Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) and Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) are the headlining riders set to race at their home event at the Women's Tour Down Under held from January 15-17.
The event is embarking on its first year as part of the 2023 Women's WorldTour. The nation's two powerful riders will race among a 78-rider provisional start list that includes just six of the fifteen top-tier teams, along with five Continental teams and two national teams from Australia and New Zealand.
“I’m really excited to race again at Tour Down Under and come with added excitement this year knowing it’s the first year it’s a WorldTour race alongside the fact it will be my first WorldTour race with my new team, Trek-Segafredo,” Spratt said.
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The Women's Tour Down Under hasn't been held since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent border closures. Now in its sixth edition, it returns as the opening event of the 2023 Women's WorldTour new status and with a new race director, Stuart O’Grady, and two assistant race directors, Annette Edmondson and Carlee Taylor.
Spratt won three of five previous editions of the Women's Tour Down Under from 2017-2019. She is a favourite to win the overall title for a fourth time while racing for her new team Trek-Segafredo.
While the fact that less than half of the WorldTeams will be in attendance, the event will host more top-level teams than any other previous edition. Spratt suspected that the cost of travelling to Australia could be what deterred more of the WorldTeams from participating.
"I'm not sure how many teams are going to be coming out. I think it's really quite costly with flights and travel, and I understand there are a lot of costs being put on the teams. So I think that makes it quite difficult," Spratt said.
Team Jayco AlUla, Human Powered Health, Israel Premier Tech Roland, EF Education-TIBCI-SVB join Trek-Segafredo and FDJ-SUEZ on the start line. The remaining teams include ST Michel-Auber93, Team Coop-Hitec Products, ZAAF Cycling, ARA Skip Capital, Team Bridgelane, and Australian and New Zealand national teams.
Brown will lead FDJ Suez off the back of a consistently strong 2022 that includes a win in the time trial and second in the road race at the 2022 Australian Championships, seventh at Tour of Flanders, second at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a stage win and second overall at the Women's Tour, a stage win at the Challenge by la Vuelta, and a gold medal in the time trial at the Commonwealth Games.
Her most stunning performance was the silver medal she earned in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong.
“Grace had a phenomenal 2022, and with continued great form she’ll be in the prime position to make her mark against her Australian and international competitors for the opening of the UCI Women’s WorldTour," O'Grady said.
Other notable Australian riders at the start line will be Alex Manly, Georgia Baker, and Ruby Roseman-Gannon from Team Jayco AlUla.
While the race has traditionally offered four stages, this year's race has been reduced to three. The racing will begin with 110.4km from Glenelg to Aldinga, followed by 90km from Birdwood to Uraidla on stage 2, and conclude with 93.2km from Adelaide to Campbelltown on stage 3.
“With a steep, thrilling climb up Corkscrew on Let’s Go Motorhomes Stage 3, I expect both riders to rise to the challenge and battle it out for the win," O'Grady said.
View the provisional start list.
