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The Domestique | Chapter Two
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 31-03-2015 20:26
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this as what I call a wise decision
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 01-04-2015 22:35
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@kiserlovski: Me too 
@sutty: I think so too!
@tsmoha: As soon as you gave me your stats and info, I knew it would be one of them 6 additional teams
@Timo: Thanks a lot!
@jandal: I'm happy with two bananas 
@croatia: Thanks a lot!
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 10-04-2015 17:47
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Meeting Up with the Guys
Chapter Two
Arriving at Budget was like a breath of a fresh air. A couple of days after I signed the full contract, I met back up with everyone on their training camp in Ballarat. I was introduced to the rest of those that I didn't have a chance to meet during my trial day, and got to know those I had already met a little bit more.
Next followed the press photos, collecting of my new kit for the season, and sitting down the coaches to organise how my season would look. This was where I would learn just how much of a role I would play during the season. Yes, Thimothy Roe was out-and-out Leader in the team, but I would be his second in command and stepping up for the lesser races where he wouldn't ride.
| Date | Race | Country | | Jan | | 8 | National TT Championships |  Australia | | 12 | National RR Championships | Australia | | 29-2 Feb | New Zealand Cycle Classic |  New Zealand | | . | | Feb | | 5-9 | Sun Herald Tour | Australia | | 18-23 | Tour of Oman |  Oman | | 27-8 Mar | Tour de Langkawi |  Malaysia | | . | | Mar | | 26-30 | Volta ao Alentejo |  Portugal | | . | | Apr | | 11-14 | Circuit des Ardennes |  France | | 26 | Grand Prix Herning |  Denmark | | . | | May | | 7-11 | Tour de Azerbaijan |  Azerbaijan | | 18 | ProRace Berlin |  Germany | | 30-31 | Tour of Estonia |  Estonia | | . | | Aug | | 14-17 | Arctic Race of Norway |  Norway | | 19-23 | Baltic Chain Tour |   Baltic States | | 31 | Ljubljana-Zagreb |  Slovenia | | . | | Sept | | 9-15 | Tour of China II |  China | | . | | Oct | | 4 | Piccolo Giro di Lombardia |  Italy | | 9 | Paris-Bourges | France | | 17-24 | Tour of Taihu Lake | China |
Looking over the schedule, I think it would allow me to work to my strengths. I could ride for Roe in his main races, support the team where required and get my own chance to shine in the process. All in all, it looked like an exciting season ahead.
Edited by the_hoyle on 11-04-2015 22:31
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 10-04-2015 18:01
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Jack will have a nice selection of Countries to visit over the course of the season  |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 10-04-2015 18:08
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Nice looking schedule. Hope the fog in China doesn't hinder him too much, though  |
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 10-04-2015 18:24
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Particularly looking forward to the Aussie summer and late season visits to China (as Budget used to do pretty well there irl). Nice schedule indeed, always in love with those smaller races across the globe.
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 10-04-2015 23:10
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Great team choice! Great schedule!! I'm looking forward to see Jack in the National Championships! I'm expecting a double National Champion
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 13-04-2015 21:56
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@all: Thanks guy! Racing is underway, and they will be reported in groups in order for it work as a autobiography etc
@sutty: There will be a good number of stamps in his passport
@Ian: Let's hope the smog won't be an issue
@tsmoha: I like the lesser races as well. Really good fun racing them
@Jak: He is not Martijn North - Double Champion might be a bit too much for him
Edited by the_hoyle on 14-04-2015 18:16
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 13-04-2015 22:32
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the_hoyle wrote :
@sutty: There will be a good number of stamps in his passport
Hell Yeah |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 14-04-2015 22:10
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Settling Into The Saddle
Chapter Two 
The National TT Championships turned into a non-event for the entire squad. Only three riders (Thimothy Roe, Joshua Prete and myself) rode the race and a lack of early season form was clear. I finished 3'27" down on the winner Rohan Dennis (Garmin) in 44th, as Roe couldn't do any better in 37th place, over 3'11" behind the new Champion.
The National RR Championships would be a race where I could stretch my legs as part of the day's breakaway. Roe was the leader for the race, but with Prete and Michael Culpitt working as his domestiques, I could ride in a free role.
As part of a two-man lead group, along with Stuart Smith (search2retain), we managed a maximum gap of 10'23" before the chase from the favourites began. We were caught with 2 laps remaining, but as I learnt that Roe was struggling, I pressed on with the likes of Cadel Evans (BMC), Simon Gerrans (Orica) and Nathan Haas (Garmin). The final climb would break me for the final time, and as Haas gave Garmin a double victory in the Nationals, I rode home to a very creditable 7th place.
I began to gain some form as the team headed to New Zealand Cycle Classic. With the peleton's expected to contest each of the day's finishes, again I would be able to give myself some time in the breakaway.
Over the course of two stages, I built up a good lead in the KoM Classification, and following a hard fought battle on the final stage with James Szollosi (Data #3), I managed to hold the jersey until the end. Only my second race in the colours of Budget, and I was getting familiar with the Podium Girls!
The race in New Zealand turned out to be a great time for Budget, as we came home with 3 stage wins, the Team Classification and Jesse Kerrison walked away with Yellow, Green and White on his back! Amazing start to the season.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 12:09
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 14-04-2015 22:19
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Some nice achievements! No easy game against the big guns in the Road Nats, but 7th place is something. Kerrison grabbing yellow in NZL tells me, the course ain't exactly hilly (Pretty sure it's my creation, but dunno which variant/edition you played there). But of course that's a great domination!
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 14-04-2015 22:21
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Some very creditable results over the start of the season for Jack and the boys!
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT]  Xero Racing
5x  x5
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| Kiserlovski01 |
Posted on 14-04-2015 22:39
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A great start for Jack |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 14-04-2015 23:07
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Great to see you bring home the Mountains jersey |
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 15-04-2015 11:32
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Budget is taking of control
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 18-04-2015 23:08
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@all: Thanks guys! It has indeed been a good start for Jack
@tsmoha: There is only one race in the db, no variants to choose from. It starts with Massey University Prologue, and the others are Palmerston North - all in all, flat and perfect for Kerrison haha
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 04-05-2015 16:14
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Showing More Than My Domestique Potential
Chapter Two 
Sadly, that all changed at the Herald Sun Tour. A key race for the sponsors and management, but sadly we did not bank on the strength of the WorldTour teams present. Orica, Trek and Sky all brought their 'B' Teams, and even then, they were still the strongest in the field. It would be here where I feel the jump in pace of a WT peleton.
On a whole, the team struggled. Thimothy Roe was suffering from a head cold, Michael Cupitt took an early tumble on the first stage, and our best finisher on GC was Josh Prete in 46th place, and a race of being bottle carrier meant I could only finish in 90th.
We looked to bounce back in Oman, where Thimothy would lead the team with myself by his side. The combination turned out to be a devastating effect, especially on the key stages. On the Queen Stage 4 to Green Mountain, Roe and I finished 6th and 7th respectively, meaning that Top 10 finishes for both on GC could be possible.
However, it would be on penultimate stage where a risk paid off for the team. I knew that some would be expecting a sprint finish, but a hilly final circuit could give a small group the chance to go clear. Hitting the circuit, the team drilled on the front, taking only 5 riders with them. From that moment, we wouldn't be caught. Roe took 2nd on the stage, moving to 3rd on GC, and I finished in 6th, taking 5th on GC. I was in a state of shock on the team bus at the acheivement.
The Roe-Hemsworth Double Act got it next outing at the Tour of Langkawi, where the two Mountain stages would be the GC deciders. On the first Mountain climb to Cameron Heights, Thimothy looked set up perfectly, but suddenly, he hit the red. Under his orders, I carried on without him, riding to 11th on the stage, and sat just outside the Top 10 on GC. Management decided that night that I would step up to the Lead Role.
The only issue was that I had never lead a team before, and ride tactically. I only knew how to ride on the front, and put other under pressure. In the end that is what I did. As Adam Yates (Orica) attacked to take the GC victory on Genting Heights, I pressed on setting a tempo that even put the likes of Michael Rogers (Tinkoff) into the red. Crossing the line in 7th on the stage, I had ridden myself into 9th on GC, and certainly made a good impression with the Management.
Edited by the_hoyle on 04-05-2015 16:25
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 04-05-2015 16:21
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Some nice personal results there 
I really like that bit that he doesn't know how to lead so just keeps the pace high. Doing what he knows |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 04-05-2015 18:31
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Jack is certainly raising a lot of eyebrows with his performances thus far, hopefully this will continue |
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 05-05-2015 21:28
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Some nice instinctive riding there from young Jack
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2 |
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