Preview: ARA Australian Cycling Team for 2024 Santos Tour Down Under

11 Jan 2024 | 09:00 PMBy: Australian Cycling Team

A mix of experienced professionals and developing talents make up the ARA Australian Cycling Team for the 2024 Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide, which starts Friday, January 12 with Stage 1 of the women's UCI WorldTour race.

For the women, veteran Sarah Roy leads the squad at her third Tour Down Under (TDU) as she embarks on her 12th season in the pro peloton.

The 2021 national champion is joined by her 2022 successor, Nicole Frain, who raced in the inaugural Tour de France Femmes that same year.

EF Education-Cannondale’s Lizzie Stannard, who had an impressive 2023 season that included debut starts at the Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia Women and Vuelta España Femenina will also wear the green and gold kit alongside the 2023 National Road Series winner Emily Watts, ahead of her first full-time season in Europe.

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Western Australian Darcie Richards brings plenty of excitement as the youngest rider on the team.

Roy’s Cofidis teammate Josie Talbot was set to start Stage 1 on Friday before coming down with COVID on the eve of racing.

Despite missing the firepower of her teammate, Roy said she was looking forward to racing with her Aussie squad and helping the TDU debutants make themselves proud.

"I haven’t raced at the TDU for years so I’m pumped to be back in front of the home crowds," Roy said.

"We aim to be competitive here at the tour. We will race for a result and take it day by day. There are three very different stages with good opportunities so we’ll be putting our best foot forward each day."

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The 37-year-old didn't have the day she planned for at last Sunday's elite women's road race national championship in Ballarat after coming down with an illness.

However, she said everything feasible had been done to drop the bug before Stage 1.

"I’ve done everything possible to be at my best for tomorrow. I’m confident that with the awesome national team support that I can have a great day out there on a course that looks really fun," Roy said.

The ARA Australian Cycling Team men get their TDU underway on Tuesday, after racing the exhibition Down Under Classic criterium on Saturday night in the Adelaide CBD.

*Liam Walsh will be starting his second TDU for the ARA Australian Cycling Team. Picture: ZW Photography*

Six stages await the men that culminate with a mouth-watering finish courtesy of back-to-back hilltop finishes on Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty for Stage 5 and Stage 6 respectively.

It's for that reason the team has plenty to be excited about, which is led by Adelaide climber Damien Howson, who has ridden for more than 10 years at the premier level of world cycling with GreenEDGE Cycling and now Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.

Further WorldTour experience for the team is provided by Western Australian climber Michael Storer, a two-time stage winner at the Vuelta a España.

Five young talents complete the team from Australian UCI Continental outfits Team BridgeLane and ARA Skip Capital: Adelaide local and 2023 National Road Series winner Tristan Saunders, current Oceania road race champion Liam Walsh, under-23 time trial national champion Jackson Medway, promising puncheur Declan Trezise and climbing ace Luke Burns.

*Jackson Medway had a breakthrough week at #RoadNats24, winning the under-23 time trial and active in the road race. Picture: Con Chronis*

Storer, who is in new colours for 2024 with Tudor Pro Cycling Team, has plenty of pedigree on Willunga Hill, finishing fifth on the stage in 2020.

The 26-year-old was also in the fight on the 2023 TDU finale to Mt Lofty, finishing 11th.

"This year I'm hoping to keep up with the best on Mt Lofty and Willunga and hopefully that translates to a good finish in the general classification as well. And I'm definitely glad that the iconic Willunga Hill is back," Storer said.

"I think I'm ready for TDU but it is a WorldTour race so many others will be in their best fitness for this tour.

"It is always a nice feeling to put on the Australian colours, especially when racing at home and with the new design on the jersey. I think the Australian National team at TDU is one who everyone can get behind and cheer on!"