Nathan Earle (middle) celebrates his third stage win in a row with his Genesys Wealth Advisers team mates. (Image credit: Adrian Rumney)
The Genesys Wealth Advisers team will employ the same tactic which went a long way to winning the Australian National Road Series title in 2011 when they take on the UCI 2.2 New Zealand Cycle Classic late next month.
In a bid to ensure the orange train will be properly prepared for the event, the Tasmanian-based team will arrive in New Zealand six days early with the race kicking off on January 25. Genesys built their highly successful season in 2011 on solid preparation and plenty of reconnaissance work.
"Having Genesys arriving so early to check out the route and train over it is proof they are coming to New Zealand with one thing very much on their mind, to win the tour," said race director Jorge Sandoval.
The orange train will be joined across the ditch by four other Australian teams, Team GPM, Jayco-AIS, Drapac Professional Cycling and Suzuki Trek, in addition to the first Pro Continental team to enter the classic, Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis.
Leading the Genesys charge is Nathan Earle, who won three of the stages in this year's classic, including the climb to the top of Admiral Hill in the Wairarapa, but had to be satisfied with fifth placing on general classification, 1:36 behind the overall victor, George Bennett, of Nelson.
Earle will have a group of seasoned riders around him in Patrick Shaw, Anthony Giacoppo, Ben Dyball and Campbell Falkemore. Shaw, a former Australian representative at the world junior championships and a past member of the US pro team Fracor, has an impressive list of victories in his own country, and looms as a genuine contender to win the classic, alongside Earle.
Chris Jory, who was fourth overall in this year's classic, is a standout in the UCI registered Team GPM. Despite his reputation as a sprinter he was also outstanding on the climbs last January. Teammates, Sam Rutherford, Caleb Jones, Josh Taylor and Julian Hamill, also have strong credentials.
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Victorian team Suzuki Trek has an experienced look with its nominated riders Brendan Johnston, William Lind, Tim Cameron, Ivan Michelin and Damien Wright.
The New Zealand Cycle Classic runs from January 25 to 29.
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