Grand Tour stage winner Alberto Dainese makes his debut for the Wolfpack in Australia, where our team starts its 24th season.
For just the second time in the event’s history, the Tour Down Under will kick off with a prologue held over a distance of 3.6 kilometers, favouring not the specialists but those capable of a maxed-out effort. Just like last year, Tanunda returns with a course that despite being hilly, should see the sprinters in contention at the finish.
One of the hardest climbs of the Tour Down Under, Corkscrew Road – whose average gradient reaches almost 10% – is guaranteed to make a selection on Thursday, as the peloton heads to Uraidla. The next day, the breakaway could get a big opportunity in Nairne, but the stage that will once again have a major impact on the overall standings will be the one finishing atop Willunga Hill, the emblematic climb averaging 7.5% over just three kilometers. Sterling makes another appearance on the route, but unlike last year – when the fast men were in the spotlight – the day should belong to the GC riders, as the circuit in the Adelaide Hills comes with plenty of challenges.
Our team has won numerous times in Australia and will be motivated to once again leave its mark on the World Tour race. Alberto Dainese – a stage winner at both Il Giro and La Vuelta – will be one of the three riders making their Soudal Quick-Step debut at the Tour Down Under, alongside Fabio Van Den Bossche and former Italian Champion Filippo Zana. Joining them on the seven-man roster for the six-day race will be Pascal Eenkhoorn, Casper Pedersen, Andrea Raccagni, and Pepijn Reinderink.
We’re excited to start our season in just a couple of days!
“The race gets underway with a short prologue on road bikes, so anything is possible there. The sprinters will have their opportunities, but there are chances also for the puncheurs and the climbers. Normally, the GC will be decided on Willunga Hill, but it remains to be seen what happens on the circuit of the last day. Alberto will be our man for the sprint finishes and can count on a strong and experienced team, while for the overall standings, we hope we will get a good result with Filippo and Andrea. It’s a balanced team that makes us look with confidence to the start of this race”, said sports director Geert Van Bondt.
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
