The Jayco AlUla team have selected strong lineups for the Tour Down Under as they head ‘home’ for the 2023 Australian summer of racing and target early season success.
The Australian team was forced to fight to avoid relegation from the men’s WorldTour in 2022, losing the advantage of racing and scoring a haul of ranking points on home ground in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
They have different plans for 2023, as the Santos Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race return to the men’s WorldTour while the women’s Tour Down Under is part of the WorldTour for the first time.
Michael Matthews and Simon Yates will lead the men’s team, while Alex Manly and Ruby Roseman-Gannon are part of the squad for the women's events.
Matthews left his European base for Australia on Tuesday and will join forces with many of his Australian teammates for the road national championships at the weekend. They will then travel from Ballarat to Adelaide to prepare for the Tour Down Under that begins with the curtain-raiser criterium on Saturday, January 14.
Both Matthews and Yates could emerge as overall contenders at the Tour Down Under, with the race finishing on Mount Lofty rather than on Willunga Hill.
The Jayco AlUla team for the Australian races also includes Luke Durbridge, Lucas Hamilton, Chris Harper, Michael Hepburn (Santos Tour Down Under only), Kelland O’Brien (Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race only) and Campbell Stewart. Harper, Blake Quick and Rudy Porter will all make their debut for Jayco AlUla at the national championships.
“This year I decided to head back to Australia and get the season started there, it has been a long time since I’ve raced the Australian summer, so I am just really excited for it,” Matthews said.
“It is of course important racing for us as an Australian team, so to be returning with the team line-up that we have, which is super strong, it is going to be really fun.
“We have a big block starting with the Australian championships and after a few years where TDU and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race couldn’t be on or at WorldTour level, we are so grateful the racing has returned to the highest level and have the opportunity to race in front of our passionate home fans.
“I am expecting everyone to be in really good shape for the TDU, a lot of our riders want to return to their home country and really show what they have got, everyone is going to bring their A game.”
Adelaide-native Manly will be joined by an all-Australian lineup that includes Amber Pate, Alyssa Polites (Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race only), Georgia Baker (Santos Tour Down Under only), Georgie Howe, Jess Allen and Roseman-Gannon, who showed her 2023 form by dominating the recent Bay Crits.
“I am super excited to race the Santos Tour Down Under this year and for me personally, it is really special as the race is in my hometown of Adelaide. I have been a part of the event over the years and have witnessed its growth. So to see it now elevated to UCI WorldTour level for 2023 is really something special,” Manly said.
“As a team we have won the overall title four times and last year when the event was named the ‘Santos Festival of Cycling’ as a domestic event, we helped Ruby to take the overall title, a stage win and also Georgia won the criterium, so we return with so much motivation to try and keep winning in Adelaide.
“We know it is going to be an extremely high level of racing and a very challenging course, but we know what to expect and we are coming in very well prepared. Hopefully the home advantage will help.”
Cyclingnews will have full coverage of the Australian summer of racing starting this weekend, with Simone Giuliani in Ballarat for the road national championships. She will be joined by Stephen Farrand for the Tour Down Under as Cyclingnews provides live coverage, race reports, news, exclusive interviews and analysis.
