Belle Vue Aces 2025

[Speedball]

20 minutes ago, arnieg said:

Many riders don't peak until 30+ these days.

Cook added a whole point to his PL average in 2024

 ... and a whole point to his CL average in 2024

.. and in Poland averaged more than Lindgren, Doyle, Lidsey, Michelsen and Woffinden (and was a mere 0.01 below Jack Holder)

 

=> plenty of scope for further improvement in his British scoring.

He also won the Surprise of the Season award in the end of season Ekstraliga awards. Finished 17th in the averages on 1.976 points per race (7.90 in our terms).

[Arch Stanton]

5 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

That's too simplistic, Doyle didn't become anyone until his 30s. Style & speed is the parameters over age

Mid 20’s when he started really moving. Take your point though. 
 

Sometimes you just see it in some riders, not so much in others. 

[RoundTheBoards]

10 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

That's too simplistic, Doyle didn't become anyone until his 30s. Style & speed is the parameters over age

Doyle was an anomaly. You can't expect every rider to be a slow-burner just because one rider was.

But if they follow Doyle and don't reach their peak until 30, then Cook has 3 years of improvement left, while Lidsey still has 5 years of improvement before his peak.

So it still makes Lidsey the one with better potential. 

[Arch Stanton]

4 minutes ago, RoundTheBoards said:

Doyle was an anomaly. You can't expect every rider to be a slow-burner just because one rider was.

But if they follow Doyle and don't reach their peak until 30, then Cook has 3 years of improvement left, while Lidsey still has 5 years of improvement before his peak.

So it still makes Lidsey the one with better potential. 

Agree. You could always see it with Doyle even at an early age when he wasn’t particularly hitting the heights. Ruthless, determination, strong mindedness. As I said, you can just see it with some riders, not so much with others. 

[Daniel Smith]

There is no 1 rule for rider's peaking. 

Some peak at 20, 25, 30.

We've seen these supposed superstars at a young age that when they get to mid 20s just flatline. One of the biggest examples coming to mind is Joe Screen.

Just so many parameters can get in the way of progression, birds (or guys or "them" 🙄 these days) alcohol, burgers & chips, gambling etc.

20 years ago the peak was mid 20s, these days it's early to mid 30s. 

[SaddlebowRoad]

considering their averages and ages i think lidsey instead of cook is a no brainer for bv

cook would start at 1 for lynn but could very well gave a spell at reserve and / or second string if the team is built as rumoured 

[Bald Bloke]

7 minutes ago, SaddlebowRoad said:

considering their averages and ages i think lidsey instead of cook is a no brainer for bv

cook would start at 1 for lynn but could very well gave a spell at reserve and / or second string if the team is built as rumoured 

Anyone of the top 6 could have a stint at reserve.We are that solid.

[szkocjasid]

9 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

Not sure I agree with that one. Personally, Cook is as good as he’ll ever get. Lidsey struggled early doors before regaining his form, so he for me is the much better bet on their current averages. 

Strongly disagree with that, Cook has improved every season in GB, plus made a great start to his Polish career.

Now if you'd rather pick Lidsey because he's younger / has a lower average / you believe he's got more improvement in him, then I can't argue with your reasoning in preferring Lidsey. But I certainly feel Cook, hasn't reached his full potential.

[spin king]

Both Lidsey and Cook have plenty of potential.

They are both on similar averages and ability.

Cook is on a higher average, so with no British  reduction for both Lidsey would give you more points for the rest of the team, so you think the one to release would be Cook.

So I think that Mark Lemon will release Cook, if it is between choosing on from these two.

[Arch Stanton]

1 hour ago, szkocjasid said:

Strongly disagree with that, Cook has improved every season in GB, plus made a great start to his Polish career.

Now if you'd rather pick Lidsey because he's younger / has a lower average / you believe he's got more improvement in him, then I can't argue with your reasoning in preferring Lidsey. But I certainly feel Cook, hasn't reached his full potential.

Time will tell. We’ll see. 

[stevebrum]

14 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

Not sure I agree with that one. Personally, Cook is as good as he’ll ever get. Lidsey struggled early doors before regaining his form, so he for me is the much better bet on their current averages. 

Lidsey was hot property during the Polish covid season, he seems in freefall since.

And Cook finished with a higher Aces in 24. Cook looks on the way up, as evidenced by his startling form in Poland this season. 

[ouch]

We’d love to keep Ben, same with Tom, Max, Worralls, Craig etc but rules are rules and if we can help other clubs operate, then all the better. There’s always a warm welcome back for our ex Aces. 
 

[Arthur54]

22 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

Me too. I’m not convinced there’s any improvement left in Cook. 

Being a Poole supporter i think there definitely is 

[LisaColette]

3 minutes ago, Arthur54 said:

Being a Poole supporter i think there definitely is 

Yeah, he has improved every season and did really well in Poland. So don't see how he has suddenly no improvement. Although Ipswich is his worst track, so can understand an Ipswich fan thinking that. 

[Arch Stanton]

13 hours ago, stevebrum said:

Lidsey was hot property during the Polish covid season, he seems in freefall since.

And Cook finished with a higher Aces in 24. Cook looks on the way up, as evidenced by his startling form in Poland this season. 

 

6 minutes ago, Arthur54 said:

Being a Poole supporter i think there definitely is 

That’s fine, I’m just not convinced on him at all. Let’s wait and see. 

[Bald Bloke]

47 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

 

That’s fine, I’m just not convinced on him at all. Let’s wait and see. 

He won't be at BV..

[Arch Stanton]

10 minutes ago, Bald Bloke said:

He won't be at BV..

I know mate 👍🏻

[ouch]

2 hours ago, Arthur54 said:

Being a Poole supporter i think there definitely is 

There’s definitely improvement in Ben, no doubt. It’s a numbers game, if we keep Ben we would then have to alter others in the team. It’s a problem we have every year.

My take is Jaimon sorted his equipment out when Poland finished and was superb after a frustrating season. God knows why he didn’t change things sooner. It showed he’s a class act - as good as Ben could be next year but on a more favourable average. Good luck to both I say. 

[M.D]

2 hours ago, ouch said:

There’s definitely improvement in Ben, no doubt. It’s a numbers game, if we keep Ben we would then have to alter others in the team. It’s a problem we have every year.

My take is Jaimon sorted his equipment out when Poland finished and was superb after a frustrating season. God knows why he didn’t change things sooner. It showed he’s a class act - as good as Ben could be next year but on a more favourable average. Good luck to both I say. 

Or he spends a lot more on his Polish set up and once the season in Poland finished, he moved it over to the UK.

Edited 21 hours ago by M.D

[Fromafar]

16 minutes ago, M.D said:

Or he spends a lot more on his Polish set up and once the season in Poland finished, he moved it over to the UK.

Like you say priorities rule.