Details of Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race announced

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Cadel Evans (BMC) has returned home to Australia from his European base and not empty handed. The 2011 Tour de France winner, who is not racing the Tour for the first time since 2005, is bringing with him exciting news on the launch of an all-new UCI 1.1 classification race in his native Victoria in February next year.

Sunderland, a former pro cyclist himself, designed the course, which was approved by both Evans, and race organiser Victorian Major Events, and is working to procure teams to compete.

"We are hoping to have 18 teams at the race, and are happy to have both Orica-GreenEdge and BMC already confirmed," Sunderland told Cyclingnews. "We have to keep in mind that this race is at the beginning of the season and we do not want it to be too difficult and it needs to flow very well.