News: Stellar Orica-GreenEDGE squad to support Gerrans

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After a dominating start to the 2014 season, Orica-GreenEDGE are expecting big things when they line up with a formidable outfit for the 2014 Jayco Herald Sun Tour this Wednesday.

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And it is likely to come courtesy of their main charge, Simon Gerrans. The Aussie champion will be supported by a stellar Orica-GreenEDGE team, including 2012 Vuelta a Espana stage and king of the mountains jersey winner Simon Clarke and 2011 Tour Down Under champion Cameron Meyer – both formidable general classification contenders in their own right.

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2013 under 23 world and national time trial champion Damien Howson will work hard on the front in his debut season for the team, whilst speedsters Matthew Goss and Mitch Docker have also contributed to the hard yards when the stage doesn’t suit their sprint specialities.

Gerrans is two from two this season – claiming his second national championship and a record third overall victory at the Tour Down Under in the past month. The 33-year-old is the first to admit the extent of the role played by his teammates.

The Orica-GreenEDGE squad put on a text book display in Ballarat to control the national championship race from the outset of the main break and then deliver Gerrans to the line with only a couple of remaining challengers for the final sprint.

A similar scene played out at the Tour Down Under as Australia’s first ever WorldTour professional team put on a dominating display to win the team’s classification and deliver the Victorian to the top of the podium.

The Jayco Herald Sun Tour will be no different.

Sport Director Matt Wilson has high expectations for the team – who on paper, are the clear favourites. “The team is coming in off the back of a huge win at Tour Down Under, and we have a really strong team going to the Herald Sun Tour also,” Wilson said.

“We won the team’s classification at Tour Down Under, and we’ve got about half of those guys in the line up for the Herald Sun Tour, plus some others who have prepared well for this race. The guys were so dominant in Adelaide, so we’re expecting big things.”

The focus will be on Gerrans, who will become the first rider to win the national championship, Tour Down Under and Jayco Herald Sun Tour in one year and just the fourth to win the latter on three occasions with a victory next week.

“Gerro has the form of his life. He is coming off two big wins, after the national titles and Tour Down Under, so he will start the Herald Sun Tour as the favourite,” Wilson said. “I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t make it a trifecta with a win at the Sun Tour also.”

“We’ll be going for the overall win next week and that’s the main objective for us. Stage wins are obviously nice, and we’ll hope to pick up one or two along the way. But we’re mainly focused on the overall.”

Orica-GreenEDGE – 2014 Jayco Herald Sun Tour

Simon GERRANS AUS 33
2014 national champion and Tour Down Under winner (first rider to win event three times). 2013 Tour de France stage winner and sixth Australian to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey. Only Australian to individually win a stage at each of the three Grand Tours. Two-time winner of the JHST (2005 & 2006).

Simon CLARKE AUS 27
2012 Vuelta a Espana stage and king of the mountains jersey winner on Grand Tour debut. 7th and best placed Australian at the 2013 world championships in Toscana. Won the best 23 rider at the 2007 JHST.

Mitch DOCKER AUS 27
Sprinter, stage winner at 2013 Bay Cycling Classic, 6th 2011 Gent-Wevelgem, 8th overall at 2008 JHST.

Matthew GOSS AUS 27
Australia’s fastest sprinter, 2011 Milan – San Remo champion (first ever Australian winner), 2011 world championship road race silver medallist, two-time individual stage winner at the Giro d’Italia. Won a stage and the points classification at the 2008 JHST.

Damien HOWSON AUS 21
2013 under 23 world and national time trial champion, debut season with Orica-GreenEDGE.

Cameron MEYER AUS 26
Five time world champion on the track, 2011 Tour Down Under champion, 2010 & 2011 Australian time trial champion.

Course:
Prologue – Wednesday, 5 February – Southbank, Melbourne ITT
Stage 1 – Thursday, 6 February – Geelong to Ballarat
Stage 2 – Friday, 7 February – Ballarat to Bendigo
Stage 3 – Saturday, 8 February – Mitchelton Winery to Nagambie
Stage 4 – Sunday, 9 February – Arthurs Seat, Mornington Peninsula

Website: www.heraldsuntour.com.au 

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