The ARA | Pro Racing Sunshine Coast team have overcome border challenges and lockdowns to arrive in Adelaide with a strong contingent of 14 riders, and will start tomorrow’s Santos Festival of Cycling, a revamped version of the iconic Santos Tour Down Under, which was cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The revised 2020 edition of the event includes domestic teams as well as a composite team of European-based riders that are currently in Australia. There are set to be 13 men’s WorldTour riders in the race, with Richie Porte competing as part of an Australian national team. Team BikeExchange (the Australian owned GreenEdge team) will also start the event, fielding a team of six riders in a race that still contains the iconic finish on Willunga Hill.
“When one door shuts another one opens. For a lot of the domestic teams and the young riders, this is a huge occasion,” said Race Director Stuart O’Grady.
“They’ll have a stage to perform on and it’s going to be the best national road series event that a lot of these riders will have had to perform in. It will have the look and feel of the Tour Down Under with the same team and infrastructure behind it. What an opportunity for a young kid. One week you’re racing around a small track in regional Australia and then the next week you’re racing up Willunga alongside Richie Porte.”
Managing Direct of the Australian Cycling Academy, Ben Kersten, believes the hardest battle has been fought just making it to the event, and says the team can now focus on enjoying this unique opportunity.
“There have been so many hurdles not just for us as a team and for the riders, but for all teams, the event organization, and AusCycling just to bring this race to fruition. It has always been a dream of ours to compete at the Tour Down Under and we won’t waste the opportunity to compete in this amazing event. We are extremely grateful to all of the stakeholders committed to this event, and to our Partners and Supporters for getting us here.”
The ACA women’s team is captained by Ruby Roseman-Gannon, who has had a spectacular string of results in the last 12 months including winning the u23 National Criterium Championships, despite the lack of racing due to COVID.
“I really enjoyed racing the 2020 Tour Down Under so I’m super excited to line up again this year for the NRS event. We’ve got a new look and a great team of riders who I’m really excited to race with again. The weather looks hot and the courses look great so I think it will be a good tour for us,” said Roseman-Gannon.
ARA | Pro Racing Sunshine Coast men’s Sport Director, Henk Vogels, says the team intends to make the most of every opportunity across the four-day long event.
“We have come to Adelaide with a very strong group of punchy young riders,” said Vogels.
“We expect to be active in the breakaways. With strong climbers in the team, like Angus Lyons, Zack Gilmore, Oli Stenning and Alex Bogna, they will look to get up the road on all of the road stages. If it comes back to a bunch sprint, we have Craig Wiggins and the Rice brothers to box on with the World Tour Sprinters. The Team is ready and have prepared really well for this event.”
ARA | Pro Racing Sunshine Coast Men’s Team:
- Alex Bogna
- Angus Lyons
- Craig Wiggins
- Matt Rice
- Mick Rice
- Oli Stenning
- Zack Gilmore
ARA | Pro Racing Sunshine Coast Women’s Team:
- Alex Martin-Wallace
- Anya Louw
- Ruby Roseman-Gannon
- Sophie Edwards
- Holly Lubcke
- Chloe Moran
- Lauren Perry
This year, you will be able to catch the Santos Festival of Cycling NRS and NRSW races live streamed on 7plus.
All times below in Adelaide Central Daylight Time:
ADELAIDE TRACK LEAGUE
TUESDAY, 19 JANUARY, 2021
5.50pm – 9.05pm
ZIPTRAK STAGE 1 – SEPPLESFIELD TO TANUNDA
THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY, 2021
Women’s: 8.50am – 12noon
Men’s: 1.05pm – 5.00pm
BIKEEXCHANGE STAGE 2 – BIRDWOOD TO LOBETHAL
FRIDAY, 22 JANUARY, 2021
Women’s: 8.50am – 12.15pm
Men’s: 1.05pm – 5.00pm
BE SAFE BE SEEN STAGE 3 – MCLAREN VALE TO WILLUNGA
SATURDAY, 23 JANUARY, 2021
Women’s: 9.50am – 11.50am
Men’s: 12.50pm – 4.00pm
TREK STAGE 4 – VICTORIA PARK
SUNDAY, 24 JANUARY
Paracycling: 3.10pm – 3.40pm
Women’s: 6.45pm – 8.30pm
Men’s: 1.05pm – 5.00pm
