Anticipation is steadily growing for the Australian Grand Prix with around a week until the circus of teams and riders arrive at Phillip Island.

The ‘Stoner era’ may be over but there’s still plenty of interest in the event, and the unpredictable nature of the 2014 season should only serve to heighten fans’ excitement.

The primary factor is that the MotoGP title could still be up for grabs come Australia and we could well see Marc Marquez secure his second crown on our own soil.

Of course that all depends on his results in Motegi, where it could all be done with in the blink of an eye. Don’t try too hard in Japan mate, we want to see it won down under!

Source: Honda Racing.

This week there’s been plenty of focus on the wildcard campaign of Aiden Wagner, who will contest the Moto2 class on proven machinery in a Marc VDS Kalex.

Wagner got some valuable time in with the team as a spectator in Spain and then managed a solid hit out in a test the following day, a move which will prove valuable ahead of his home race as he now has that level of familiarity with the bike.

Keep an eye out for an in-depth interview with Aiden on his testing performances and home race expectations tomorrow.

In the last 24 hours we learned that fellow Aussie Moto2 wildcard Max Croker has been forced to withdraw his entry from the event after a financial backer pulled out.

It’s understandably deflating news and a blow for him. Many have speculated on how competitive he would have been. For now, however, the chance to race a home GP is on hold. Fingers crossed he has both the opportunity and desire to try again next year.

It’s fitting we take a moment to shout out to all of the Australian riders who were on the grid at Magny-Cours last weekend.

In the Supersport ranks, Matt Davies placed in the points, a strong effort considering his recent lack of bike time, and Jed Metcher showed his potential with a podium in the Superstock 1000 ranks.

Brandon Demmery and Lachlan Epis were on track in the European Junior Cup and both toughed it out in ordinary conditions against riders far more familiar with the French circuit.

In terms of our domestic series, the ASBK continues to roll out its plans for next season, announcing both tracks and clubs that will co-promote the respective five-round calendar.

Each of the clubs involved have a long-standing history and should have no problem handling the task. For mine, the main consideration that ties this concept together is consistency – events must flow from one to the other to avoid a stilted feeling.

Check out our Q&A on some of the facts surrounding the 2015 ASBK that was published yesterday.

That’s it for this week’s Cycle Central. Keep an eye on our social media accounts for regular updates; just search ‘CycleOnline’ on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.