Impey: I've done all the hard work for Tour Down Under defence

Image 1 of 5

Defending Tour Down Under champion Daryl Impey is confident that he has arrived at this year's race in top form, and that although the course for this year's race is harder than 12 months ago, he has the pedigree to be in the mix once more.

This year's edition of the Tour Down Under is set to be a harder affair with only three stages for the sprinters and the Corkscrew climb on stage 4. Willunga has been moved to the final stage of the race, giving the purer climbers the chance to steal the show on the final day of racing.

All about bonus seconds 

Last year, Impey's Mitchelton-Scott team dovetailed their GC ambitions with the responsibility of leading out Caleb Ewan. With the sprinter now at Lotto Soudal, the Australian team can fully focus their efforts on Impey's defence.

"I think I'm climbing well. Last year I didn't really go for bonus seconds, and just put everything on the finishes, and it worked out. It's about not being too aggressive, and letting the race take shape. First I need to get through Corkscrew."