Orica-GreenEdge want to end 2012 as it began

Image 1 of 5

Orica-GreenEdge will be aiming to finish their inaugural season just as they began with victory in the year's final WorldTour event, the Tour of Beijing next week in China.

"We're going to China to chase a good result for the team," said sports director Lorenzo Lapage. "We have had an amazing debut on the WorldTour and to finish it off on a high note is a big priority for us. We're going with a top motivated group of riders for this."

Orica-GreenEdge got off to a dream start in the UCI WorldTour with overall victory for Simon Gerrans in the Tour Down Under and then Milan - San Remo before Michael Albasini claimed GC honours at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, all before the end of March.

Simon Clarke carries the team's hopes for the mountainous stages with the recent Vuelta a Espana mountain classification winner looking to continue his good form.

"Simon is obviously in great form and he is one of several cards we can play at the Tour of Beijing," explained Lapage. "He came out strong from the Vuelta and showed at the World's and the Tour of Lombardy that he's still really motivated to race hard."

The team's sprint stocks in Beijing certainly won't be lacking a three-pronged attack courtesy of Allan Davis, Leigh Howard and Aidis Kroupis. Last month, Howard earned his first solo victory of 2012 at the Tour of Britain over Mark Cavendish, while Kruopis has five to his name so far this season. Davis meanwhile, will be chasing his first stage win since of the season after a number of podiums at his last start Vuelta a Espana.

The full Orica-GreenEdge line up for the Vuelta a Espsana is: Simon Clarke, Allan Davis, Mitch Docker, Leigh Howard, Aidis Kruopis, Sebastian Langeveld, Christian Meier and Wes Sulzberger.