Renshaw and Goss to guide Cavendish in Santos Tour Down Under

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Mark Renshaw focuses on the job at hand in stage five. (Image credit: Jon Devich)

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Matthew Goss (HTC-Columbia) accepts the plaudits after the race (Image credit: Sportbreizh.com)

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HTC will send a strong line-up to the Santos Tour Down Under next month with Mark Cavendish supported by home-grown talents Mark Renshaw and Matthew Goss.

Cavendish coming to Tour Down Under

The race, January 16-23, will be “he first time Cavendish will go head-to-head with his sprint rival and former teammate Andre Greipel so the pressure will be on Renshaw to set Cav up in the sprint finishes,” said TDU race director Mike Turtur.

"Another Aussie rider to look out for is Matthew Goss, who has come off the back of a great 2010 season with stage wins at the Giro d'Italia and Tour of Denmark."

Renshaw has led Cavendish to many of his Tour de France stage wins, while Goss took over those duties for the Vuelta a Espana this year, where the Manxman won his first points jersey in a major tour.

The Tour Down Under is traditionally one for the sprinters, and Cavendish will be appearing in it for the first time.

"Cavendish is regarding as the one of the best, if not the best, sprinter in world cycling. His presence at the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under will be a big boost to the races star-studded line-up."

HTC-Columbia for the Tour Down Under: Mark Cavendish (GBR), Bernhard Eisel (Austria), Mark Renshaw (AUS), Bert Grabsch (GER), Matthew Goss (AUS), Danny Pate (USA) and Hayden Roulston (NZL)