dyball and Talbot with a 35"-gap on Lane and Cupitt..

..to go for a thrilling sprint to decide the overall winner..

Ben Dyball taking both line honours and..

..yellow on final day! Nice result for Avanti Racing here in New Zealand!

#FINAL RESULTS

1	Ben Dyball	Avanti Racing Team	14h14'09
2	James Oram	New Zealand NT	+ 12
3	Brodie Talbot	Budget Forklifts	+ 15
4	Patrick Lane	Synergy Baku	+ 1'06
5	Graham Briggs	Rapha Condor - JLT	+ 1'15
6	Michael Vink	Budget Forklifts	+ 1'18
7	Wouter Wippert	Drapac Cycling	+ 1'23
8	Samuel Horgan	Budget Forklifts	+ 1'29
9	Daniel Barry	Budget Forklifts	+ 1'33
10	Jacob Kauffmann	Data#3 Symantec RT	+ 1'35

New Zealand Cycle Classic Highlights

Gunman (Avanti) missing the podium on opening day..

Drapac and Avanti leading the bunch into the final kms on second day..

Chris Jory (GPM) was often to be seen in breakaways..

Floris Goesinnen (Drapac) as most aggressive rider on fourth day..

Chapman (NZCyc), Lane (Baku) and Goesinnen (Drapac) on the move..

A 26-men-group chasing solo-escapee Lane on fourth day..

Chapman and Jory battling for KoM-points on final day..

Adam Phelan (Drapac) launching one of several attacks on final day..

Michael Cupitt (Data#3) trying to drop Patrick Lane (Baku) on Saddle Road..

The leading trio entering the final km on Saddle Road..