The Tour Down Under 2019 did not disappoint last week, and we now have the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race to look forward to! Here's a quick post running through the route of the Road Race, the big names that will be starring, and who I believe will take the victory at the end!
The Men's version of the Great Ocean Road Race was given UCI WorldTour status before the 2017 event, and as such it now attracts a huge host of WorldTour teams. It's become customary that if you ride the Tour Down Under, you'll typically also ride the Great Ocean Road Race since the two events are so close together in the calender - and it would be pointless for teams to fly other riders out to compete when they're already there!
Elia Viviani (Deceuninck - Quick Step), Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) & Jasper Philipsen (UAE - Team Emirates) all look like good shouts if it comes down to a sprint finish, but the sprint tends to be from a reduced field with the puncheurs usually ending up taking victory. Luis Le贸n S谩nchez (Astana Pro Team) looked to in remarkable form in the TDU, so he's definitely one to watch out for; likewise, Daryl Impey (Mitchelton - Scott) will want to continue his success here!
I can't look past Luis Le贸n S谩nchez at the moment if I am honest. I think the Astana man is in such great form and his attacks in the closing kilometres of some of the TDU Stages were incredible, and I think if he makes a dig in the Great Ocean Road Race, they'll be no-one to match him!
The Route & Route Profile;
The Road Race will cover 164km and will start and finish in Geelong. It features some flat but exposed roads, as well as some undulating climbs followed by technical descents - with the famous Challambra climb being featured.
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