Mitchelton-Scott DS Matt White says:
"This is definitely a GC day. A normal sprinter wouldn't get through the stage, guys like a Caleb [Ewan] and Andre [Greipel], and it will be quite selective depending on how hard they race up Norton Summit. We have gone over Norton Summit before but only at the start, nowhere near the final, so it will be a crucial day for the GC guys. We will get our first glimpse of who is climbing well and who is here challenging for the overall race lead and victory.
"I think a breakaway could get away in the finale. There is big danger from the top of the climb to the finish line. We are going to see a selection on Norton Summit and it will be quite hard for the teams to control the final kilometres. I do see an aggressive final and I think it is more of a dangerous day for the GC teams than Willunga. On Willunga, no one really goes away until the last two kilometres and the gaps aren't that big. If someone goes away with 10 km to go, it will be really hard to control. If there are, say only 30 guys left, not many teams will have more than two or three in there and there is the potential for a strong outsider to win. It will be a big day.
"The harder it is up Norton Summit the more selective it is, which means fewer guys and Richie [Porte] and BMC are going into the race as the favourites. If it is very selective, then it is probably only 10 guys at the top. For me, someone like a Peter Sagan is the clear favourite because he is good enough to get up Norton Summit and he is good enough to beat anybody in the sprint. It would have to be very selective for Peter Sagan to be dropped."
-
Neilson Powless, Larry Warbasse, Michael Matthews among men's field at Maryland Cycling Classic to challenge defending champion Mattias Skjelmose
Alison Jackson, Tiffany Cromwell, Lauren Stephens add star-power in debut of women's UCI one-day race in Baltimore -
End of the road comes in September for Ceratizit Pro Cycling after 11 seasons
Women's WorldTour team confirmed to compete at Maryland Cycling Classic before ceasing operations -
'With the team we've got, it's well within our grasp' – UAE Team Emirates-XRG ready to step into Vuelta a España spotlight at team time trial
Emirati squad looking for victory on Wednesday with leaders João Almeida and Juan Ayuso sitting 10th and 11th on GC -
'The bad and the beauty of team time trials, everyone is nervous' – Ineos Grenadiers ready to embrace the stress in pursuit of back-to-back Vuelta a España stage wins
British squad confident of challenging stage 5 team race against the clock in Figueres, but admit they 'haven't got the best lineup' against UAE and Visma
