Tour Down Under: Richie Porte leads Trek-Segafredo

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The Trek-Segafredo team have revealed their line-ups for the men’s and women’s Tour Down Under, with Richie Porte set to make his debut in the new look red, white and black team colours after his move from BMC Racing. Lauretta Hanson, Elisa Longo Borghini, Lotta Lepistö, Letizia Paternoster, Tayler Wiles and Ruth Winder make up the women’s team for their debut on the road.

The women’s Tour Down Under kicks off the racing in Australia with four stages between January 10-13. The men ride the warm-up criterium on January 13 and the WorldTour race is held between January 15-20.

Trek-Segafredo announced the creation of a women’s team just six months ago and have been working hard to build a strong squad. The team’s roster includes former world champion Lizzie Deignan, Ellen van Dijk, with former sprinters Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Giorgia Bronzini as directeur sportif.

"We are all excited about 2019 finally starting. The races come early and it is hard to peak for them but we come with a solid group of riders to the Australian races and for sure we want to be part of the action and will try to go home with at least one win in the bag," Teutenberg said.

Porte has won the Willunga Hill stage at the Tour Down Under for the last five years and won the overall classification in 2017. The South Australian climb hosts the final finish of this year’s race and so will decide this year’s overall winner. Porte will have the support of William Clarke, Koen de Kort, Ryan Mullen, Jarlinson Pantano and USA duo Kiel Reijnen and Peter Stetina.

Porte was initially unsure about targeting the Tour Down Under but made a full recovery after fracturing his collarbone during the cobbled stage of the Tour de France. He is also set to ride the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Herald Sun Tour before travelling to Europe via the UAE Tour in the Middle East.

"The Tour Down Under is always a goal for me in the start of the season and it’s a joy to race in Adelaide every January," Porte said.

"Obviously, riding my first race with Trek-Segafredo in Australia, I will be extra motivated to start with a good showing on GC and hope to continue the Willunga success. There is to be a very strong bunch of GC favourites racing who want to win the race so I know I’ll need to be on top of my game and I will be!"

Cyclingnews will have full coverage of the men’s and women’s Tour Down Under.