Probably because they wanted to get stronger in heats 2,8,12,&14? As much as I want Cook as part of a strong top 4, I would not have let go of Zischke or Vuolas, so could've ended up with a team like: Troy Batchelor 8.46 Craig Cook 8.42 Tate Zischke 6.96 Annti Vuolas 6.40 Vinnie Foord 3.90 Jack Smith 3.64 Sam McGurk 2.00 Total 39.78   So would Cook / Smith / McGurk score more than Bowes / Etheridge / Hook?   I definitely wouldn't want a team with Foord starting in the top 5, I would not drop Zischke or Vuolas under any circumstances, so to create the strongest Workington team, it means either Cook or Batchelor had to go!

What an interesting photo to "choose" for that particular story 🤷‍♂️

It was Oxford.(riding for Birmingham though,which is what you might mean)

Year before when he was at Birmingham in the pairs on a soaking wet race track

In the overall scheme of 2025 as a whole it may not be too relevant. However for those of us who enjoy using the close season to try and guess/work out who next seasons team will be, it also keeps interest in the Poole forum going, and to exchange ideas on whom it may or not be. Ultimately we have 3 months of this temporary rider doing his best even if with limited/inexperienced ability. So yes to those of us interested it would be good to know, bearing in mind it was Danny himself who stated that the full team should be announced before Christmas.  Anyway hopefully we will find out in the near future.