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A week after dominating the Tour Down Under, top Australian cycling team Orica-GreenEDGE will boast the strongest contingent in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road race.
GreenEDGE’s Simon Gerrans won his fourth Tour title last weekend and Sunday’s 174km race – which starts and finishes in Geelong – should suit him.
The undulating terrain, forecast heavy rain and likelihood of crosswinds splitting the field will probably mean a select group at the finish.
But if the race comes down to a mass sprint, GreenEDGE also have rising star Caleb Ewan in their lineup, and his two Tour Down Under stage wins show he could take it up to British ace Mark Cavendish.
“Going into this race, we’re not under pressure,” team director Matt Wilson said.
“Coming off the back of a successful Santos Tour Down Under, we’ve got plenty of options, different cards to play and we’re expecting a hard race.”
Belgian Gianni Meersman won the first edition in 2015, but he Etixx-QuickStep team is not competing.
That race came down to a seven-man front group, with Evans finishing fifth and then going into retirement.
“It’s a race that’s hard enough to be selective, but not so difficult that it’s going to scare off people who want to … start (their season) here,” Evans said this week.
Evans still has strong links to the BMC team, which will have Australian cyclist of the year Rohan Dennis as one of their key riders on Sunday.
The event will also feature a 113km women’s race on Saturday, featuring the same basic course as the men.
Australian Rachel Neylan won a year ago and that proved a landmark result in her rollercoaster career.
She is now with Orica-AIS, the women’s team in the GreenEDGE organisation, and like their male colleagues they are the squad to beat.
Australian road champion Amanda Spratt will also be in their lineup.
This will be the first time in Neylan’s career she’s defending a title.
“It will be a new challenge, racing with a target on my back rather than as the underdog,” she said.
“The team has shown that we have a full lineup of girls in really strong form and that is a huge advantage for us.
“Whether it be me, or my teammates, we want to make an impact on the race and we have the numbers and ability to do that.”
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