Cycling: let's go! From January 16th to 21st, the professional cyclists will compete in the WorldTour for the first time in the 2018 season. At the Tour Down Under, six stages determine overall victory. Of course, the two German teams will also be there Bora, hansgrohe and Sunweb. We look ahead to the first highlight of the new season by analyzing the stages and detailing the grid.
Tour Down Under 2017: Porte & Ewan can't be beat
In recent years, the Australians have been extremely successful on their home tour. In 2016 and 2017 all stage wins and the overall win went to the local riders. Only in the person of Dutchman Tom Jelte Slagter was overall victory achieved by a foreign professional in 2013 in the last seven years. At last year's event, Richie Porte (BMC) and Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) shared all the successes among themselves. With the two hilly stages and overall victory going to Porte, Ewan secured all the remaining flat sections. Both pros are back at the start this season. Can they pull off a similar feat again?
All stages of the Tour Down Under 2018 at a glance
Even if the Tour Down Under doesn't start until Tuesday, some local professionals will already be competing on Sunday at the People's Choice Classic in Adelaide. A total of 2,3 laps and thus 22 kilometers have to be covered on the 50,6-kilometer course. The easy gallop is voluntary and is not part of the WorldTour or the actual Tour Down Under, but it is still used primarily by the strong sprinters. From Tuesday it will be serious. The winner of the 20th Tour Down Under will be determined by four flat stages and two mountainous sections.
Stage #1 on January 16: Port Adelaide-Lyndoch (145,0 km / 65,5 km + 3x 26,5 km)
Stage #2 on January 17: Unley-Stirling (148,6 km / 85,3 km + 3x 21,1 km)
Stage #3 on January 18: Glenelg-Victor Harbor (146,5 km / 107,5 km + 3x 13,0 km)
Stage #4 on January 19: Norwood-Uraidla (128,2 km)
Stage #5 on January 20: McLaren Vale-Willunga Hill (151,5 km / 4x approx. 40 km + 31,8 km)
Stage #6 on January 21: Adelaide-Adelaide (90,0km / 20x4,5km)
The Velomotion Prediction: One Man Show by Richie Porte
The #1 wears the #1. Richie porte from Team BMC wants to defend his title from last year. Chances are good as the Australian has won the stage up Willunga Hill every time for the last four years. If he's in top form so early this season, he'll be hard to beat, especially as he's personified by Rohan Dennis knows who is probably the best helper at his side. We suspect no one will be able to follow him up Willunga Hill. Behind them, the bonus seconds could be decisive in the battle for second place. Sprint strength is therefore required. So join us Diego Ulissi and Rui Costa automatically focuses on two professionals from the UAE Team Emirates. A particularly ambitious group is also sending along Dominic Pozzo alive and the brothers Ion and Gorka Izagirre the Bahrain-Merida team at the start. Also to be mentioned are a good placement in the overall classification Jay McCarthy (Bora-hansgrohe), Tom Jelte Slagter (dimension data), Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale), Michael Valgren (Astana), Nathan Hass (Katusha-Alpecin) and George Bennett (LottoNL Jumbo).
In focus: top sprinters & young talents
In addition to the class riders, the wheels in Australia turn primarily for the sprinters. Four stage victories should be distributed among the fastest men in the world, with Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin) and Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) probably the two strongest sprinters not at the start. Because world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe), André Greipel (Lotto Soudal), Caleb ewan (Orica-Scott) and Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) but are there, there will still be high-class mass sprints to be observed. Team Sunweb will be on Phil Bauhaus put while Nickias Arndt the approach will give. In addition to Bauhaus, another man becomes our 5 to watch to be seen in Australia: Marc Soler could slip into the role of captain for Movistar. Sky, on the other hand, is missing all the stars, but we can still keep an eye on Sprinter Kristoffer Halvorsen and climbers Egan Arley Bernal. Very few fans are familiar with these two professionals, but there is definitely a lot of talent. So let's be surprised...