News: Tour Down Under Attracts Champion Riders

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National Champions and a Grand Tour Stage winner join start list for the Tour Down Under, first big Pro race of 2014

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Three more team rosters have been confirmed for the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under with Tinkoff-Saxo, FDJ.FR and Astana announcing their rosters for this month’s opening round of the UCI WorldTour.

Tinkoff-Saxo
Danish dual Grand Tour stage winner Nicki Sorensen will headline Tinkoff-Saxo’s impressive seven-man roster. Sorensen, who won stage 12 at the 2009 Tour de France, will lead the Danish team in his fourth appearance at the Santos Tour Down Under.

Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Mike Turtur said cycling fans can expect a strong performance from Tinkoff-Saxo. “Tinkoff-Saxo is bringing an exciting roster to the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under and Australia will be well represented with Jay McCarthy and Rory Sutherland.”

“Aussie cyclists are always the crowd favourites here in Adelaide so it is fantastic to see McCarthy and Sutherland returning to the race.” Mr Turtur said the Danish team is bringing a versatile seven-man roster including Russian cyclist Nicolay Trusov and Slovakian Michael Kolar.

The Tinkoff-Saxo team competing at the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under will be led by manager Guidi Fabrizio and includes riders:
Nicki Sorensen (Denmark)
Jay McCarthy (Australia)
Michael Andersen (Denmark)
Nicolay Trusov (Russia)
Christopher Juul Jensen (Denmark)
Michael Kolar (Slovakia)
Rory Sutherland (Australia)

FDJ.FR
Finnish National Road Race champion Jussi Veikkanen returns to Adelaide with French FDJ.FR team after a tenth place finish in the 2013 event. Veikkanen will be a strong contender for the Ochre Jersey and Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Mike Turtur says Veikkanen will have good support from his experienced French teammates.

“FDJ.FR always bring a competitive team to the Santos Tour Down Under and this the year their focus will be on supporting Veikkanen in his bid for the Ochre Jersey,” Mr Turtur said.

FDJ.FR will make their ninth appearance at the Santos Tour Down Under in 2014. The FDJ.FR team competing at the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under will be led by manager Yvon Madiot and includes riders:

William Bonnet (France)
Arnaud Corteille (France)
Kenny Elissonde (France)
Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (France)
Anthony Roux (France
Geoffrey Soupe (France)
Jussi Veikkanen (Finland)

Dutch Time Trial Champion heads to Adelaide for debut double
Dutch National Time Trial Champion Lieuwe Westra will make his Santos Tour Down Under debut in 2014 in his first race with Astana Pro Team. The winner of stage one at the 2013 Amgen Tour of California, Westra will be backed by his Kazakh team and Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Mike Turtur sayd Astana Pro Team will be looking for a good result to kick off the 2014 season.

“Astana Pro Team is bringing a solid roster to Adelaide and Lieuwe Westra is an experienced addition to the seven-man team,” Mr Turtur said. “Westra had a brilliant season with the stage win at the Amgen Tour of California before going on to win the time trial at the Dutch National Championships.

“As the first UCI WorldTour event of the season the Santos Tour Down Under is an important race for all teams and with the calibre of cyclists we are attracting, it is getting bigger and better every year.”

Astana Pro Team Director Sportif, Stefano Zanini will manage the team once again at the Santos Tour Down Under. “We are coming to the Tour Down Under with Gavazzi and Gasparotto to work for stages, and we are pleased to bring Dutch National time trial champion Lieuwe Westra to Australia for his first race in Astana Pro Team kit.”

The roster announced today also includes 2012 Amstel Gold Race winner Enrico Gasparotto and Tour of Beijing stage winner Francesco Gavazzi as well as fellow Italians Valerio Agnoli and Jacopo Guarnieri. The Astana Pro Team team competing at the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under will be led by manager Stefano Zanini and includes riders:

Enrico Gasparotto (Italy)
Andriy Grivko (Ukraine)
Francesco Gavazzi (Italy)
Lieuwe Westra (Netherlands)
Evan Huffman (United States)
Valerio Agnoli (Italy)
Jacopo Guarnieri (Italy)

2014 Santos Tour Down Under
The Santos Tour Down Under is Australia’s premier international cycling race. It will be staged in and around Adelaide, South Australia from 19 to 26 January 2014. On Sunday 19 January the world’s cycling elite will contest an exciting 50km circuit race, the People’s Choice Classic, as the curtain raiser for the six-stage Santos Tour Down Under being raced over a total distance of 875km.

Sunday 19 January – People’s Choice Classic – Adelaide (50km)
Monday 20 January – Rest day
Tuesday 21 January – Stage 1 – Nuriootpa to Angaston (135km)
Wednesday 22 January – BikeExchange.com.au Stage 2 – Prospect to Stirling (150km)
Thursday 23 January – Stage 3 – Norwood to Campbelltown (145km)
Friday 24 January – Bupa Stage 4 – Unley to Victor Harbor (148.5km)
Saturday 25 January – Stage 5 – McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill (151.5km)
Sunday 26 January – Stage 6 – Adelaide (95km)

 

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