PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2023 Prologue - INEOS big favourites for tricky time-trial

The race organizers have brought the race back and with a completely different face. This is a Tour Down Under unlike any other in recent years, with a new set of stages. To begin with immediately, the riders have a 5.5-kilometer prologue in Adelaide which will set the first differences and make for an exciting day of racing.

The route will be just north of the center of the Aussie city. It's a fast prologue, it features a few corners but none will truly be tight. It isn't exactly perfect for the purists because of that, however we shouldn't see any major surprises.

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Prediction prologue Tour Down Under

*** E.Hayter, Sheffield
** Plapp, Dennis, Matthews
* Schachmann, Bettiol, Bilbao, Vine, Bevin, Durbridge

Pick: Ethan Hayter

The Weather

Over 30 degrees in temperature despite being late in the afternoon. Away from the city center the heat won't be as strong but when a race will be decided by so little everything counts. There will be meaningfully strong wind from the south, mostly making for a tail-crosswind start and head-crosswind finish, meaning pacing will be even more crucial.

The Favourites

The riders won't have their traditional time-trial bikes here in Adelaide, but will instead race the prologue with their road bikes. This will chance things in relation to a normal time-trial where the riders who've worked hard to dial their positions, and the teams who've worked the most on their bikes, will not have the same advantage.

Instead it will be a more unpredictable day of racing, where form and pure power will matter the most. 5.5 kilometers is enough to see those who have the best legs stand apart. The specialists include Ethan Hayter, Magnus Sheffield, Rohan Dennis and Luke Plapp who will be the main favourites to take it on the day.

INEOS Grenadiers have the upper hand when it comes to taking the opening ochre jersey, having Geraint Thomas aswell as a possibility - although his form is unlikely to be as good. Like him however other stage-racers or puncheurs who should fight for GC have the chance to be in the mix such as Simon Yates, Max Schachmann, Alberto Bettiol, Patrick Bevin, Antonio Tiberi, Jay Vine and Pello Bilbao.

On the other hand some of the fast men may also be within a shot of a result. After all the course will be relatively short and there are some that stand apart from the typical pure sprinter. Michael Matthews is definitely an option. Jannik Steimle, Miles Scotson, Michael Hepburn, Luke Durbridge and Jos van Emden also fit the picture as time-trialists.