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The Oz Cycling Project #PCT14
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| Rin |
Posted on 04-03-2014 13:56
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We are very interested in loaning Durbridge he would be the best time trialist in our squad
Edited by Rin on 04-03-2014 13:56
 Team Bianchi - 2012 Man-Game ProContinental Tour Champions
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| Smowz |
Posted on 04-03-2014 16:15
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Team Leader
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Let me put it out there - I don't think there will be many Protour teams turning Durbridge away!
Of course being the team that did the hard yards with Durbridge last year I would like to think Simply Red Bull has a chance of loaning once more this season.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 04-03-2014 20:00
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Directeur Sportif
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@Heine/Rin: And I'm interested in any offer for Durbridge  I'll keep that in mind for sure!
@Smowz: It's not secret that we used to have a special relationship with Simply Red Bull and loan-deals and also Durbridge definitely enjoyed last year's stint with the team. That's definitely a plus for SRB
| WIN |  Tour of Czech Republic | HC | | WIN |  Tour of Britain | HC | | WIN |  Duo Differdange | C1 | | TOP-5 |  Tour of Beijing | HC | | TOP-15 |  PCT Standings | Rks |
The Oz Cycling Project went for some ambitious goals this time and still hopes to do much better than we used to do with our goals in the past two years. With at least one key rider already on the team prior to the transfers, it's time to deliver.
Of course it ain't a secret that Jack Bobridge is the true leader for Oz this year: a puncheur, who can timetrial pretty well, "Bobo" has to play his strengths well this season and so the team went for two prestigious Win-goals in Tour of Britain and Tour of Czech Republic, where we have more than worse memories (Rogers... 25 minutes...) though.
Bobridge may also be the one to achieve the Top-5 in Beijing: a goal that we missed quite close only a few weeks back (Jiao as 7th).. And even though we won't be the timetrial-force that we used to be in 2013, aiming for a win in the Duo Differdange seems legit.
In general, we're hoping for another step forward and entering the Top-15 in the PCT would be just fine. There's still a job to do in the transfers, so we're hoping for some nice "backups" for Bobridge on other terrains.
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| jph27 |
Posted on 04-03-2014 20:04
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This is why I took the goals I did. Bobridge (and Craven, Bibby etc) will be hard to beat in races like the Tour of Britain and the Tour of the Czech Republic. Love your team but also hope to rain on your parade a little. Good luck!  |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 04-03-2014 20:07
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I figured Bobridge would ride in Tour of Britain, hence why it isn't a Win goal for me! It goes without saying that Bibby and Bobridge will end up being regular rivals this season, so I'll only wish you a moderate degree of luck 
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| ember |
Posted on 04-03-2014 20:22
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Bobridge has the stats to be superior the coming season. Though, it'll be interesting to see how his relatively low recovery stat affects him in ~one week stage races. Anyway, it should be nice to follow Bobridge this season, as he's finally maxed out. Best of luck! |
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 04-03-2014 21:39
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ember wrote:
..... Though, it'll be interesting to see how his relatively low recovery stat affects him in ~one week stage races.
This is the ones season where that should not have an impact due to the vagaries of PCM13 as reported elsewhere!
Good luck to Oz for the season - lotta support out there across MG land for the regionally focussed squads
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 19:02
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 05-03-2014 12:57
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Directeur Sportif
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@jph27: Thanks Just don't sign Coppel and I'll love your team as well
@SN: I was also thinking of aiming for a Top-5 in Britain because of Bibby probably being a real contender there Looking forward to some good races anyway!
@ember/Scorchio: Yes, Bobo's REC is a major concern, even though I really don't know how much this will be of a disadvantage in less-than-a-week stage races.. I'm hoping for just a minor effect, but those races suit him too well to not try aiming for the win
@all: Inspired by alex/Project 1t4i's great history feature in the HQ, I decided to kinda steal this idea and honour only our former riders that way. As Baden Cooke will leave the team prior to 2014, he's the first rider in this section.
[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/MG14_Oz_Graphics/MG_Oz_Cooke_zps14816f47.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]  Baden Cooke
On the team #2012-2013
Age: 34 (when joining the team)
Wage: 60.000€ (in his best season)
Role: Sprinter (FL 73, SP 78, ACC 80 at his best)
Baden Cooke was one of Oz Cycling Project's first "superstars" when the team launched in 2012: already an aging sprinter with no chance to survive speedbumps, Baden was still expected to score some valuable points for the team in it's debut season.
His low wage made room for Oz Cycling to sign two key talents (Bobridge, Bennett) and one disaster (Renshaw), so Cooke definitely played a role in the team's development - even though he will now leave the project after two years.
Anyway, it's hard to judge this performances in his two seasons he spent with our team: while he didn't manage to score even a stage-win, he at least had some decent results in 2012 - with his 2nd place at the Mumbai Cyclothon I as the best of those.
| Season | Rk | Race | Cat | #Div (Pts) | | #2012 | 2nd | Mumbai Cyclothon I | | | | 5th | Mumbai Cyclothon II | | | | 7th | Down Under Classic | HC | | | 139th | Individual Ranking | | CT (194) | | #2013 | - | - | | | | 525th | Individual Ranking | | PCT (6) |
Cooke sprinting for 2nd place in Mumbai, beating Mark Cavendish in a close photo finish!
Edited by tsmoha on 05-03-2014 20:27
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 05-03-2014 20:50
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Directeur Sportif
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[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/MG14_Oz_Graphics/MG_Oz_Peraud_zpsda768bc0.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]  Jean-Christophe Peraud
On the team #2013
Age: 36 (when joining the team)
Wage: 70.000€
Role: Stage-Races (MO 74, HI 73, TT 75)
Jean-Christophe Peraud was a late addition to the team in the transfers 2013, joining Oz Cycling for a small fee. Already 36 years old, the French climber still had some decent allround stats to offer and was therefore expected to be kind of a "steal" in the transfer season.
Anyway, the veteran had his problems to become Oz's manager's favorite rider and his season with Oz Cycling was a steady up and down - just like the entire team's 2013 campaign. Eventually, we have to say, that he definitely added some decent points to a season, which saw The Oz finishing safely outside the relegation zone.
Peraud had his best result in Tour de Slovenie (5th) and added a slightly disappointing Tour of America (9th), where he looked like a Top-5 contender before cracking in the last mountain stages. We're thankful for his efforts nevertheless, good bye, Jean-Christophe!
| Season | Rk | Race | Cat | #Div (Pts) | | #2013 | 5th | Tour de Slovenie | C1 | | | 9th | Tour of America | C1 | | | 10th | Isle of Man ITT | C1 | | | 12th | Tour de Langkawi | C1 | | | 114th | Individual Ranking | | PCT (190) |
Peraud securing a Top-5 in Tour de Slovenie's concluding ITT..
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 06-03-2014 11:42
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Directeur Sportif
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[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/MG14_Oz_Graphics/MG_Oz_Renshaw_zpse74e8f67.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l] Mark Renshaw
On the team #2012
Age: 30 (when joining the team)
Wage: 280.000€
Role: Sprinter (FL 72, REC 81, SP 76, ACC 75)
Let's keep it short: Renshaw and Oz Cycling - this didn't work..
Prior to the transfer season 2012 (the team's first ever transfers), the management had two targets, of which they wanted to sign one: Heinrich Haussler... or Mark Renshaw... Haussler (who eventually signed with Team Trilux - Falke) finished the year as 23rd in the Continental Division's Individual Rankings...
Renshaw (who eventually signed with Oz) scored 9 points as 521st "best" in the same category.. a huge disaster, Mark never found his way into the team's strategy and even didn't deliver in races, where we was expected to go for own results instead of working for Baden Cooke..
The most overpaid "Vantomme" in Oz's two years so far, Renshaw was then signing for soon-to-be-disbanding Kiwi team Cadbury in the CT, where he did quite well as 65th in the final rankings..
| Season | Rk | Race | Cat | #Div (Pts) | | #2012 | 22nd | Mumbai Cyclothon II | | | | 521st | Individual Ranking | | CT (9) |
His unforgotten interview from July 24th in 2011..
Edited by tsmoha on 06-03-2014 11:49
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| Heine |
Posted on 06-03-2014 11:55
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Quite funny to read now... :-p
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 06-03-2014 11:56
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How on earth did he get to 280k did he have different stats to the ones he has now? |
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 06-03-2014 12:05
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@Heine: It is
@jt: Same stats as now.. I remember there were at least two bidding wars on Haussler and Renshaw, also Docker maybe (all simultaneously).. so this may be a reason for a true shocker 
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 06-03-2014 12:49
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Nice feature with the riders! Quite funny how Renshaw managed a 280k wage 
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| Smowz |
Posted on 06-03-2014 13:01
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Team Leader
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Love the history articles - on here and Alex's HQ.
There is a lesson in this for all managers really - there was no way Renshaw was worth that money. It is all very well to target riders from your own area but you have to respect that decent riders from your area are going to attract attention elsewhere. That 'tunnel vision' of buy X rider at all costs is a dangerous and often (but not always) foolhardy ploy.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 06-03-2014 19:00
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Directeur Sportif
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@aidanvn/Smowz: Thanks, mates!
Totally agree with Smowzy. Renshaw was the biggest joke and lesson I've ever learned. To be fair, it was late in the transfers and I was lacking useful riders, but this mistake I'll do again
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 07-03-2014 11:30
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Directeur Sportif
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[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/MG14_Oz_Graphics/MG_Oz_Rasmussen_zps50335cd1.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]  Alex Rasmussen
On the team #2013
Age: 29 (when joining the team)
Wage: 50.000€
Role: Sprinter (FL 72, HI 50, REC 80, SP 77, ACC 79)
Just like french veteran Peraud, "mountain goat" Alex Rasmussen was a late addition to Oz's roster in the 2013 transfer season. He went unnoticed during the transfers and was signed for the minimum wage. For obvious reasons: his ability to get dropped on even the smallest speedbumps is kinda underwhelming..
Anyway, he was a no-risk for Oz Cycling and thanks to his decent TT-skills and rather good backup-stats, the team was hoping for him to score some minor points. He actually did three times: his Herald Sun Tour (8th), where he also scored a podium-finish on second day, and his Olympia's Tour (16th) saw him surviving all stages in the peloton! His 9th place in Tallinn wasn't that bad as well.
But now with the renewals completed, it appears that Rasmussen asked for a wage, that the management just couldn't accept. He would have been a transfer-listed rider anyway, who now has the chance to test the free agency once again. He actually may become a decent addition for a CT-team.
| Season | Rk | Race | Cat | #Div (Pts) | | #2013 | 8th | Herald Sun Tour | C1 | | | 9th | Tallinn-Tartu GP | C1 | | | 16th | Olympia's Tour | C1 | | | 217th | Individual Ranking | | PCT (87) |
On his way to finish 3rd in Herald Sun's second stage..
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 07-03-2014 13:46
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Tour de France Champion
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Really liking the Rider Histories, Great work |
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 07-03-2014 17:55
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Yeah really entertaining pieces. Keep'em comin'
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 07-03-2014 19:48
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Directeur Sportif
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Thanks, sutty and Gustav! Glad you're enjoying it, even though we haven't the brightest "history" in the ManGame May throw in a few more, especially after the transfers, where a few notable names might have left The Oz!
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