Tour Down Under confirms 2025 race will count on winners of 2024 and 2023 - Stephen Williams and Jay Vine to fight for ochre jersey
Cycling
The Tour Down Under will be the first men's World Tour event of 2025 and starts in just over a month. Most teams now in December are deciding who to take to the Australian race, that today confirmed the upcoming presence of 2023 winner Jay Vine and reigning champion Stephen Williams.
The Australian race has in recent weeks been announcing quite a lot of big names. Besides having recently-retired Mark Cavendish present at the race as an ambassador, the race will count on names such as these two, Pablo Torres, Luke Plapp, Geraint Thomas, Laurence Pithie and Cofidis' Bryan Coquard and Ion Izagirre who is just off a fourth place at Il Lombardia. Sprinters and GC contenders alike are slowly confirming their presence in the race that will feature a traditional route with opportunities for different types of riders and plenty UCI points at hand.
Stephen Williams said, in anticipation to the race: “Winning my first Santos Tour Down Under was an unbelievable moment for me. It put into motion a terrific year for me. I’m chasing another strong result to kick start my 2025 season, and hopefully it will lead to another breakthrough year.”
Vine in the meantime, who's had another season riddled by injuries, looks to start the new season just as he did in 2023 where he won his debut race in the UAE Team Emirates jersey. “There’s no feeling quite like racing on home soil. We're expecting to have a great battle on our hands in January. I’ve had some very positive results since returning from injury during the year, and we're hoping for a good showing with a very strong team in Adelaide.”
Race director Stuart O'Grady commented on the latest confirmations with natural satisfaction: “Stevie Williams and Jay Vine are both extraordinary athletes. Fans witnessed Williams’ determined style in the frantic finish to Stage 6 at Mount Lofty this year. I know he’s ready to give everything he’s got once again. To have Jay Vine back is a big coup for the race. They are both determined to win, so we should see some amazing racing when the title goes on the line.”
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Defending champion Stephen Williams will go in pursuit of back-to-back crowns, while 2023 winner @JayVine3 is back to reclaim ochre 💪 Read more: https://t.co/bMv2Uonp48
— Santos Tour Down Under 🚴🚴♀️ (@tourdownunder) December 19, 2024
This rider announcement is brought to you by @HaysAustralia @HaysNewZealand#TourDownUnder @UCI_cycling pic.twitter.com/fxtV1eUYXx
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