Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic - top 5 riders to watch

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Caleb Ewan surges past Degenkolb(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Once again the new cycling season starts with the four-day 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic criterium series in Victoria with race organisers attracting a top quality field of Australian and international riders. While the January 1 start may be off putting to some riders wishing to welcome in the new year, the high intensity racing in Geelong, Portarlington and Williamstown offers the perfect warm up before the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Australian National Championships from January 6-10.

Previous winners of the race includes the likes of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tour de France green jersey winners෴ Robbie McEwen and Baden Cooke, Mark Renshaw, and Matt Gꦜoss while in 2013 Caleb Ewan announced himself to the cycling world with overall victory. Chloe Hosking, Georgia Bronzini and Melissa Hoskins have won the last three women's edition which provides equally fast and spectator friendly viewing.

21-year-old Caleb Ewan has already won the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic on two occasions with his 2015 appearance at the event a m𒊎asterclass as he won the first three races with fifth place on the final day an offer to his battered rivals.𒁏 Ewan leads the Orica-GreenEdge team again in 2016 with leadout man Mitch Docker by his side and Alexander Edmondson a second ace in the deck for the Australian team who are sure to be closely marked across the four days.

2014 Bay Cycling Classic champion Brenton Jones returns to race having missed the 2015 edition and starts as a rider to watch for both wins and the overall victory. The 24-year-old takes on the mantle as 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Drapac's top sprinter in 2015 following the departure of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Wouter Wippert to Cannondale 𒅌;and what better way to confirm Drapac's belief in his talents than an early season win or two?

With victory in his last race, the final stag🍃e of the 2.HC Tour of Hainan, Jones' confidence is sky high and with Drapac fielding a strong team of rouleurs on a parcours that he know hows to perform on, the stage is set. Like Ewan, Jones is looking for success beyond January but is also a hungry young sprinter and won't let an opportunity to raise his arms pass by. Particularly at a race of immense personal signi🐠ficance.

Local lad Leigh Howard joins the IAM Cycling team in 2016 but will start his season racing the Bay Cycling Classic on the composite Chain Reaction Cycles squad. Howard's last few seasons have been underwhelming in terms of results with his last win coming almost two years ago. The 26-year-old recently rode the Australian madison championships alongside Cam Meyer although his road form is largely unknown having not raced since the August 30 GP Ouest 🏅France - Plouꦛay.

Howard won't be under the microscope at the Bay Cycling Classic with several names above his in the bookies eyes and with a team that also features fast finisher Aaron Gate, the 26-year-old should🍰 be free to find his feet on day one and could just spring a surprise later in the week. The Australian has been brought on board at IAM Cycling to bolster its sprinting stocks and and the Bay Cycling Classic could just be the platform of 2016 success for Howard and a stress start to his career with the Sw🐻iss team.

Wells will up against stiff competition from the likes of Chloe Hosking, Sarah Roy (Orica-AIS) and Valentina Scandolara (Alé Cycling) but has the advantage of a strong team she is familiar with. The 30-year-old has been racing several criteriums over the Australian summer, including a second straight win at the Stan Siejka Classic to send a warning to h🦂er rivals ahead of the Bay Cycling Classic and national criterium title. With a stage win a൩nd third place overall in 2013, Wells is a proven performer at the Bay Cycling Classic and could be hard to stop should she grab an early win.

In 2014 Mullens was the points classification winner at the criterium series and while she is racing as an individual has proven she is strong and smart enough on her enough. Mullens won't be flying under the radar come 2016 but the 27-year-old has been busying training in Bendigo💙 in preparation for the upcoming season. While the races won't be Mullens' number one priority for 2016 a series of strong performances could lay a platform for greater success on both the road and mountainbike.