Written by California Mist at 09:23 23/1-2014
So far this season, we have had mixed results from a selection of riders. We have been carefully monitoring riders form, and getting certain team leaders in perfect shape at the main goals set out by our sponsor before the start of the season. These included the Volta ao Porto, where we were hoping for a Top 9 GC with N. Boisen (Denmark, 27), and he achieved an 8th and a 3rd place finish on stage 6.
Other results to date so far this season include:
Day 8 – Royal Dartmoor Tour – Jonathan Bullock – 1st Note: This was his first race as captain for our team, where he had full support of all other riders
Day 17 – Trincomalee – Jaffna – Giovanni Faulk – 4th Note: He is still bringing good results despite his age. Partial support in this race
Day 22 – Clasica Guayaquil – Nick Boisen – 1st Note: In top form after Volta
Day 33 – Bochum Fahrt – Jonathan Bullock – 1st Note: All 3 race, triggered top form ready for Cymru Taith
As a result of this start to the season, we have already achieved 786 points in the first 38 days. This compared to last season is a tremendous improvement (we scored 1040 in whole of season 26), and thus has proved in our opinion that the switch from sprinting to hills is starting to pay off. We’ve still got a long way to go to match our best season, where we scored 2010 points (Season 25).
During this period, we have seen a lot of riders leave and our squad size reduce significantly. We let go a lot of young riders who showed little potential in their time on the West Coast of the USA, and used the money to bring in a couple of star names. E. Tomkins (England, 31) and O. Hudler (England, 32) arrived from Gradient Levellers, and will be given a chance as captain in the near future. S. Tucker (USA, 27) has also returned to his homeland after a period in Holland with Il Grillo. He will be a valuable teammate in climbing races. Also some money has been spent on trainee S. Snow, and this will be continuing. He is already a decent hill teammate, and hope he can be more than this in the future.
We’ve also signed a young American rider, who we saw riding along the boardwalk here. D. Bond, a local lad has a great turn of speed, and can make it over tougher sections of road. It remains to be seen if he will be trained here in California, or if his future is elsewhere. (200+ sprinter and hiller – HL: Average SP: Very Good FR: Average TQ: Average)
Now to look ahead to the coming race period. Manager Knotts has described the next 2 weeks as the most important part of our season, and I cannot argue with that. The squad flew to Wales yesterday, ready for Cymru Taith, and some riders went onto Norway for Bergen Rundtur. Bullock and Tomkins will both be in great shape, and we hope for strong finishes in both this tour and classic.
As soon as these finish everyone will meet up again in St. Petersburg (Russia), where Bullock will captain a squad of riders looking for form and experience. He will have Hudler’s knowledge alongside him, and it will be his job to attempt to control any break away which may go off up the road.
Providing we get a strong result in Cymru Taith or Bergen Rundtur, Tomkins will also captain the strongest possible team in Essex Tour. We need this result, as we lose a few points before signup opens and at present won’t make it. Tomkins deserves 1 more chance at success, and hopefully will get it. Next season it will be Bullock’s turn regardless of results this time around, as stated on his recent contract extension.
Hudler will be getting his chance come the end of the season in the World Championships providing everything goes to plan. This will be a final swan song for these 2 English legends, and afterwards will be full support riders. They both have accepted this and look forward to seeing out the rest of their careers with us.
Carson Shannon
California Mist – PR
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Manager
USA NT
We achieved a 3rd position in the Clash of Nations this week, after getting 3 wins during the series. This takes my results to 4 wins in my debut season as manager. Congrats to Norway on winning the CON, and Spain on their terrific results so far.
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Comments
Well done on your successful change to hills. Good luck in the Montelbano Tour.
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