BOSS of Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Advisors (HGP) Andrew Christie-Johnson says his riders start as outsiders to win the Tour of the Great South Coast.
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Christie-Johnson heaped the pressure on National Road Series (NRS) rivals Drapac and Budget Forklifts to supply the winner of the five-day tour, which starts today.
The long-time team manager said HGP had riders contesting the Tour of Borneo this week, a UCI Asian Tour event which took priority over the NRS.
The clash meant he has assembled a second-tier team for the Tour of the Great South Coast.
Current NRS leader Nathan Earle is the most notable omission and will not have the chance to extend his 12-point advantage at the top of the standings.
His absence has paved the way for teammate and former mountain biker Jack Haig, currently second, to make up ground.
Anthony Giacoppo, the defending Tour of the Great South Coast champion, is also in the field.
“I think we’re definitely an outside chance, to be honest, with our top riders away in Borneo. It’ll be far more difficult,” Christie-Johnson said.
“I think we’ve got some good riders here but Drapac would be the favourite and Budget Forklifts would be the second favourite.
“We would’ve liked to have gone head-to-head with them but that might happen at another tour later on.
“We’ve got to respect the UCI races.”
Christie-Johnson said Haig, a mountain climber, was the leading HGP chance to take the honours this week.
“It doesn’t suit him totally but for him hopefully we’re able to get a top-10 result and secure some points in the NRS.”
He said there was no clear-cut favourite to take the honours.
“Going into some of the other tours you know if you take your top climbers they’ll be high in the general classification,” he said.
“This one it could be a sprinter or a hill climber.
“Cycling can become predictable when it’s a certain course, you know who’s going to win. Here you could choose 20 guys. It makes for great racing.”
Floris Goesinnen, last year’s Melbourne to Warrnambool winner, and defending NRS champion Luke Davison are among the Drapac riders.
Jack Anderson, fresh from winning the Tour of Gippsland this month, headlines the Budget Forklifts team.
Portland’s Dylan Lindsey, Mortlake’s Darcy Woolley, Port Fairy’s Nathan McLaren and Warrnambool’s Mark Scouller are the south-west hopes.
