Written by Canadian Nippon at 15:07 15/8-2023
It has been a full season since our last press release due to consistency in the World ranks but also consistency off the road around the team. This lead to Canadian Nippon staying in Division 1 for a full season in which the team held their own with two wins and eight official results; but that has started to change…..
Keen eyes around the OCM will have noticed the retirements of some key figures off of the Canadian Nippon Cycling team start with Trevor Reis announced retirement and move to Training development towards the end of S65. Reis really preformed his duties around the team well as a straight lead-out sprinter and a huge part of Irving Watts success as team Sprint Captain; making it even more impress that he also finishes his career with two official results and single win.
His retirement was followed in short order by Morris Tomasin announcing his retirement and is currently enjoying a season or two away from the team before most likely also being added to the Training Development team moving forward. Again, mainly used as straight lead-out as part of the Irving Watts train means that Tomasin would never see glory on the top step himself but would claim five official results.
This past week seen one of Canadian Nippon’s more decorated members in Conan Guillot announcing his retirement and also seen donning the Training Development team hat. Guillot finishes his career as the second-best rider in the history Canadian Nippon Cycling with thirty-one official results only behind Irving Watts; considering he was also a huge part of Watts lead-out train means he might have been able to secure more results had he been used more often in his specialization as Prologue & TT rider rather than support role of Irving Watts. He also won the Giro di Sicilia Youth Classification losing the General Classification on the last stage due to a breakaway but still managed second overall. It was gutting moment as the team’s progress means they never attacked the Giro di Sicilia again with Irving Watts or Guillot. Guillot would move to his specialization the past two or three season but still found his best results beside Irving Watts in tours. Eight wins, twelve seconds and nine thirds’ places is not a bad way to finish a career.
We have also learned that All time results and All time wins leader on the Canadian Nippon Cycling team has announced his retirement and will officially retire after Norwich-London race this Friday; in Irving Watts. Watts will be remembered as the most dominate sprinter that Canadian Nippon has every had winning the Fast on Wheels Sprint Classification S53 and Norway Tour Sprint Classification S61; while hurt for the final few stages of the tour. Irving Watts will finish his career with twenty-three wins, thirteen seconds and twenty thirds for fifty-nine total results, twice as many wins, and results as any rider to wear the Canadian Nippon Jersey!!
This leaves Canadian Nippon in a state of flux and most likely will seem them drop out of D1 until they can find replacement riders equal to this great Sprint train that is now retired. Only Quentin Worthen remains but is expected to announce his retirement as soon as next season.
The Sprinting duties will officially be handed over to Edan Bassil, with Caldwell Hemby continuing in his lead-out duties along side Albert Nairn with Eli Dauphin being unutilized more leaving Canadian Nippon about a season to find replacement LOSP for soon to retire Worthen.
Now time to Jinx our Training Development team by announce the new hopefuls that have been added to the team:
Cyprien Bourdon 237 Max Potential Hill Sprinter
Has already maxed his Hill a bit lower than we think will lead to success for him but still clearly worth continued development with SP & FR both at Good potential means he might follow Edan Bassil lead as being a very good rider but not able to win that many races due to the lack of finishing kick either on the hill or in the sprints, still should give us a good option in Hill sprint races or support during tours.
Quenby Svenson 227 Max Potential Sprinter (TQ focused)
Found as typically the norm shortly after giving up on Canadian rider or lack of Canadian riders so started a few days behind Bourdon when it comes to training. Another rider that lacks the overall kick to be a sprint leader so will likely lead to utilization as lead-out sprinter but with a high max of his average SP & FR; just might mean he could sneak a few results himself. Should aid Caldwell Hemby well heading forward in support as LO#2
Oscar Larue 217 Max Potential Hill Sprinter
Age played a huge role in this signing as the 20yr seems to have great sprint kick and will look to at least fill the role of Hill helper for Bourdon or LOSP for Bassil replacing Worthen as he retires. He lacks a ton of finish but with good hill ability and very good sprint he should make decent team mate if he maxes high enough. He is a risky train but one we feel like need to be made at the moment so he will like be last trained as we focus on other first.
Bryant Spargur 227 Max Potential Down Hiller
This is change of direction for Canadian Nippon as it has been season since the team employed any climbers or downhillers on the roster but age and lack of overall Canadian talent has led to the team looking at a possible change. Again, he lacks the overall kick to climb with only 197 Max Potential but should be able to support sprint team and hopefully future climbing teams mates with a good climb, average downhill and good sprint ability. He needs to max high to use full overall so again a bit of a risky training. Again, age played a key factor as we went back and forth for days if we should hire the rider. (More a tour rider?)
Milburn Still 217 Max Potential Down Hiller
The last two really came as package deal and is why we signed both of them. Age playing a huge factor as Still has more climbing ability at 207 Max Potential with good climb, small downhill and average hills but lacks flat ability so will hold him back from helping the sprint team other than maybe hill sprints races. Again, a risky training but could pay off in the long run.
So as the team changes as riders retire the team will also shift adding Hill Sprinter and Down Hillers to the roster while still looking to add more depth to Sprint team and now likely looking for a pure Down Hill specialist and maybe a climbing specialist. Time will tell in the direction the team shifts as these riders train.
Luis Fernandes is on the roster has been transfer in a Private Deal toward the end of the month.
Dalton Nooner has also been added to the team via transfer market deal to replace the retiring Conan Guillot; still needs TT Centered but we are currently waiting to see if he can pick-up a few extra training points in other areas. Very Similar to the situation that Will Ruch finds himself in behind Roland Kilgore but Nooner can already slot into the TT team as Guillot retired and left the team earlier this week.
Eli Dauphin will also receive his finishing training as we will add hill to his sprinting ability as he should be able to cover the Hill Sprinting duties until Cyprien Bourdon is ready for the role full time and will be able to still support during hill sprint races. Again, He need a bit of luck to max high!!
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Comments
Yeah, Sad day but I don`t see the point pushing him much past 36yrs old (Watts) so better let the young guys take over and use the extra cash to train and hopefully make even more money. Watts has scored in two seasons due to age.
Some big changes good luck with the training (gutting to hear Watts will be retiring!!)
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