PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2023 - World Tour returns to racing in Australia with star-studded field

The 2023 season will, some say, begin at the Tour Down Under and both female and male pelotons will travel down to Australia for some early-year good weather and a prestigious race that distributes many points aswell.

The men's Tour Down Under will be back after being cancelled twice due to Covid-19 restrictions, and will take place in the Adelaide region from the 17th to 22nd of January 2023.

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. Stage 1 into Tanunda will be one for the sprinters surely, however it features a five-lap circuit with a 4.5Km; 3.7% ascent that could make it somewhat difficult for the pure sprinters if there is intention to accelerate the pace. Stage 2 into Victor Harbor won't be too different, open for both classics riders, rouleurs and sprinters to succeed depending on what race scenario develops.

You will find the stage profiles at the end of the preview.

Stage 3 will see a finale in Campbelltown. This may be termed the queen stage, as it features the famous ascent of the steep Corkscrew road - 2.4Km at 9%. This will be a critical point of the race for the overall classification, with the finish following the fast descent. Stage 4 will finish in Willunga, however without the ascent of the famous climb. The finish will be at it's base, it's a stage that's expected to end in a sprint, however slightly uphill, which can spice up the riders capable of fighting for it.

The final of racing will be from Unley to Mount Lofty, with an uphill start, very short distances and explosive circuit climbs. It will be a day where chaos can rule and aggressive racing can benefit, to possibly turn the GC on it's head. Besides the uphill start, the riders will ride a four-lap circuit that concludes at the top of Mount Lofty, a 8.1-kilometer long ascent that averages 3%.

The startlist features climbers and puncheurs such as: Simon Yates, Ben O'Connor, Pello Bilbao, Victor Lafay, Mattia Cattaneo, Robert Stannard, Michael Storer, Geraint Thomas, Luke Plapp, Magnus Sheffield, Gorka Izagirre, Jay Vine, George Bennett, Alessandro Covi, Marc Hirschi, Elie Gesbert, Mikkel Honoré, Alberot Bettiol, Jai Hindley, Max Schachmann, Chris Froome and Simon Clarke.

As for the sprinters, time-trialist and other notable figures, the following will also be at the start: Michael Matthews, Gianni Moscon, Phil Bauhaus, Bryan Coquard, Kaden Groves, Ethan Hayter, Gerben Thijssen, Rohan Dennis, Patrick Bevin, Hugo Hofstetter, Jordi Meeus, Caleb Ewan and Daryl Impey.

GC Contenders

The race will likely be more open than it would be in regular years. The Tour Down Under has undergone some changes during the pandemic and returned with a fresh route - even if in the same region. Old Willunga Hill is gone, and the final stage to Mount Lofty is open to attacks and raids, something the race has not seen much over many many years.

Stage three to Campbelltown will be crucial, as the corkscrew climb will be the main feature and is a climb hard enough to make meaningful differences in this race. The prologue and stage two can also create some differences, and with the likes of Michael Matthews, Ethan Hayter and Patrick Bevin present, seconds in the opening day and bonifications will always be up for grabs. In the past the race has been decided by minute gaps, this year could see similar.

However the final stage, with only 112 kilometers in distance, constant roller-coaster roads and with gaps that at that point should not be too big, can leave the race open to serious raids. Depth will be important on that day and the GC can be turnt on it's head. It will not be a good day certainly for whoever enters in the lead as the climbs are perfect for large groups to go up the road and will be very hard to chase. Simultaneously, they are not hard enough for the strongest climbers to have an obvious upper hand.

UAE - A very dangerous and strong lineup. With a fresh batch of signings, UAE is taking no time to put Jay Vine to use and he has already shown form by winning the Australian time-trial national championships. Vine will be a strong climber that can benefit from conservative races, whilst the team has Alessandro Covi and Marc Hirschi who are capable of thriving in the more explosive terrain and sprints.

INEOS - For me the most dangerous team in the race. INEOS have Ethan Hayter who is almost the perfect rider for this race, and will not be easy to beat in such terrain. The prologue and hilly stages will be ideal for the Briton who can snatch many seconds in all stages but perhaps Campbelltown. There he will have to limit losses. The team will count on new national champion Luke Plapp there however who has his climbing legs sharp. The same can be said of Magnus Sheffield who should thrive in the rolling terrain.

Simon Yates & Michael Matthews - Having the pressure of being the home team, Team Jayco AlUla brought in the big guns. Simon Yates will be a wildcard, an inconsistent rider however one oft he best climbers in the world on his best day, and he could be a serious threat to the GC if he finds himself with good legs. However the team may fancy the chances of Michael Matthews more, who shown form to finish on the podium of the nationals, and like Ethan Hayter should be able to grab bonifications and an early advantage in the prologue.

Pello Bilbao - After a long off-season Pello Bilbao is back in the mix after a strong 2022 season. The Basque has a tradition of starting his seasons strong and with his mix of climbing and sprinting capacity, he will be an incredibly complicated rider to keep away whatever stage it may be.

Jai Hindley & Max Schachmann - Jai Hindley is perhaps away from his favoured terrain, but in the Corkscrew he can do some damage if his build-up was nice. The team can eye a strong result for Max Schachmann too however, who on his best day would be a prime favourite for this race the way the stages have been designed.

The GC can surely see more men in the mix. Home riders Rohan Dennis and Ben O'Connor will be wildcards. Israel comes in with Corbin Strong and Daryl Impey... Simon Clarke is expected to be at the start but a late Covid-19 infection may derail his ambitions, and of course Chris Froome is motivated to get his season on a roll! Patrick Bevin will be another very dangerous rider in the mix.

Prediction Time

*** E.Hayter, Vine
** Hirschi, Plapp, Bilbao
* Covi, Sheffield, Matthews, S.Yates, Schachmann, Hindley, O'Connor, Clarke, Bevin